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Reformation
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Reformation Ohio is a groundbreaking initiative determined to bring the Buckeye State what it needs most – the love of Jesus Christ. In less than two years, the organization has presented the Gospel to nearly 200,000 people, with almost 20,000 accepting Christ’s free gift of salvation. In addition, Reformation Ohio has given nearly 2 million pounds of food to needy families.
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The literature on the Reformation can be overwhelming to the newcomer. Maybe only the French Revolution and the American Civil War have received so much and such careful attention. Few historical periods can boast of such a large number of high-quality surveys as those published by Reformation scholars. And in few areas of historical scholarship are sectarian biases more evident. This is especially true of works written before Vatican II. Studies after 1965 tend to be more balanced, but confessional concerns do continue to bias things, often in quite subtle ways.
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The Reformation in Switzerland initially developed in Zurich under the leadership of the priest Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli had been influenced by Erasmus and by Christian humanism. He arrived at an evangelical understanding of Christianity from his study of the Bible and from contacts with Lutherans. On Jan. 1, 1519, he began a 6-year series of sermons on the New Testament that moved the city council and the people of Zurich toward reform. The favorable response to The Sixty-Seven Articles, which he prepared for public disputation with a papal representative in 1523, proved the popularity of his program. He called for the abolition of the Mass (and its replacement by a symbolic Lord's Supper), independence from episcopal control, and a reform of the city-state in which both priests and Christian magistrates would conform to the will of God.
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The Reformation spread from Zurich to the rural areas dominated by Zurich and to other parts of eastern and northern Switzerland very quickly. The followers of Zwingli established the Reformation in the city of St. Gallen (1527), in Berne (1528), Schaffhausen (1529), Glarus, in the outer district of Appenzell and in Toggenburg. But Zwingli did not only attack the corruption of the church, he was ... an embittered opponent of mercenary troops (soldiers fighting professionally in the service of a foreign power). Mercenary troops were a most lucrative business for central Switzerland, however, and there was barely any other business chance available in this over-populated region at the time. Zwingli's strict opposition to mercenary troops was based on his own experience as an army chaplain with Swiss troops in northern Italy. No doubt this controversy was a major reason why central Switzerland did not adhere to the reformed beliefs.
Into Sweden ... the Reformation was introduced for political reasons by the secular ruler. Gustavus Vasa, who had been given to Christian II of Denmark in 1520 as a hostage and had escaped to Lubeck, there became acquainted with the Lutheran teaching and recognized the services it could render him. Returning to Sweden, he became the first imperial chancellor, and, after being elected king on the deposition of Christian II in Denmark, attempted to convert Sweden into a hereditary monarchy, but had to yield to the opposition of the clergy and nobility. The Reformation helped him to attain his desire, although its introduction was difficult on account of the great fidelity of the people to the Catholic Faith. He appointed to high positions two Swedes, the brothers Olaf and Lorenz Peterson, who had studied at Wittenberg and had accepted Luther's teaching; one was appointed court chaplain at Stockholm and the other professor at Upsala. Both laboured in secret for the spread of Lutheranism, and won many adherents, including the archdeacon Lorenz Anderson, whom the king thereupon named his chancellor.
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The Reformation was dominated by the figure of MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546). Luther was the son of Hans Luther, a copper miner from the district of Saxony. Hans was a self-made man. As a youth he worked menial jobs in copper mines -- but by the time Martin was born at Eisleben, he had risen to prominence and owned several mines. Hans Luther wanted his son to do even more with his life so while Martin was in his teens, it was decided that he would study law. So, after his preliminary education was complete, at the age of 17 young Martin Luther entered the University of Erfurt. At the time, Erfurt was the most important university in Germany (more on German universities).
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