The Rise and Fall of the Schmalkaldic League: The Treaty of Passau, 1552

There are several reasons that suggest the truce of Passau as a subject for special consideration at the present time. One is, of course, the date. Since 1883 we have followed up the great outstanding events in Reformation history by church-wide celebrations, beginning with Luther\u27s birth and ending, in 1946, with Luther\u27s death. But several events following Luther\u27s death were to be of immense importance to the Lutheran Church; one of them is the Schmalkaldic War, ending in the truce of Passau, 1552, and the Religious Peace of Augsburg. 1555. - Another reason: We have seen a veritable flood of books on Luther and the Reformation appearing on the market in late years. In most of them this last period of Reformation history is rapidly passed over. Some of them even stop with Worms, 1521. Is there something significant in this? Up to Worms Luther is every man\u27s hero - then the defection begins; one faction after the other deserts him as it becomes evident what kind of a reformation he initiates