This is the first biography in English of Johann Reuchlin (1455-1522), based upon the new critical edition of his correspondence. Reuchlin became most famous as the Catholic defender of Jewish books at the beginning of the 16th century, clarifying the Catholic Church's position toward the Jews. The book contributes to the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration on Relations with the Jews of the Second Vatican Council in 1965. Franz Posset, PhD, Dipl.-Theol., is internationally known as Catholic Luther scholar, specializing in the theology and history of the Renaissance and Reformation, author of Pater Bernhardus: Martin Luther and Bernard of Clairvaux (1999), The Front-Runner of the Catholic Reformation (on Johann von Staupitz) (2003), Renaissance Monks (2005), The Real Luther (2011), Marcus Marulus and the Biblia Latina of 1489 (2013), and a book in German, Unser Martin. Martin Luther aus der Sicht katholischer Sympathisanten (2015).

Johann von Staupitz is generally acknowledged as one of the most important influences on Martin Luther, convincing him of the sin-remitting grace of God. It was this revelation that was to spur Luther to formulate his theology of salvation by faith alone which was to lead to his break with the Catholic church. When Luther was brought to task by the church authorities for his heretical views it was Staupitz who was deputed to remonstrate with him, and it was Staupitz who sent a copy of his theses on indulgences to the Pope. Despite Luther's defection from Rome, he was to remain on good terms with the orthodox Staupitz who was consistently at the forefront of reformation within the Catholic Church. This book sheds light on the spiritual and theological beliefs of Staupitz, placing him in the midst of the late medieval reform efforts in the Augustianian order. It argues that as reformer, sermonizer, and friend of humanists Staupitz was a major player in the world of early sixteenth century theology who had a profound influence on the course of the Reformation.

This volume deals with the intellectual world of "progressive" Benedictine and Cistercian monks who vicariously represent humanists in cloisters ("Klosterhumanismus," "Bibelhumanismus") in German speaking lands: Conradus Leontorius (1460-1511), Maulbronn, Benedictus Chelidonius (c.1460-1521), Nuremberg and Vienna, Bolfgangus Marius (1469-1544), Aldersbach in Bavaria, Henricus Urbanus (c. 1470-c.1539), Georgenthal in the region of Gotha and Erfurt, Vitus Bild Acropolitanus (1481-1529), Augsburg, and Nikolaus Ellenbog (1481-1543), Ottobeuren in Swabia. For the first time in historical-theological research, new insights are provided into the world of the "social group" called Monastic Humanists who emerged next to the better known Civic Humanists within the diverse, international phenomenon of Renaissance humanism.