Seckendorf As Church Historian, Spitz thesis (Pt 2)

(modified on 11/10/2014)
In my recent post regarding Veit Ludwig von Seckendorf, I lamented that his major work of the History of Lutheranism has not yet been translated into English.  However further research has yielded some benefit from the work of the LC-MS historian Dr. Lewis W. Spitz.  He wrote some articles for the journal Concordia Theological Monthly, but prior to these he wrote as part of his dissertation at the University of Chicago a treatise on Seckendorf as Church Historian.  Because of its value and also its obscurity for public viewing, I want to publish the OCR'd text of this work:
     L.W. Spitz, "A Critical Evaluation of Veit Ludvig von Seckendorf as a Church Historian" ==>> PDF copy

What follows is the text of an extract from this dissertation:

The lay reader without knowledge of Latin or German will find reading this article difficult.  But it is worth the effort to just go to page 154 and read the highlighted section on "justification", especially where Seckendorf says:

Luther, however, excluded charity from the act of justification.

That statement is the Reformer and Reformation in a nutshell!  I would also invite the reader to do a search on the word "Luther " (with a space after) and read information relating directly to Martin Luther.  This may perhaps stimulate further reading.  I admit that part of my motive for posting this essay on Seckendorf is to perhaps promote interest with some Lutheran scholar in the world who will see Seckendorf's work as having value for Christians today... and translate it into English!  After all, Franz Pieper said this of Luther's polemical writings:

It's all entertaining!

What Christian does not need true entertainment?  —  Spitz wrote other articles on Seckendorf:
1) for the Journal of Religion, 1945 (see here for download copy)
2) for Concordia Theological Monthly in 1945 and 1949 (see here for downloads, alternate here)

Why is Seckendorf so important as a Church Historian?  Because Pastor Hermann Fick noted (here, page 164) how Seckendorf praised Martin Luther's response to the Diet of Regensburg especially for holding firm on

The Lutheran Doctrine of Justification.