Ulrich Zwingli

About the Author

Ulrich Zwingli (1484–1531) was a pivotal figure in the Swiss Reformation, emerging as a leading theologian and reformer whose ideas profoundly shaped Protestant thought in the early 16th century. Born in Wildhaus, Switzerland, he studied at the universities of Vienna and Basel before serving as a priest in Glarus and Einsiedeln, where he encountered humanist scholarship and began critiquing Catholic doctrines. As a chaplain in the Swiss militia, Zwingli advocated for peace and opposed mercenary service, aligning his reforms with moral and social imperatives. In Zurich, he led the city's break from Roman Catholicism in 1523, emphasizing the authority of Scripture, the priesthood of all believers, and the rejection of images in worship. His seminal work, 'On True and False Religion: De Vera et Falsa Religione 1525 (Systematics of the Protestant Reformation Book 2),' systematically delineates the principles of authentic faith against ecclesiastical corruptions, influencing the broader Protestant movement and debates with figures like Martin Luther on the Eucharist.