Remembering Augsburg: June 25, 1530

Today marks the anniversary of the Augsburg Confession before Emperor Charles V.  On January 21, 1530, Emperor Charles V issued letters from Bologna, inviting the Imperial Diet to meet in Augsburg on April 8 for the purpose of discussing and deciding various important questions. Although the writ of invitation was couched in very peaceful language, it was received with suspicion by some of the Protestants. Landgrave Philip of Hesse hesitated to attend the diet, but the Elector John of Saxony, who received the writ March 11, on March 14 directed Martin Luther, Justus Jonas, Johannes Bugenhagen, and Philipp Melanchthon to meet in Torgau, where he was, and present a summary of the Lutheran faith to be laid before the Holy Roman Emperor at the diet.