1 October 1529 A.D. Marburg Colloquy Breaks Down—Luther Abusively Reviles Zwingli (A Pattern with Him
1 October 1529 A.D. Marburg Colloquy Breaks Down—Luther
Abusively Reviles Zwingli (A Pattern with Him)
No author. “Marbury Colloquy Failed to Reach Consensus.” Jul 2007. http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/marburg-colloquy-failed-to-reach-consensus-11629947.html. Accessed 26 Mar 2014.
From the earliest days of the
church, differences have arisen over how the Scriptures are to be interpreted.
For example, Paul's teaching of salvation apart from the law of Moses was
offensive at first to some of the Christian leaders in Jerusalem, all of them
Jews, but after a meeting and discussion together, they came to a decision
which would allow Paul's work among the Gentiles to continue. This Council of
Jerusalem was the first of many councils in church history to settle
differences among Christians.
The Colloquy of Marburg which
began on this day, October 1, 1529,
and ran through the 4th of the month, was the first council of Protestants. It
was an attempt to resolve the controversies which had arisen between the two
Reformers Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther.
Zwingli in Switzerland and Luther
in Germany had each come to recognize the errors and corruption of the medieval
church. Both had sought to bring the church back to the profound simplicity of
faith in Christ alone for salvation. Both firmly believed the Scriptures alone
were God's Word of guidance and direction for the Church. Yet, strong
disagreement arose over the meaning of holy communion.
The Roman Catholic church taught
that in the ceremony of the mass, the priest was given special powers so that
the bread and wine were transformed into the literal body and blood of Christ.
Neither Zwingli nor Luther found that view acceptable or supported by
Scripture. Christ had ascended into heaven and his body was in heaven, not on
earth. Luther believed that Christ's body was present "in, with and under"
the bread and wine. Zwingli believed the whole ceremony of communion was a
memorial of Christ's death for us; Christ was present in the hearts of
believers. In his view, when Christ said, "This is my body" or
"This is my blood" at the Last Supper, he was not speaking any more
literally than when he said, "I am the vine" or "I am the
door". Neither Zwingli nor Luther could accept the other's viewpoint, and
the debate often became harsh.
Philip of Hesse, one of the
German rulers, invited the Reformers to come to his territory to resolve their
differences. Behind Philip's desire for peace between Zwingli and Luther was
the hope that a political alliance of the Protestant states might eventually be
made, thus weakening the Catholic Hapsburgs and the Holy Roman Empire.
Luther went to Marburg very
reluctantly. Zwingli, however, was eager for peace. At the conference he
prayed, "Fill us, O Lord and Father of us all, we beseech Thee, with thy
gentle Spirit, and dispel on both sides all the clouds of misunderstanding and
passion. Make an end to the strife of blind fury...Guard us against abusing our
powers, and enable us to employ them with all earnestness for the promotion of
holiness."
Peace was not to be had, however.
Though the reformers could agree on doctrines about the Trinity, the person
death and resurrection of Christ, justification by faith, original sin, the
Holy Spirit, and the number of sacraments, they could not agree on the details
regarding communion. Zwingli wished to be forbearing with others on such
issues. Luther thought Zwingli was not attaching enough significance to his
doctrine and would not accept Zwingli's hand in Christian brotherhood.
Protestantism remained divided and God has continued to work in His church
through a diversity of denominations.
Bibliography:
Adapted from an earlier Christian
History Institute story.
Bainton, Roland H. Here I Stand,
a Life of Martin Luther. New York: Mentor, 1950.
"Marburg, Colloquy of."
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, edited by E. A. Livingstone and F.
L. Cross. Oxford, 1997.
McGiffert, Arthur Cushman. Martin
Luther, the man and his work. New York: Century, 1911.
Zwingli. Christian History
Magazine Vol 3. No. 1
Various histories of the church.
Last updated July, 2007.
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