Protestant Refomation Leaders
Protestant Reformers Who Shaped Religion in Western Europe
During the 1600s religion underwent a huge change in Western Europe. From Scotland and England to France, Switzerland and Germany, new branches of Christianity had formed
Martin Luther- First Reformer
A German monk by the name of Martin Luther was particularly bothered by the selling of indulgences. An indulgence was a religious pardon that released a sinner from performing specific penalties and it could be bought from a church official for various fees. What really bugged Martin Luther was the idea that certain church officials gave, stating that you could basically buy your way into heaven. To express his growing concern of church corruption, Martin Luther wrote his famous Ninety-Five Theses, which called for a full reform of the Christian Church. On October 31, 1517 he posted it to the church doors at Wittenberg, in Germany and invited people to debate him on it. He got debated all right. He was branded an outlaw and heretic and excommunicated by the Pope (not that Luther gave two hoots at that point). Martin Luther celebrated his excommunication by ripping it up and burning it, while dancing around (or so the story goes).
Ulrich Zwingli- The First Swiss Protestant Reformer
Born in 1494 in Wildhaus, Switzerland,Ulrich Zwingli was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1506. He worked as Swiss military chaplain from 1512-1516 before being promoted to the role of priest at Grossmünster Church in Zurich. Like Martin Luther, Zwingli had a lot of trouble with certain church practices, such as the selling of indulgences. In 1523, Zwingli publishes his own Sixty-Seven Theses, outlining his major religious points. It aligned very closely to Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses, except on the matter of communion, which Zwingli thought a tasty, but wholly unnecessary act on the path to eternal salvation. Zwingli went on to propose that the church and state should unite into one governing body, creating the first theocracy in Europe. His ideas were heartily embraced by the people of Zurich. Unfortunately the Swiss Guard disagreed and Zwingli was cut down, along with 2000 other protestants in 1531.
John Calvin- Brings the Swiss Reformation to Geneva
One must wonder what Zwingli thought when all the credit of a theocracy and the Swiss Reformation is usually given to John (Jean) Calvin in the history books. Calvin, a radical French Huguenot helped turn Geneva (not even part of the Swiss Confederation at the time!) from a den of gambling sinners to one of the most austere and puritanical places in all of Western Europe. John Calvin introduced the idea of Predestination to Christian ideology and helped lay the foundation for Puritans and other protestant sects who disapproved of excessive drinking, gambling, and bright colors.
John Knox- Establishes the Reformation in Scotland
John Knox had a thing against women rulers. And surely he was not the only male during the Protestant Reformation to be against women in charge. However, he published his ideas in a book, First Blast of the Trumpet Against the Monstrous Regiment of Women (1558) just as the greatest female ruler of all time ascended the throne of England. Elizabeth I made it quite clear that Knox, originally from Scotland, was not welcome in her realm. He had left during the reign of Elizabeth’s sister, Mary I (Bloody Mary) and studied in Geneva under John Calvin. Never one to be deterred, John Knox simply headed north, where Elizabeth’s much more malleable cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots was in charge. Even though she was a devout catholic, Mary allowed protestant sects free reign to worship in Scotland. Knox took full advantage of this and roused a strong following of Scottish nobles, some of whom sought to take control of the Scottish throne rather than of any real religious conviction. In the end, Knox and his followers helped exile Mary from Scotland, forcing her to abdicate in favor of her son, James VI (Future James I of England).
