Theological Differences Between Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin
THEOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MARTIN LUTHER, ULRICH ZWINGLI AND JOHN CALVIN
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this essay is to discuss the significant theological differences that occurred between Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin. To gain a greater understanding of their theological differences it must first be discovered who these prominent men were. Once this is achieved why they longed for reformation will be discovered. In doing so many similarities in what they were trying to bring in the form of reform will be shown. After this a detailed understanding of their major 33differences will be shown. It will be discovered that these differences occur around the understanding of the Eucharist. This will lead ultimately to the discovery of their major theological differences.
MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546) Martin Luther was one of the most influential men of the German reformation. Luther began his education at Magdeburg soon followed by Eisenbach ending up in the Erfurt University (1501-1505). He was a son of a miner at Mansfield in Saxony but it was his studies in the arts that he was influenced by men like Jodocus Trutvetter and Bartholomäus Arnoldi of Usingen (well known nominalist). In 1505 he entered the monastery and was soon ordained priest in 1507. The following year he became a professor in the faculty of arts at the University of Wittenberg. In 1510 he was sent to Rome and back to Wittenberg in 1511. With the support of his superior Johannes von Staupitz he became a doctor of theology and a professor of biblical exegesis in the faculty of theology. He would hold this position for the rest of his life. In 1515 he was put in charge of 11 monasteries in which he was vicar. Luther became troubled in his monastic life. From the outside Luther looked like he had it all together. He was a good monk. But his troubles began inwardly by his conviction of sin that he could not fulfil with his painful monastery life.Luther had a deep love for God that
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this essay is to discuss the significant theological differences that occurred between Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli and John Calvin. To gain a greater understanding of their theological differences it must first be discovered who these prominent men were. Once this is achieved why they longed for reformation will be discovered. In doing so many similarities in what they were trying to bring in the form of reform will be shown. After this a detailed understanding of their major 33differences will be shown. It will be discovered that these differences occur around the understanding of the Eucharist. This will lead ultimately to the discovery of their major theological differences.
MARTIN LUTHER (1483-1546) Martin Luther was one of the most influential men of the German reformation. Luther began his education at Magdeburg soon followed by Eisenbach ending up in the Erfurt University (1501-1505). He was a son of a miner at Mansfield in Saxony but it was his studies in the arts that he was influenced by men like Jodocus Trutvetter and Bartholomäus Arnoldi of Usingen (well known nominalist). In 1505 he entered the monastery and was soon ordained priest in 1507. The following year he became a professor in the faculty of arts at the University of Wittenberg. In 1510 he was sent to Rome and back to Wittenberg in 1511. With the support of his superior Johannes von Staupitz he became a doctor of theology and a professor of biblical exegesis in the faculty of theology. He would hold this position for the rest of his life. In 1515 he was put in charge of 11 monasteries in which he was vicar. Luther became troubled in his monastic life. From the outside Luther looked like he had it all together. He was a good monk. But his troubles began inwardly by his conviction of sin that he could not fulfil with his painful monastery life.Luther had a deep love for God that
Bibliography: Cross, F. L. and Elizabeth A. Livingstone. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. Dockery, David S., Trent C. Butler, Christopher L. Church. Holman Bible Handbook. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992. Douglas, J. D., Philip Wesley Comfort and Donald Mitchell. Who 's Who in Christian History. . Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1992. Eckman, James P. Exploring Church History. Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2002. Furcha, Edward J. "Zwingli and the Radicals : Zwingli and Carlstadt." Fides et historia 25, no. 1 (1993): 3-11. Galli, Mark and Ted Olsen. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000. Gangel, Kenneth O. . Holman New Testament Commentary Acts. Vol. 5. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998. Grosse, Sven. "Salvation and the Certitude of Faith: Luther on Assurance." Pro Ecclesia 20, no. 1 (2011): 64-85. Muller, Richard A. "From Zürich or from Wittenberg? An Examination of Calvin 's Early Eucharistic Thought." Calvin Theological Journal 45, no. 2 (2010): 243-255. Schaff, Philip and David Schley Schaff. History of the Christian Church. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997. Tan, Paul Lee. Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996. [ 2 ]. J. D. Douglas, Philip Wesley Comfort and Donald Mitchell, Who 's Who in Christian History. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1992), 433. [ 3 ]. Mark and Ted Olsen Galli, 131 Christians Everyone Should Know ( Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 34-35. [ 4 ]. Cross, 1797. [ 7 ]. James P. Eckman, Exploring Church History (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2002), 52-53. [ 8 ]. Kenneth O. Gangel, Holman New Testament Commentary Acts, vol. 5 (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998), 265. [ 9 ]. David S. Dockery, Trent C. Butler, Christopher L. Church, Holman Bible Handbook ( Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 1992), 850-851. [ 11 ]. Edward J. Furcha, "Zwingli and the Radicals : Zwingli and Carlstadt," Fides et historia 25, no. 1 (1993): 6. [ 12 ]. Philip and David Schley Schaff Schaff, History of the Christian Church (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 921. [ 14 ]. Sven Grosse, "Salvation and the Certitude of Faith: Luther on Assurance," Pro Ecclesia 20, no. 1 (2011): 78-79. [ 17 ]. Richard A. Muller, "From Zürich or from Wittenberg? An Examination of Calvin 's Early Eucharistic Thought," Calvin Theological Journal 45, no. 2 (2010): 254. [ 19 ]. Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations ( Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 214-215.