Anabaptist Origins Zurich and Beyond
By Keith Collier & Photography by Matt Miller
N
ot long after Martin Luther’s hammer pounded out the clarion call for reformation in the Catholic Church in Germany, ripples of the rising Reformation reached the rest of Europe as the theological tide began to change. A new day dawned in theological discussion as men explored the Scriptures and dared to
reconsider the validity of Catholic theology and practice.
understanding of Scripture’s teaching on communion shifted to a memorial view. The group even began to question infant baptism and consider believer’s baptism. Although Zwingli recognized baptism’s non-salvific effects, he considered infant baptism a covenantal sign similar to circumcision as well as a necessary rite for citizenship in the state and the kingdom of God. But where Zwingli stopped, many of his students pressed further. Heated discussions in the city over revision of the mass
Reformation ideals flourished in Zurich, Switzerland, under
and rejection of infant baptism divided Zwingli and his students.
the strong leadership of Ulrich Zwingli, who sought to enact
Zwingli sought reformation at a slower pace, but the young
reform through a unity of church and state. Zwingli championed
radicals pressed for immediate obedience to Scripture. After a
the Reformation tenet of sola Scriptura by abandoning the
city disputation in January 1525, the Zurich council sided with
lectionary to preach straight from the Scriptures, and he also
Zwingli and issued an ultimatum to the dissenters to conform,
gathered with young, educated laymen to study the Bible in the
leave, or face punishment.
original languages.
Several of Zwingli’s students chose the latter.
As Zwingli studied Erasmus’ Greek New Testament with these
The watershed moment came three days later—on Jan. 21,
men, questions arose regarding the sacraments. Over time, their
1525—at a clandestine small group Bible study in the home
8 SouthwesternNews Fall 2012