11 October 1531 A.D. Zwingli Dies by the Sword; the Man the Lutherans Love to Hate
11
October 1531 A.D. Zwingli
Dies by the Sword; the Man the Lutherans Love to Hate
Graves, Dan. “Zwingli Perished by the Sword.” Jul 2007. http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/zwingli-perished-by-the-sword-11629950.html. Accessed 31 May 2014.
Ulrich Zwingli was born the first
of January 1481. The world he entered was passing into a spiritual and
political ferment in which he would be a prime mover. As a boy he distinguished
himself at studies and music. He determined to become a priest and was ordained
at the age of 23.
Zwingli hand-copied and memorized
Paul's letters in the original Greek.
Impressed by the reform writings of the great humanist scholar Erasmus, he
moved toward reformation even before Luther. The use of young Swiss men as
mercenaries especially evoked his ire. Having accompanied two expeditions as a
chaplain, he spoke vehemently against the practice which squandered their
blood. As priest of Einsiedeln, a city whose income came from pilgrimages, he
preached against pilgrimages, too, labeling them a corruption. When an
indulgence was sold in Switzerland, he denounced it. The first day of 1519
Zwingli came to Zurich, the city of his life's work. There he continued his
battle against indulgences. The Pope recalled the seller. Zwingli also
announced that he would not read the prescribed lessons but preach the gospel
of Matthew instead. He did so, pouring forth objections to the use of images in
the church, to the mass and other practices of the church which he considered
to be in error. Christ alone is sufficient for salvation, he said.
It is one of the interesting
characteristics of the Swiss Reformation that local leaders voted on doctrine,
making religious decisions for their constituents. This practice of Zurich was
followed by other Swiss Protestants and was one of the stages that led toward
the creation of modern democracy.
Zurich's town leaders took to
heart Zwingli's teaching. It was they, not Zwingli, who ordered that the Holy
Scriptures be taught "without human additions." It was they who
challenged theologians to convict Zwingli of error if they could. It was they
who ordered images removed from churches.
Protestant and Catholic in
Switzerland remained at odds. The Protestants established a blockade,
threatening Catholics with starvation. In 1531 the Catholic cantons marched
against Zurich. Zurich's forces ordered Zwingli to take the field bearing their
banner.
1,500 men from Zurich faced 6,000
from the Catholic cantons. Under feeble generalship, on badly chosen ground
near Kappel, they made critical errors. Failing to maul their opponents at an
opportune moment, they allowed them to gain the cover of a beech wood. Then
they did not retreat to a safer line while able. About 4:00 PM on this day, October 11, 1531 the Catholics began the
assault. Half an hour later the Protestants were wiped out. Zwingli was among
the dead. His body was quartered and mixed with dung. Told the news, Martin
Luther, who disliked Zwingli, replied, "all who take the sword die by the
sword."
Bibliography:
Adapted from an earlier Christian
History Institute story.
"Zwingli, Ulrich." Encyclopedia
Americana. Chicago: Americana, Corp. 1956.
Potter, G. R. Zwingli.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1976.
Simon, Edith and the editors of
Time-Life Books. Great Ages of Man. The Reformation. Time-Life, 1966.
"Zwingli, Ulrich." The Oxford
Dictionary of the Christian Church. Edited by F. L. Cross and E. A.
Livingstone. Oxford, 1997.
Last updated July, 2007
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