Ulric Zwingle
ULRIC ZWINGLE
Ulricus Zuinglius moved to Zurich in about 1519, living with the priests near the abbey, observing all their rites and ceremonies for two to three years, and instructing the people in scripture.
The same year, Pope Leo renewed his pardons throughout the world, but Zwingle opposed them, finding proof in the scriptures that they were wrong; he also opposed the other corruptions that were currently reigning in the church. Finally Hugo, the bishop of Constance, wrote to the senate of Zurich and the college of canons where Zwingle was living, complaining about him and warning everyone to beware of his teachings. Zwingle explained his faith before the senate of Zurich, which wrote back to the bishop in 1522, saying he should restrain the filthy and infamous lives of the priests and do nothing to hinder the liberty of the Gospel.
Zwingle himself wrote to the whole Swiss nation. In his letter, he urged them not to oppose the advance of pure doctrine or bring trouble to any priests who had married. Since the Swiss custom was to allow priests their concubines, Zwingle urged them to allow them lawful marriages instead.
Zwingle continued teaching the Word of the Lord for several more years, the Dominican friars preaching against him, until Zwingle offered to debate with them. At this, the judges and senate of Zurich called all the priests in Zurich to a meeting on January 29, 1523, where everyone would be free to speak their minds. The bishop of Constance sent John Faber as his spokesman. At the close of the meeting, the senate of Zurich declared that the Gospel of Christ should be taught out of the Bible and the traditions of man should be abandoned.
Soon the bishop of Constance wrote to defend the Catholic Church; about June 13, the senate rejected his doctrine and ordered all Catholic images in the city burned. The following April, the city of Zurich suppressed the Catholic Mass, replacing it with the Lord’s Supper, the reading of the prophets, prayer, and preaching.
Only Zurich took part in this reformation, not the other twelve cities of Switzerland, who remained with the Catholic Church. In December 1527, a meeting was called in the town of Berne, where the two schools of religion were permitted to debate the issues freely. On the Protestant side were Zwingle, Oecolampadius, Bucer, Capito, and Blaurerus. The chief speaker for the Catholics was Conrad Tregerus, an Augustinian friar who tried to prove his points by sources other than the Bible, which was not allowed. Forced to stay within the Bible, Tregerus left the assembly. The arguments continued for nineteen days, with the end result that the city of Berne and those adjoining it abolished the Mass, altars, and images of the Catholic Church.
In 1531, the cantons of Zurich and Berne, the only two that had reformed their religion, were insulted by the other five cantons, which led to a war between them. When the five cantons refused to agree to a truce that would allow freedom of religion, Zurich and Berne cut off their roads, starving the cities and forcing them to attach Zurich. Zwingle died in an attempt to reinforce a cut-off garrison of soldiers. His body was mutilated and burned by the Catholic troops. He died at the age of forty-four.