People of the Protestant Reformation
Pre-Reformation reformers
Meister Eckhart (1260–1327) a German mystic, theologian, and philosopher. Eckhart’s radical
sermons spoke of man’s direct contact with the Divine. They were influential in shaping Martin
Luther’s thinking.
John Wycliffe (1330–1384) translated the Bible into English. He was an early critic of the Papacy and
clerical power. He emphasized scripture and Bible-centered Christianity. His followers were
precursors to Martin Luther.
Protestant Reformation
Jan Hus (1369–1415) was a Czech theologian who spread the radical reforms of Wycliffe. Hus
criticized many aspects of Church teachings. His teachings and martyrdom spread through Czech
lands.
Desiderius Erasmus (1466–1536) was a Catholic priest and noted scholar. He preached religious
tolerance. He wanted to see the Church reform. His ideas were influential in the Reformation and the
development of Protestantism.
Principal figures in the Reformation
Martin Luther (1483–1546) sought to reform the Roman Catholic Church, which he felt had been
corrupted and lost its original focus. The beginning of the Reformation is generally attributed to
when Martin Luther pinned his 95 theses to a church door in Wittenberg in 1517.
Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) was a principal figure in the Reformation in Switzerland and Europe.
Zwingli proposed many reforms to the Catholic church, based on the primacy of the Bible, influenced
by the works of Erasmus.
Thomas Cranmer (1489–1556) was archbishop of Canterbury during the reign of Henry VIII, Edward
VI and Mary I. Cranmer was a key figure in the English Reformation, reducing the influence of the
Holy See and writing an English Common Book of Prayer.
William Tyndale (1494–1536) was one of the first people to print the Bible in English, even when
translating the Bible was an illegal act. His English Bible was adopted by Henry VIII after he broke
from the Roman Catholic church.
John Calvin (1509–1564) was a French Protestant reformer. Calvin broke from the Roman Catholic
Church in 1530. He wrote influential Christian works supporting the Protestant Reformation. He also
introduced a new liturgy and form of church government. His theological teachings formed the basis
of the Reformed, Congregational, and Presbyterian churches.
Michael Servetus (1509–1553) was a Renaissance humanist and influential figure in the Reformation.
He developed a theology of non-trinitarian Christianity. Servetus’ views were condemned by both
Catholics and Protestants alike.
English Reformation
Henry VIII (1491–1547) King Henry VIII split the Church of England from Rome, leading to the rise of
Protestantism in England. He dissolved the monasteries and reduced the power of the church.
Anne Boleyn (1501–1536), second wife of Henry VIII, was influential in forcing Henry VIII to establish
the Church of England. She was crowned Queen in 1533, but after failing to produce a male heir,
Boleyn was executed in 1536.
Queen Elizabeth I (1533–1603) reverted England back to Protestantism after the brief reign of her
Catholic sister, Mary. Queen Elizabeth I avoided religious strife. She led her country to a famous
defeat of the (Catholic) Spanish Armada.
Thomas Cromwell (1485–1540) was a valued aide to King Henry VIII. Cromwell pushed Henry to
break with Rome and establish the Church of England. Cromwell also led the dissolution of the
monasteries and the attack on the old religious traditions of the Catholic faith.
Other influential figures in the Reformation period
Johannes Gutenberg (1400–1468) was the inventor of movable type printing in Europe. This printing
revolution was critical in enabling the spread of the printed works of the Protestant Reformation.
