The Wittenberg Reformation cannot be reduced in its complexity and wide-ranging repercussions to the work of a sole individual; rather it was a collective phenomenon. Asserting this premise, the Institute of European History in Mainz and the Institute of Church History at the University of Leipzig have held conferences since 2000 at the Leucorea Foundation in Wittenberg focusing on historical figures who, together with Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, played a significant role in the formation, establishment and consolidation of Lutheran Churches in the territories and municipalities of the German empire, but who have none the less been widely neglected in surveys of the Reformation. In 2003 the conference was dedicated to the humanist, legal scholar and theologian Justus Jonas. The initial essays focus on the historical contexts related to Jonas's academic studies and teaching at Erfurt and Wittenberg and on his interaction with influential scholars. To this end the late Helmar Junghans categorises the humanistic movement in Erfurt and Gotha into four phases, while Christian Peters distinctively traces Jonas's early unrestricted admiration of Erasmus to the decisive breech in 1527 in the course of the controversy over free will. In characterising the relationship between Jonas and Melanchthon Heinz Scheible draws from his highly praised edition of the latter's correspondence. Eike Wolgast analyses Jonas's position in the Wittenberg quinqueviri, a term referring to the collective advisory authority for theological, political and legal matters that Luther, Melanchthon, Bugenhagen, Jonas und Cruciger formed in the void that followed the collapse of the traditional church authorities in Saxony. Wolgast inquires further into factors for Jonas's decision to accept a call to Halle in 1541, showing that personal financial benefits were not the least of his considerations. Robert Kolb, Volker Gummelt and Ute Mennecke conclude in their theological and philological approaches to Jonas's works that his significance does not lie in any form of originality, but rather in the promotion of Luther's theology. Heiner Lück evaluates Jonas's role in the restructured constitution of the university in 1536 and in the establishment of a consistory in 1538 that later became a model for similar institutions in other Protestant territories. Siegfried Bräuer critically examines an anonymous manuscript chronicling the Reformation movement in the city of Halle before the arrival of Jonas, elucidating the potential of this valuable document for future research. Inge Mager illustrates rhetorical aspects of Jonas's report on Luther's death in 1546. In the aftermath of the Schmalkaldic War Jonas was forced to leave Halle. Armin Kohnle re-evaluates Jonas's position on the religious politics of the emperor and Moritz of Saxony in and after the war, dispelling commonly-held views based on generalising assumptions. Finally, Rainer Axmann takes an in-depth look at the last years of Jonas's life and work at the court in Coburg, as preacher ad interim in Regensburg and as superintendent in Eisfeld. In its entirety the volume offers a refreshingly differentiated and – with the exception of the period in Halle – comprehensive biography of Justus Jonas. More cross-references and interaction between the essays would have reduced repetition and intensified potential synergetic effects. All in all the book offers valuable additions and critical corrections to the standard biographies by Walter Delius (1952) in German and by Martin Lehmann (1963) in English.