1. & The Swiss Reformation
Ulrich Zwingli
& The Swiss Reformation

2. Swiss Confederation Confederation began in 1291
Technically part of Holy Roman Empire, basically independent by 1499
Noted for its independent spirit & quality of its mercenaries

3. Ulrich Zwingli ( )
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

4. 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

5. Zurich & 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

6. 1522 – Key Year “Affair of the Sausages”
Zwingli preached against Lenten fast
Zurich printer rewarded workers with sausages
Zwingli defended practice

7. 1522 – 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

8. First 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

9. Second 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

10. Prophecy Meetings & 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

11. Third 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

12. Zwingli on Church-State
State-church in Zurich: Reformation depended upon support from Council
Christian Civic Union: allied with other Swiss cantons to spread Reformation

13. Zwingli 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

14. Zwingli 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

15. Zwingli 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

16. Zwingli’s Contribution to Reformed 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

17. Zwingli’s Contribution to Reformed 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

18. 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

19. Zwingli’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

20. 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)

21. 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)

22. Johann Oecolampadius (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

23. Berchtold Haller ( )
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

24. Martin Bucer ( )
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

25. Martin Bucer ( )
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