Zwingli, Ulrich

Zwingli, Ulrich (1484–1531). Swiss Reformer. After ordination in 1526, he became pastor at Glaurus, where he devoted himself to the study of Erasmus, biblical languages, patristic theology, and the memorization of the Pauline epistles. In 1516 he became chaplain of the Cloister at Einsiedeln where blatant abuses strengthened his desire for reform. He was appointed priest at the Zurich ‘Great Church’ in 1518, gradually using his expositions to encourage reform. Zwingli defended his views in sixty-seven theses, on which he wrote Auslegung und Gründe der Schlussreden, i.e. his own commentary, and obtained the active support of the Zurich City Council, but a second disputation in 1523 led to a breach with two of his more radical colleagues, Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, with Zwingli fearing that their ‘Free Church’ convictions would alienate the magistracy. Zwingli opposed their views about believers' baptism, insisting on the baptism of all infants. At the same time, he encountered further theological difficulty over relationships with the Lutherans, with the 1529 Colloquy of Marburg failing to reconcile the eucharistic views of German and Swiss Protestants. The Swiss Cantons fought over their divergent ecclesiastical loyalties, and the intensely patriotic Zwingli was killed at the battle of Cappel in 1531.

Zwingli placed great emphasis on the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus although (as with Luther) scripture has supreme authority, only the Spirit enables perception of its truth: prayer precedes perusal. Baptism he related to covenant theology, and the Last Supper he understood, not as initiating a sacrificial mass, but as mediating the opportunity for faith to perceive the presence of Christ and to receive the benefits thereof.