History & Character of Calvinism: J.T. McNeill (#9)--Ch. 3: Zwingli & th...

Ulrich Zwingli, no backwoodsman, proceeds with deliberativeness and sensibility, yet, with errors on music and organs. But, sola Scriptura is clearly a publicly held position in Zurich with a fretting Romanist bishop in the wing. Zwingli had read Ratramnus of Corbie, a 9th century monk, who held to a Reformed view of the Eucharistic Presence. We realize that's anachronistic to say Reformed, but it's useful too. Zwingli in 1527, taught "hoc figurat corpus meum." Predictably, the Teuton from Wittenberg launched one of his vitriolic attacks (once again) on Zwingli. The thundering from Germany would resound again at the Colloquy of Marburg, 1529, with the Wittenbergian showing (again) his ill-manneredness. We love Luther for some things and other things we must disavow, including Ubiquitarianism and Bread-Worship.

Dr. Cranmer at this time--1527--has just finished his doctorate, D.D., and is examining ordinands with an incipient and maturing view of sola Scriptura. But, Zwingli is ahead of Dr. Cranmer. By 1547 at the earliest and 1548 at the latest, Tom and Nicholas Ridley will side with Zwingli and Ratramnus on the Eucharist. Fortunately, Wittenberg's Teuton was dead or else he would have tooted his loud horn against Tom Cranmer.

We soldier on!