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Martin Luther and the 95 Theses
The German monk's questioning of Catholic dogma leads to the Protestant Reformation.
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The Protestant Reformation was the 16th-century religious, political, intellectual

and cultural upheaval that splintered Catholic Europe, setting in place the
structures and beliefs that would define the continent in the modern era. In
northern and central Europe, reformers like Martin Luther, John Calvin and
Henry VIII challenged papal authority and questioned the Catholic Church’s
ability to define Christian practice. They argued for a religious and political
redistribution of power into the hands of Bible- and pamphlet-reading pastors
and princes. The disruption triggered wars, persecutions and the so-called
Counter-Reformation, the Catholic Church’s delayed but forceful response to the
Protestants.

DATING THE REFORMATION

Historians usually date the start of the Protestant Reformation to the 1517
publication of Martin Luther’s “95 Theses.” Its ending can be placed anywhere
from the 1555 Peace of Augsburg, which allowed for the coexistence of
Catholicism and Lutheranism in Germany, to the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia,
which ended the Thirty Years’ War. The key ideas of the Reformation—a call to
purify the church and a belief that the Bible, not tradition, should be the sole
source of spiritual authority—were not themselves novel. However, Luther and
the other reformers became the first to skillfully use the power of the printing
press to give their ideas a wide audience.

Did You Know?

No reformer was more adept

than Martin Luther at using the
power of the press to spread his
ideas. Between 1518 and 1525,
Luther published more works
than the next 17 most prolific
reformers combined.

THE REFORMATION: GERMANY AND LUTHERANISM

Martin Luther (1483-1546) was an Augustinian monk and university lecturer in
Wittenberg when he composed his “95 Theses,” which protested the pope’s sale
of reprieves from penance, or indulgences. Although he had hoped to spur
renewal from within the church, in 1521 he was summoned before the Diet of
Worms and excommunicated. Sheltered by Friedrich, elector of Saxony, Luther
translated the Bible into German and continued his output of vernacular
pamphlets.

When German peasants, inspired in part by Luther’s empowering “priesthood of

all believers,” revolted in 1524, Luther sided with Germany’s princes. By the
Reformation’s end, Lutheranism had become the state religion throughout much
of Germany, Scandinavia and the Baltics.

THE REFORMATION: SWITZERLAND AND

CALVINISM
The Swiss Reformation began in 1519 with the sermons of Ulrich Zwingli, whose
teachings largely paralleled Luther’s. In 1541 John Calvin, a French Protestant
who had spent the previous decade in exile writing his “Institutes of the Christian
Religion,” was invited to settle in Geneva and put his Reformed doctrine—which
stressed God’s power and humanity’s predestined fate—into practice. The result
was a theocratic regime of enforced, austere morality.

Calvin’s Geneva became a hotbed for Protestant exiles, and his doctrines quickly
spread to Scotland, France, Transylvania and the Low Countries, where Dutch
Calvinism became a religious and economic force for the next 400 years.

THE REFORMATION: ENGLAND AND THE “MIDDLE

WAY”
In England, the Reformation began with Henry VIII’s quest for a male heir. When
Pope Clement VII refused to annul Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon so he
could remarry, the English king declared in 1534 that he alone should be the final
authority in matters relating to the English church. Henry dissolved England’s
monasteries to confiscate their wealth and worked to place the Bible in the hands
of the people. Beginning in 1536, every parish was required to have a copy.

After Henry’s death, England tilted toward Calvinist-infused Protestantism

during Edward VI’s six-year reign and then endured five years of reactionary
Catholicism under Mary I. In 1559 Elizabeth I took the throne and, during her 44-
year reign, cast the Church of England as a “middle way” between Calvinism and
Catholicism, with vernacular worship and a revised Book of Common Prayer.

THE COUNTER-REFORMATION
The Catholic Church was slow to respond systematically to the theological and
publicity innovations of Luther and the other reformers. The Council of Trent,
which met off and on from 1545 through 1563, articulated the Church’s answer
to the problems that triggered the Reformation and to the reformers themselves.

The Catholic Church of the Counter-Reformation era grew more spiritual, more
literate and more educated. New religious orders, notably the Jesuits, combined
rigorous spirituality with a globally minded intellectualism, while mystics such
as Teresa of Avila injected new passion into the older orders. Inquisitions, both
in Spain and in Rome, were reorganized to fight the threat of Protestant heresy.

THE REFORMATION’S LEGACY

Along with the religious consequences of the Reformation and Counter-
Reformation came deep and lasting political changes. Northern Europe’s new
religious and political freedoms came at a great cost, with decades of rebellions,
wars and bloody persecutions. The Thirty Years’ War alone may have cost
Germany 40 percent of its population.

But the Reformation’s positive repercussions can be seen in the intellectual and
cultural flourishing it inspired on all sides of the schism—in the strengthened
universities of Europe, the Lutheran church music of J.S. Bach, the baroque
altarpieces of Pieter Paul Rubens and even the capitalism of Dutch Calvinist
merchants.

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and Zwingli
In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the
Reformation, along with a cast of important colleagues from
both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg, Germany
for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip
of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic
rule. Those two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther
of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss
reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.

Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus,

Switzerland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same year, Zwingli
was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten years.
In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation.

At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the

theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained
even as a reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never
contradict reason.”[1] This would be an important difference
between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced
by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture.
As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the
ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman
Catholic counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical
power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a
reform of the Church could be accomplished by political force
but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s
untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on
the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces.

DOWNLOAD

Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not

contradict, Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy
Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though Luther was
well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t
try to reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as
it was.

In an effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman

Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least
a compromise for the sake of political expediency, between
Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a serious
theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body
and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine.

Phillip called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the

politician, came ready to compromise while Luther came ready
to confess. Fifteen points of doctrine were discussed and the
two sides found agreement on 14. However, there was one
point that the two could not agree upon: how to interpret the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.”

Zwingli and his colleagues argued that the bread and wine only
“signify” or “represent” Jesus’ body and blood, which, they
argued, were not capable of being at the right hand of God the
Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the altar at the same
time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict reason
he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected
to Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6.

Luther and his colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the
words of Jesus, with which He instituted the Lord’s Supper,
clearly teach that the bread, received into the mouth of those
who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the body of Christ.
For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are revealed to
us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something else.

DOWNLOAD

This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any means.
The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an
excellent picture of how the debate played out. No matter
where Zwingli took the discussion, Luther returned to the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Luther insisted that Zwingli
prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which the Swiss reformer
could not do.
Because of this failure to come to an agreement on the presence
of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that Phillip had hoped
for did not materialize. Some might view this as a political
failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and
the words of Christ still stand today.

The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church,

Ventura, Iowa.

[1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention of the

Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar. Adelaide: Lutheran
Publishing House, 1977., page 93.
[2] Ibid., 207.

Read more in: History, Theology

Post navigation
Luther and Erasmus
Luther and Calvin

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observation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation

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LCMS REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY LOGO

Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo, download it, and use
it as a tool to witness to others.

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Luther and
Zwingli
POSTED JUNE 11, 2017

by Rev. Jesse Burns

DOWNLOAD

In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the

Reformation, along with a cast of important colleagues from
both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg, Germany
for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip
of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic
rule. Those two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther
of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss
reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.

Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus,

Switzerland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same year, Zwingli
was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten years.
In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation.

At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the

theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained
even as a reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never
contradict reason.”[1] This would be an important difference
between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced
by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture.
As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the
ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman
Catholic counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical
power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a
reform of the Church could be accomplished by political force
but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s
untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on
the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces.

DOWNLOAD

Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not

contradict, Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy
Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though Luther was
well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t
try to reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as
it was.

In an effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman

Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least
a compromise for the sake of political expediency, between
Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a serious
theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body
and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine.

Phillip called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the

politician, came ready to compromise while Luther came ready
to confess. Fifteen points of doctrine were discussed and the
two sides found agreement on 14. However, there was one
point that the two could not agree upon: how to interpret the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.”

Zwingli and his colleagues argued that the bread and wine only
“signify” or “represent” Jesus’ body and blood, which, they
argued, were not capable of being at the right hand of God the
Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the altar at the same
time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict reason
he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected
to Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6.

Luther and his colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the
words of Jesus, with which He instituted the Lord’s Supper,
clearly teach that the bread, received into the mouth of those
who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the body of Christ.
For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are revealed to
us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something else.

DOWNLOAD

This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any means.
The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an
excellent picture of how the debate played out. No matter
where Zwingli took the discussion, Luther returned to the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Luther insisted that Zwingli
prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which the Swiss reformer
could not do.

Because of this failure to come to an agreement on the presence

of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that Phillip had hoped
for did not materialize. Some might view this as a political
failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and
the words of Christ still stand today.

The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church,

Ventura, Iowa.

[1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention of the

Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar. Adelaide: Lutheran
Publishing House, 1977., page 93.
[2] Ibid., 207.
Read more in: History, Theology

Post navigation
Luther and Erasmus
Luther and Calvin

REFORMATION CELEBRATION CONGREGATION KIT

Downloadable materials to help promote your congregation’s
observation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation

LEARN MORE

LCMS REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY LOGO

Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo, download it, and use
it as a tool to witness to others.

LEARN MORE

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Luther and
Zwingli
POSTED JUNE 11, 2017

by Rev. Jesse Burns

DOWNLOAD

In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the

Reformation, along with a cast of important colleagues from
both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg, Germany
for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip
of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic
rule. Those two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther
of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss
reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.
Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus,
Switzerland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same year, Zwingli
was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten years.
In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation.

At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the

theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained
even as a reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never
contradict reason.”[1] This would be an important difference
between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced
by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture.
As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the
ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman
Catholic counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical
power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a
reform of the Church could be accomplished by political force
but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s
untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on
the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces.
 DOWNLOAD

Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not

contradict, Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy
Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though Luther was
well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t
try to reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as
it was.

In an effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman

Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least
a compromise for the sake of political expediency, between
Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a serious
theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body
and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine.

Phillip called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the

politician, came ready to compromise while Luther came ready
to confess. Fifteen points of doctrine were discussed and the
two sides found agreement on 14. However, there was one
point that the two could not agree upon: how to interpret the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.”

Zwingli and his colleagues argued that the bread and wine only
“signify” or “represent” Jesus’ body and blood, which, they
argued, were not capable of being at the right hand of God the
Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the altar at the same
time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict reason
he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected
to Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6.

Luther and his colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the
words of Jesus, with which He instituted the Lord’s Supper,
clearly teach that the bread, received into the mouth of those
who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the body of Christ.
For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are revealed to
us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something else.

DOWNLOAD

This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any means.
The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an
excellent picture of how the debate played out. No matter
where Zwingli took the discussion, Luther returned to the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Luther insisted that Zwingli
prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which the Swiss reformer
could not do.

Because of this failure to come to an agreement on the presence

of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that Phillip had hoped
for did not materialize. Some might view this as a political
failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and
the words of Christ still stand today.
The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church,
Ventura, Iowa.

[1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention of the

Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar. Adelaide: Lutheran
Publishing House, 1977., page 93.
[2] Ibid., 207.

Read more in: History, Theology

Luther and Erasmus

Luther and Calvin

REFORMATION CELEBRATION CONGREGATION KIT

Downloadable materials to help promote your congregation’s
observation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation
 LEARN MORE

LCMS REFORMATION ANNIVERSARY LOGO

Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo, download it, and use
it as a tool to witness to others.

LEARN MORE
 GET INVOLVED SHOP

Get Connected
LUTHERAN REFORMATION SPONSORS

© 2015-2018 The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. All rights reserved.

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Skip to content LutheranReformation.org Shop Contact Search for:
Primary Menu History Blog Media Events Resources Worship Theology
Children’s Materials Spanish Bible Studies Luther and Zwingli Posted
June 11, 2017 by Rev. Jesse Burns Download In the year 1529, two
prominent theologians of the Reformation, along with a cast of important
colleagues from both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg,
Germany for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip of Hesse,
was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to stand together as a
united federation against Roman Catholic rule. Those two prominent
theologians were Dr. Martin Luther of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych)
Zwingli, the Swiss reformer from Zurich, Switzerland. Ulrich Zwingli was
born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, Switzerland. He received a Master
of Arts degree from the University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same
year, Zwingli was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten
years. In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss reformation. At
the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the theological system of
Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained even as a reformer—a Thomist
for whom revelation can never contradict reason.”[1] This would be an
important difference between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily
influenced by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture. As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was
adept in the ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman Catholic
counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical power went together.
Reform could be carried out using political force. Luther, on the other
hand, did not believe that a reform of the Church could be accomplished
by political force but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s untimely
demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on the battlefield of
Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a chaplain in a conflict between
Protestant and Catholic forces. Download Whereas Zwingli held that
revelation and reason could not contradict, Luther understood that God’s
revelation in Holy Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though
Luther was well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t try to
reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as it was. In an
effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman Catholic forces, Phillip
of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least a compromise for the sake of
political expediency, between Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few
years, a serious theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the
body and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine. Phillip
called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the politician, came
ready to compromise while Luther came ready to confess. Fifteen points
of doctrine were discussed and the two sides found agreement on 14.
However, there was one point that the two could not agree upon: how to
interpret the words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Zwingli and his
colleagues argued that the bread and wine only “signify” or “represent”
Jesus’ body and blood, which, they argued, were not capable of being at
the right hand of God the Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the
altar at the same time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict
reason he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected to Jesus’
institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6. Luther and his
colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the words of Jesus, with which
He instituted the Lord’s Supper, clearly teach that the bread, received
into the mouth of those who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the
body of Christ. For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are
revealed to us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something
else. Download This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any
means. The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an excellent
picture of how the debate played out. No matter where Zwingli took the
discussion, Luther returned to the words of Jesus, “This is My body.”
Luther insisted that Zwingli prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which
the Swiss reformer could not do. Because of this failure to come to an
agreement on the presence of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that
Phillip had hoped for did not materialize. Some might view this as a
political failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and the words of
Christ still stand today. The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Ventura, Iowa. [1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body:
Luther’s Contention of the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing House, 1977., page 93. [2] Ibid., 207. Read
more in: History, Theology Post navigation Luther and ErasmusLuther
and Calvin Reformation Celebration Congregation Kit Downloadable
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Luther and Zwingli Posted June 11, 2017 by Rev. Jesse Burns Download
In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the Reformation, along
with a cast of important colleagues from both sides, came face to face in
the city of Marburg, Germany for a discussion. This meeting is known as
the Marburg Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by
Phillip of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic rule. Those
two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther of Wittenberg and
Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.
Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, Switzerland. He
received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Basel in 1506.
Later in that same year, Zwingli was ordained a priest in Glarus, where
he served for ten years. In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up
parish duties in Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation. At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the
theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained even as a
reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never contradict
reason.”[1] This would be an important difference between him and
Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced by the Dutch humanist
Erasmus, who had a rationalistic approach to Scripture. As a citizen of
the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the ways of politics. He used
his political prowess as a means to bring about his ideas for reformation.
Zwingli, like his Roman Catholic counterparts, held that secular and
ecclesiastical power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a reform of
the Church could be accomplished by political force but only by the
Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his ecclesiastical office and his political
ideals led to Zwingli’s untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was
killed on the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces. Download
Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not contradict,
Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy Scripture often
contradicts human reason. Though Luther was well trained in
philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the words of Holy Scripture.
This meant that when God’s revelation contradicted human
philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t try to reconcile the two. He
simply let the Word of God stand as it was. In an effort to unify the
Protestant lands against Roman Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought
an agreement, or at least a compromise for the sake of political
expediency, between Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a
serious theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body and
blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine. Phillip called the
two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the politician, came ready to
compromise while Luther came ready to confess. Fifteen points of
doctrine were discussed and the two sides found agreement on 14.
However, there was one point that the two could not agree upon: how to
interpret the words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Zwingli and his
colleagues argued that the bread and wine only “signify” or “represent”
Jesus’ body and blood, which, they argued, were not capable of being at
the right hand of God the Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the
altar at the same time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict
reason he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected to Jesus’
institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6. Luther and his
colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the words of Jesus, with which
He instituted the Lord’s Supper, clearly teach that the bread, received
into the mouth of those who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the
body of Christ. For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are
revealed to us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something
else. Download This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any
means. The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an excellent
picture of how the debate played out. No matter where Zwingli took the
discussion, Luther returned to the words of Jesus, “This is My body.”
Luther insisted that Zwingli prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which
the Swiss reformer could not do. Because of this failure to come to an
agreement on the presence of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that
Phillip had hoped for did not materialize. Some might view this as a
political failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and the words of
Christ still stand today. The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Ventura, Iowa. [1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body:
Luther’s Contention of the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing House, 1977., page 93. [2] Ibid., 207. Read
more in: History, Theology Post navigation Luther and ErasmusLuther
and Calvin Reformation Celebration Congregation Kit Downloadable
materials to help promote your congregation’s observation of the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation Learn More LCMS Reformation
Anniversary Logo Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo,
download it, and use it as a tool to witness to others. Learn More History
Blog Media Events Resources Get Involved Shop Get Connected Lutheran
Reformation Sponsors © 2015-2018 The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod. All rights reserved. ShareThis Copy and Paste
Luther and
Zwingli
POSTED JUNE 11, 2017

by Rev. Jesse Burns

DOWNLOAD

In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the

Reformation, along with a cast of important colleagues from
both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg, Germany
for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip
of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic
rule. Those two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther
of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss
reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.

Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus,

Switzerland. He received a Master of Arts degree from the
University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same year, Zwingli
was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten years.
In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation.

At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the

theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained
even as a reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never
contradict reason.”[1] This would be an important difference
between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced
by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture.
As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the
ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman
Catholic counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical
power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a
reform of the Church could be accomplished by political force
but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s
untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on
the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces.
 DOWNLOAD

Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not

contradict, Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy
Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though Luther was
well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t
try to reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as
it was.

In an effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman

Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least
a compromise for the sake of political expediency, between
Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a serious
theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body
and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine.

Phillip called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the

politician, came ready to compromise while Luther came ready
to confess. Fifteen points of doctrine were discussed and the
two sides found agreement on 14. However, there was one
point that the two could not agree upon: how to interpret the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.”

Zwingli and his colleagues argued that the bread and wine only
“signify” or “represent” Jesus’ body and blood, which, they
argued, were not capable of being at the right hand of God the
Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the altar at the same
time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict reason
he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected
to Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6.

Luther and his colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the
words of Jesus, with which He instituted the Lord’s Supper,
clearly teach that the bread, received into the mouth of those
who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the body of Christ.
For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are revealed to
us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something else.

DOWNLOAD

This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any means.
The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an
excellent picture of how the debate played out. No matter
where Zwingli took the discussion, Luther returned to the
words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Luther insisted that Zwingli
prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which the Swiss reformer
could not do.

Because of this failure to come to an agreement on the presence

of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that Phillip had hoped
for did not materialize. Some might view this as a political
failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and
the words of Christ still stand today.
The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church,
Ventura, Iowa.

[1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body: Luther’s Contention of the

Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar. Adelaide: Lutheran
Publishing House, 1977., page 93.
[2] Ibid., 207.

Read more in: History, Theology

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Skip to content LutheranReformation.org Shop Contact Search for:
Primary Menu History Blog Media Events Resources Worship Theology
Children’s Materials Spanish Bible Studies Luther and Zwingli Posted
June 11, 2017 by Rev. Jesse Burns Download In the year 1529, two
prominent theologians of the Reformation, along with a cast of important
colleagues from both sides, came face to face in the city of Marburg,
Germany for a discussion. This meeting is known as the Marburg
Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by Phillip of Hesse,
was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to stand together as a
united federation against Roman Catholic rule. Those two prominent
theologians were Dr. Martin Luther of Wittenberg and Ulrich (Huldrych)
Zwingli, the Swiss reformer from Zurich, Switzerland. Ulrich Zwingli was
born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, Switzerland. He received a Master
of Arts degree from the University of Basel in 1506. Later in that same
year, Zwingli was ordained a priest in Glarus, where he served for ten
years. In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up parish duties in
Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss reformation. At
the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the theological system of
Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained even as a reformer—a Thomist
for whom revelation can never contradict reason.”[1] This would be an
important difference between him and Luther. Zwingli was also heavily
influenced by the Dutch humanist Erasmus, who had a rationalistic
approach to Scripture. As a citizen of the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was
adept in the ways of politics. He used his political prowess as a means to
bring about his ideas for reformation. Zwingli, like his Roman Catholic
counterparts, held that secular and ecclesiastical power went together.
Reform could be carried out using political force. Luther, on the other
hand, did not believe that a reform of the Church could be accomplished
by political force but only by the Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his
ecclesiastical office and his political ideals led to Zwingli’s untimely
demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was killed on the battlefield of
Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a chaplain in a conflict between
Protestant and Catholic forces. Download Whereas Zwingli held that
revelation and reason could not contradict, Luther understood that God’s
revelation in Holy Scripture often contradicts human reason. Though
Luther was well trained in philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the
words of Holy Scripture. This meant that when God’s revelation
contradicted human philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t try to
reconcile the two. He simply let the Word of God stand as it was. In an
effort to unify the Protestant lands against Roman Catholic forces, Phillip
of Hesse sought an agreement, or at least a compromise for the sake of
political expediency, between Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few
years, a serious theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the
body and blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine. Phillip
called the two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the politician, came
ready to compromise while Luther came ready to confess. Fifteen points
of doctrine were discussed and the two sides found agreement on 14.
However, there was one point that the two could not agree upon: how to
interpret the words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Zwingli and his
colleagues argued that the bread and wine only “signify” or “represent”
Jesus’ body and blood, which, they argued, were not capable of being at
the right hand of God the Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the
altar at the same time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict
reason he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected to Jesus’
institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6. Luther and his
colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the words of Jesus, with which
He instituted the Lord’s Supper, clearly teach that the bread, received
into the mouth of those who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the
body of Christ. For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are
revealed to us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something
else. Download This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any
means. The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an excellent
picture of how the debate played out. No matter where Zwingli took the
discussion, Luther returned to the words of Jesus, “This is My body.”
Luther insisted that Zwingli prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which
the Swiss reformer could not do. Because of this failure to come to an
agreement on the presence of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that
Phillip had hoped for did not materialize. Some might view this as a
political failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and the words of
Christ still stand today. The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Ventura, Iowa. [1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body:
Luther’s Contention of the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing House, 1977., page 93. [2] Ibid., 207. Read
more in: History, Theology Post navigation Luther and ErasmusLuther
and Calvin Reformation Celebration Congregation Kit Downloadable
materials to help promote your congregation’s observation of the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation Learn More LCMS Reformation
Anniversary Logo Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo,
download it, and use it as a tool to witness to others. Learn More History
Blog Media Events Resources Get Involved Shop Get Connected Lutheran
Reformation Sponsors © 2015-2018 The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod. All rights reserved. Skip to content LutheranReformation.org
Shop Contact Search for: Primary Menu History Blog Media Events
Resources Worship Theology Children’s Materials Spanish Bible Studies
Luther and Zwingli Posted June 11, 2017 by Rev. Jesse Burns Download
In the year 1529, two prominent theologians of the Reformation, along
with a cast of important colleagues from both sides, came face to face in
the city of Marburg, Germany for a discussion. This meeting is known as
the Marburg Colloquy. The goal of the colloquy, largely organized by
Phillip of Hesse, was to politically unite all “Protestants” in an effort to
stand together as a united federation against Roman Catholic rule. Those
two prominent theologians were Dr. Martin Luther of Wittenberg and
Ulrich (Huldrych) Zwingli, the Swiss reformer from Zurich, Switzerland.
Ulrich Zwingli was born on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, Switzerland. He
received a Master of Arts degree from the University of Basel in 1506.
Later in that same year, Zwingli was ordained a priest in Glarus, where
he served for ten years. In 1518, after a two year sabbatical, he took up
parish duties in Zurich, where he became the chief reformer of the Swiss
reformation. At the University of Basel, Zwingli was trained in the
theological system of Thomas Aquinas, in which “he remained even as a
reformer—a Thomist for whom revelation can never contradict
reason.”[1] This would be an important difference between him and
Luther. Zwingli was also heavily influenced by the Dutch humanist
Erasmus, who had a rationalistic approach to Scripture. As a citizen of
the Republic of Zurich, Zwingli was adept in the ways of politics. He used
his political prowess as a means to bring about his ideas for reformation.
Zwingli, like his Roman Catholic counterparts, held that secular and
ecclesiastical power went together. Reform could be carried out using
political force. Luther, on the other hand, did not believe that a reform of
the Church could be accomplished by political force but only by the
Gospel. Tragically, this mixture of his ecclesiastical office and his political
ideals led to Zwingli’s untimely demise. On October 11, 1531 Zwingli was
killed on the battlefield of Kappel, Switzerland, while serving as a
chaplain in a conflict between Protestant and Catholic forces. Download
Whereas Zwingli held that revelation and reason could not contradict,
Luther understood that God’s revelation in Holy Scripture often
contradicts human reason. Though Luther was well trained in
philosophy, he took his stand squarely in the words of Holy Scripture.
This meant that when God’s revelation contradicted human
philosophical understanding, Luther didn’t try to reconcile the two. He
simply let the Word of God stand as it was. In an effort to unify the
Protestant lands against Roman Catholic forces, Phillip of Hesse sought
an agreement, or at least a compromise for the sake of political
expediency, between Luther and Zwingli. Over the previous few years, a
serious theological dispute had arisen over whether or not the body and
blood of Christ are truly present in the bread and wine. Phillip called the
two parties together at Marburg. Zwingli, the politician, came ready to
compromise while Luther came ready to confess. Fifteen points of
doctrine were discussed and the two sides found agreement on 14.
However, there was one point that the two could not agree upon: how to
interpret the words of Jesus, “This is My body.” Zwingli and his
colleagues argued that the bread and wine only “signify” or “represent”
Jesus’ body and blood, which, they argued, were not capable of being at
the right hand of God the Father in heaven and in bread and wine on the
altar at the same time,. Because for Zwingli revelation cannot contradict
reason he made his argument for the bread “representing” Jesus’ body
from passages of Scripture other than those directly connected to Jesus’
institution of the Lord’s Supper, especially John 6. Luther and his
colleagues, on the other hand, argued that the words of Jesus, with which
He instituted the Lord’s Supper, clearly teach that the bread, received
into the mouth of those who eat it, is—not signifies, nor represents—the
body of Christ. For Luther, Christ’s words must stand as they are
revealed to us in Holy Scripture. “Is” cannot be turned into something
else. Download This incident was not the end of the colloquy, by any
means. The discussions continued on. However, it serves as an excellent
picture of how the debate played out. No matter where Zwingli took the
discussion, Luther returned to the words of Jesus, “This is My body.”
Luther insisted that Zwingli prove that “is” must mean “signifies,” which
the Swiss reformer could not do. Because of this failure to come to an
agreement on the presence of Christ in the Holy Supper, the unity that
Phillip had hoped for did not materialize. Some might view this as a
political failure. However, Marburg was anything but a failure, for the
truth of Scripture was confessed over and against error, and the words of
Christ still stand today. The Rev. Jesse A. Burns is pastor of Redeemer
Lutheran Church, Ventura, Iowa. [1] Sasse, Hermann. This Is My Body:
Luther’s Contention of the Real Presence in the Sacrament of the Altar.
Adelaide: Lutheran Publishing House, 1977., page 93. [2] Ibid., 207. Read
more in: History, Theology Post navigation Luther and ErasmusLuther
and Calvin Reformation Celebration Congregation Kit Downloadable
materials to help promote your congregation’s observation of the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation Learn More LCMS Reformation
Anniversary Logo Learn the meaning of the Reformation 2017 logo,
download it, and use it as a tool to witness to others. Learn More History
Blog Media Events Resources Get Involved Shop Get Connected Lutheran
Reformation Sponsors © 2015-2018 The Lutheran Church—Missouri
Synod. All rights reserved. ShareThis Copy and Paste