Ulrich Zwingli & The Swiss Reformation. Swiss Confederation Confederation began in 1291...

Ulrich ZwingliUlrich Zwingli

& The Swiss Reformation& The Swiss Reformation

Swiss ConfederationSwiss Confederation

• Confederation began in 1291

• Technically part of Holy Roman Empire, basically independent by 1499

• Noted for its independent spirit & quality of its mercenaries

Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)

• Born in Switzerland; son & grandson of civil magistrates; Uncle Bartholomew, parish priest

• Latin scholar; educated in Basel, Bern, Vienna

• Came under influence of Erasmus & humanism

Early Priesthood (1506-1518)Early Priesthood (1506-1518)• Glarus – Arranged by Uncle Bartholomew

– Another priest sold post for 100 florins

– Main “cash crop” was mercenaries

– Zwingli served as chaplain, saw 10,000 killed

• Einsiedeln – Chaplain of Shrine of Virgin

– Preaching to pilgrims earned his reputation

– Began to question indulgences

• Grossmunster – Great Church of Zurich

Zurich & Early ReformZurich & Early Reform

• Zurich: key city of Switzerland & important religious center

• Pastorate: preaching, mass, visiting sick

• Preached through books of Bible instead of prescribed Scriptures

• Spiritual crisis: plague, brother’s death, his own sickness after ministering to victims

1522 – Key Year1522 – Key Year

• “Affair of the Sausages”

– Zwingli preached against Lenten fast

– Zurich printer rewarded workers with sausages

– Zwingli defended practice

1522 – Key Year1522 – Key Year• Petition against celibacy

– Priests petitioned bishop to legitimize relations

– Many priests had common-law wives, concubines

– 1500 illegitimate children fathered by priests

– Zwingli was living with widow Anna Rinehart

First Disputation – Jan. 1523First Disputation – Jan. 1523• Debate between Zwingli and Vicar General of

Bishopric of Constance

• Zwingli presented 67 Articles for church life

• City Council supported Zwingli’s Reformation:

– Affirmation of Scripture as basis of authority

– Condemned corruption of Roman Catholic Church

– Denounced: purgatory; papal office; priestly garments; priesthood; clerical celibacy; traditional mass (Lord’s Supper should be memorial)

• Zwingli’s Reformation depended on Council

Second Disputation – Oct. 1523Second Disputation – Oct. 1523• Topics: Use of images; the mass; purgatory

– Quick agreement to reject use of images– Purgatory was never discussed– Instead remainder of discussion was spent on replacing

the mass with simple Lord’s Supper: magistrates delayed implementation; Zwingli’s followers insisted on immediate action; Zwingli sided with magistrates

• No action was taken• Christmas Day, Zwingli did not conduct simple

Lord’s Supper as planned• Many of his student-followers broke with Zwingli

Prophecy Meetings Prophecy Meetings & Swiss Brethren& Swiss Brethren

• 1519, Zwingli began attracting students:– Conrad Grebel

– Felix Manz

– George Blaurock

• At Prophecy Meetings, studied NT in Greek

• Study led to rejection of infant baptism & support of believer’s baptism

• When this reform was rejected by Council, Zwingli backed down

Third Disputation – Jan. 1525Third Disputation – Jan. 1525• Zwingli attempted to suppress Swiss

Brethren at public disputation on baptism• Zwingli coined term “Anabaptists”:

Re-baptizers• Decision: Brethren to

stop meeting & have children baptized or leave in 8 days

• Brethren defied Zwingli & Council, were baptized as believers & were persecuted

Zwingli on Church-StateZwingli on Church-State• State-church in Zurich:

Reformation depended uponsupport from Council

• Christian Civic Union: allied with other Swiss cantons to spread Reformation

Zwingli on BaptismZwingli on Baptism• Adhered to infant baptism

• Nature of baptism– Infants are not guilty

– Baptism not necessary for salvation

– Infant was elect; in covenant community

• Predestination – Fit his view of infant baptism, which was sign of covenant for

those elected by God

– Covenant concept of church

Zwingli on Lord’s SupperZwingli on Lord’s Supper• Easter 1525, Zwingli observed

“evangelical” Lord’s Supper

– Advocated symbolic view of Lord’s Supper

– Taught that bread & cup were signs or symbols to be observed in remembrance & thanksgiving for Christ’s sacrifice

– Holy Spirit uses these signs/symbols to testify that participants are joined in true & spiritual way to resurrected & ascended Christ; but Christ was not actually present in elements of Supper

Zwingli as Reformed SpokesmanZwingli as Reformed Spokesman• 1529, Marburg Colloquy:

met with Luther for alliance against Catholics; no agreement on Lord’s Supper (Zwingli – memorial; Luther – real presence)

1530, Augsburg Diet: Swiss Churches presented their own articles

Zwingli’s Contribution to Zwingli’s Contribution to Reformed ChurchesReformed Churches

• Zwingli set out goal & early model

• Creation of disciplined people of God governed by biblical principles required extensive reform of doctrine, worship, church government & entire society

• Laws enforcing state church’s worship were based on precedent of Israel & Old Testament laws on religion & civil matters

• Infant baptism, like OT circumcision, included children in covenant community

Zwingli’s Contribution to Zwingli’s Contribution to Reformed ChurchesReformed Churches

• Biblical lessons became focus of worship

• Worship attendance was mandatory

• Music & organs, images removed from churches

• Tight control on moral behavior; curfew

• Religious uniformity strictly enforced; deviation considered treasonous; Anabaptist targeted especially

Zwingli’s Writings (1525)Zwingli’s Writings (1525)

• On Baptism, Anabaptism and Infant Baptism – Baptism is sign of covenant: infant baptism is

New Testament expression of circumcision– OT is precedent for covenant community

• Commentary on True and False Religion– Lord’s Supper is symbolic remembrance

• On Human and Divine Justice– Union of Church & State

Zwingli’s DeathZwingli’s Death

• Second Kappel War (1531)– Protestants blockaded routes to Catholic

cantons– Protestant cantons did not unite; Catholics did– Catholics attacked Zurich

• Catholics won; routed Zurich army• Zwingli died• Catholics strengthened hold

on 5 Catholic cantons, which remain Catholic to this day

Heinrich Bullinger (1504-75)Heinrich Bullinger (1504-75)

• Successor & spokesman for Zwinglian viewpoint after 1531

• Influenced refugee Protestant leaders who relocated in Zurich

• Drafted Helvetic (Swiss) Confession, basic doctrinal standard for Reformed churches in Europe (1536, 1566)

Heinrich Bullinger (1504-75)Heinrich Bullinger (1504-75)

• Negotiated with John Calvin for accord uniting German-speaking & French-speaking Reformed churches (Consensus Tigurinus, 1549)

• Wrote historical & theological works defending Reformation & Protestantism (i.e. The Decades)

Johann Oecolampadius Johann Oecolampadius (1482-1531)(1482-1531)

• Led Reform in Basel• Humanist, Hebrew scholar,

commentator on Scripture• Elaborated concept of

“covenant” community as model for Reformed city

• Advocated use of elders to help pastors in providing spiritual oversight

Berchtold Haller (1492-1536)Berchtold Haller (1492-1536)• By 1528, led Reform in

Bern, political & military center of Protestant reform among Swiss & capital of Swiss Confederation

• Supported French-speaking Reformed church development in Geneva, Neuchatel & Lausanne

Martin Bucer (1491-1551)Martin Bucer (1491-1551)

• Strasbourg: located outside of Swiss Confederation; refugee center until 1548; leading intellectual center for Reformed churches

• Reform led by Bucer: Humanist scholar, Bible commentator & theologian, implementer of Reformed models

Martin Bucer (1491-1551)Martin Bucer (1491-1551)

• Pursued middle way or moderate approach to accommodate Lutheran & Schmalkaldic League positions with Swiss Reformed positions

• Effort to recruit English church leaders into united Protestant church effort

• Thomas Cranmer invited Bucer to England to assist in English Reformation