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Huldrych Zwingli's Path from Humanism to Reformation

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Huldrych Zwingli's Path from Humanism to Reformation The Making of a Pastor: Huldrych Zwingli's Path from Humanism to Reformation H. WAYN E PIPKIN The Swiss reformer, Huldrych Zwingli , is the least known and understood of the ma­ jor reformers. Although he was the first Reformed theologian and churchman, and though his influence has been enormous, his name has been largely eclipsed in the English-speaking world by John Calvin. This fi ve-hundredth anniversary of the Zurich reformer, born 1 J anuary, 1484, provides an appropriate occasion for a reassessment of the nature of the Zwinglian reformation. Zwingli is best known in the Anglo-Saxon world for his conflict with Luther over the Eucharist, and to a lesser degree fo r his confrontation with the Zurich Anabaptists. His personal development, the character of his religious pilgrimage, and the nature of his con­ flict with the Roman Catholic church of his day are largely overlooked. Yet, it was Zwing­ li 's personal and spiritual perspective, coming to fruition in his own evangelical discovery, as well as in the crisis of separation from Rome, which shaped the reformer who necessari­ ly opposed the Anabaptists and the Lutherans. In this brief essay, we shall look at Zwing­ li's early development, including his evangelical discovery, and his departure from the Roman practice of his day as a manifestation of his search for, and commitment to, true re ligion. We will then observe briefly how Zwingli 's understanding of true religion se rved to insure his conflict with the Taufer and with Luther. In doing so, we shall purposely concen­ trate on the religious aspects of Zwingli's approach. It is true that there were political, so­ cial, and educational perspectives in the Zurich reform, but it was primarily the religious dimension which motivated Zwingli , and we shall endeavour here to understand his charac­ teristic religious intentions. 1 Education of Young Zwingli Two significant features differentiate Zwingli from Luther: his self-concious develop­ ment as a Swiss, and his humanistic education. Born in the small mountainous fa rming village of Wildhaus, located in the relatively populous Toggenburg region, the majesty of the region pervaded the soul of young Zwing­ li, exercising an influence long after he had left. Myconius, Zwingli 's close friend and first biographer, suggested concerning his hero that "he drew something of divine quality direct­ ly from the heavens near which he lived. ''2 T hough too romantically cast by Myconius, it is nonetheless ev ident that Zwingli's childhood envi ronment was important to him in later years. One fi nds numerous references by, and to, Zwingli concerning his regional back­ ground.3 It emerges in his writings on occasion as an appreciation fo r nature4 and on one striking occasion led him to translate the "green pastures" of Psalm 23:2 as "beautiful Al­ pine meadows.''5 54 It should also be remembered that Zwingli 's father was the chief elected offi cial of Wildhaus' va lley society. Walter Koehler has traced the social and political concerns of Zwingli 's theology back to the influences which the notion of a free race living in the Tog­ genburg exercised upon the se nsitive Swiss youth.6 The traditional stories of Zwingli 's youth, which gave him an appreciation fo r his ancestors, were stories of daring and cour­ age characteristic of the personality of Zwingli the Reformer. It is an unavoidable conclu­ sion th at it was early in his youth that Zwingli gained an appreciation for the people and the state which was lacking in Luther. It is a major characteristic of the Zwinglian reform. Probably the best-known fact about young Zwingli is his humanistic education.7 Be­ ginning with his uncle Bartholomew at Wesen, he soon was sent to study with Gregory Buenzli where he made noteworthy progress in Latin, dialectic, and music. From there he travelled to Be rn to study with Heinrich Woelnin, "a remarkable man, and famous also as a poet, who was the fi rst to teach the classics in Switzerland. "8 Farner notes that the signi fi­ cance of the Bernese years lies in Zwingli 's exposure to Latin literature and the likelihood that WoelOin would have fanned the spark of Zwingli's patriotism with his stories of Swiss heroes.'1 Zwingli 's gift as a musician also became apparent while in Bern. T he D ominicans were apparently anxious to have Zwingli m their choir and it was the boy's father and uncle who rescued him. Zwingli 's higher education was spent m two leading ce nters of northern humanism: Vienna and Basel. At Vienna he was exposed to a lively humanistic tradition. The Emperor Maximilian seemed determined to build the university, and under the intellectual leadership of humanist scholars such as Giovanni Ricuzz i Vellini, called Camers, and Conrad Celtes, the German arch-humanist and poet laureate of the Empire, Vienna was fast attaining a leading position among the universities of Europe. Pollet observes that in cosmopolitan Vienna Zwingli had the means of enlarging his vision to include broader European hori­ zons.10 And yet, Zwingli , for whatever reason, did not remain in Vienna, choosing rather to travel to Basel to conclude his university education. The move was decisive. In Basel the young humanist scholar was introduced to one of the most vibrant circles of humanism in Europe. His teacher certainly was T homas Wyttenbach, though it is possible he encountered Ulrich S urgant whose thinking and writing in the matter of worship exercised a great influ­ ence in the Basel area. Martin Haas concludes that there are good reasons for believing that Zwingli came under the influence of Surgrnt. 11 Surgant emphasized the place of the sermon in worship, noting especially the role of t he sermon in the instruction of the people, an understanding appropriated by the Reformers, including Zwingli. Surgant also insisted that the laity, having heard the sermon and now with access to the Scriptures in the ver­ nacular, were to discuss the Sunday Bible text within the family situation. Thomas Wyttenbach came to Basel in 1505. He was known for his lectures on the Scriptures, and it is likely that he held a disputation on indulgences for Zwingli credits him in two pl aces with having influenced him on this matter.1 2 In addition, at Basel Zwingli was being exposed to the. thought of the scholastics, es pecially Duns Scotus, Peter Lombard, and above all, T homas Aquinas. Furthermore, Zwingli was becoming acquainted with sig­ nificant elements of the pre-Reformation era that were to become decisive only in the 55 storm and stress of the renewal movements themselves. In any event it is fa ir to conclude that "several important fundamentals for the later development of Zwingli · lay in the time of Base l. "13 In the decade to come, Zwingli would increasingly find his spiritual home there. In 1506, having become a Master of Arts, Zwingli , as G.R. Potter notes, had attained some measure of stature: He was well known as a Latinist, able (and eager) to correspond on eq ual terms with the rather select company of those who tried to write passably cor­ rect classical Latin, and he had learnt something more than the rudiments of Greek and Hebrew. T hese were unusual achievements for a boy from a Tog­ genburg vi llage and were not attained without much labor and thought. 14 At the instigation of Uncle Bartholomew, Zwingli was installed as parish priest in Glarus, having been quickly ordained and celebrating his initial mass in Wildhaus September 29, 1506. Zwingli 's Early Pastorates His formal education completed, Zwingli entered the pastorate at Glarus in 1506. There he continued his individ ual studies, especia ll y in the C hurch Fathers. Even more im­ portant, however, was his immersing himself in the life of his people. It was to prove of great significance for him and his people. Zwingli accompanied his parishioners on their most important journeys as merce naries, servin g as chaplain. He was present for the tragic defeat of the Swiss at Marignano in 1515. He saw, in addition, the negative impact of the mercenary service on the morals of his people. He concluded that there was little. of value in the mercenary service. As Leonhard von Mural! suggested, "the experience in Glarus and the insight into the injury which the foreign military service inflicts on the body of the people, focused Zwingli 's attention on the ethical weakness of humankind."15 Zwingli was in Glarus for ten years, until 151 6, w.hen , largely due to his opposition to the mercenary service, he found it necessary to relocate. He moved to Einsiedeln. He was then a humanist-trained pastor, a Swiss patriot who was nonetheless disi llusioned with the effects of the foreign military service on his fell ow countrymen. In retrospect, one can see how he was ready for the encounter that was to prove so decisive for his li fe, and the reform which was to fo ll ow; that is, the encounter with the great D utch humanist and pacifist, Erasmus of Rotterdam. T he influence of Erasmus on Zwingli is well knownY• It is not unusual, however, for the exact nature of that influence to be misunderstood. Us ually the Erasmian stage of Zwingli's development is depicted as both prior to, and contrary to, his work as an evangel­ ical reformer. Zwingli 's Erasmian stage is commonly portrayed as educational and intellec­ tual wh ile the later period is understood to be decisively different since it is religious and, of course, protestant.
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