huldrych zwingli baptism

 

Nevertheless, he played a significant role in this massive shift. 4! He said, “In this matter of baptism — if I may be pardoned for saying it — I can only conclude that all the doctors have been in error from the time of the apostles. Furcha, E. J. As Furcha and Pipkin note: “Zwingli’s doctrine of baptism was forged against two fronts: the ecclesiastical displacement of baptism by the Anabaptist innovation and the sacramental objectivism of Roman Catholic and Lutheran practice.”[26], If someone is so strong that his assurance and certainty are independent of time, place, person and such like, then he has no need for sprinkling with water; but if he is a little stupid or thick-headed he needs some demonstration, so then that kind of believer is baptized because he is cleansed inwardly by faith in the same way as he is outwardly by water. Huldrych Zwingli [Part 1] | By Father Peter Farrington. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986. Stephens puts it this way: Fundamental elements in Zwingli’s theology make him deny that baptism is a means of grace or that it is necessary to salvation. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. Zwingli recognizes the problem this creates with Acts 19:1-10. After a second disputation on October 26, 1523, steps were taken to abolish the Mass in Zürich and to remove images and pictures from churches. al. That is certainly true in the area of “faith only.” He was clearly the first to espouse the view that the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist had nothing to do with salvation. 55 relations. Tag Archives: Huldrych Zwingli. 7 0 obj [34] Moreover, even if they are not elect, they should, nonetheless be baptized. Marcus Dods, Tr. [41]The first is baptism in water through which we pledge individually to the Christian life (John 3:23). _______________. 1 0 obj In October 1523, the controversy over the issue broke out during the second Zürich disputation and Zwingli vigorously defended the need for infant baptism and his belief that rebaptismwas unnecessary. Jackson, Samuel Macauley, (Ed.). Fathers of the English Dominican Province. Tertullian. . [3]Huldrych Zwingli, “On Baptism,” Zwingli and Bullinger, in The Library of Christian Classics, Vol. This is the first comprehensive study of Zwingli's theology in English and the first extended presentation of the theology of this Swiss reformer (1484-1531) since Pollet's work in 1950. The theology of Huldrych Zwingli was based on the Bible, taking scripture as the inspired word of God and placing its authority higher than human sources such as the Ecumenical councils and the church fathers. [28]Huldrych Zwingli, “Commentary on True and False Religion,” p. 179. [42]This is an important key for Zwingli that will be taken up more fully in a moment. For who can forgive sins save God alone?”[49], Second, God must be free to act whenever and however he chooses. [2]Cross, Loc. The stream which had flowed with limpid waters now becomes clouded and we cannot even hope for the former clearness as long as the lump of earth stays immersed in it.[59]. {T;�����'��>�s�V��*7�UeM�{tzIQb~'�]�Q�#4��P&�8�3̔�/��*�$C��%�g������a��_[�l_�U�u� �� ��M ��=��� �D`�1[I_&�/h�1��t�� cm�H�⯦G"o`�0�(7��.��tB����ti�jMۅ�_��h�rh�b@ry�! 1225-1274), closer to Zwingli’s day, argued in his Summa Theologicathat baptism is necessary for salvation: Men are bound to that without which they cannot obtain salvation. All the doctors have ascribed to the water a power which it does not have and the holy apostles did not teach.”[3] By this he meant that there was no saving efficacy in the sacraments. _______________. . He clarifies that “The act of baptism . 4 0 obj . The Latin Works of Huldreich Zwingli. “Baptism According to the Reformed Tradition.” In Baptism and the. They were clear markers of one’s fidelity. In Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, ed. . But it is an admission of (wo)mens’ dignity. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986. Here he concentrated on Biblical preaching and humanistic studies. Zwingli on Baptism: His Incipient Philosophical Dualism as the Geneses of Faith Only Huldrych Zwingli stands in the third position behind Luther and Calvin in the trilogy of Protestant reformers. Er ghöört mit em Gämfer Calvin zu de Begründer vo de reformierte Chile i de Schwyz. [45] The saved are then granted faith by the Holy Spirit. See also On Baptism, p. 171, “It follows, then, that Paul is not asking them about their external baptism but about their instruction and faith.”, [44]Furcha and Pipkin, Op. They were saved because of their election, not because of their faith. Noll, Mark A. G. W. Bromiley. . But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. The sacraments were practiced in community. [6]Tertullian, “On Baptism,” tr. On January 17, 1525, Zwingli and his radical opponents crossed swords in public for the first time. 188-189. He opens the piece with these words: “Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life.”[6] He is not suggesting that the act of baptism is magical. Fourth, teaching of salvation is called baptism (Acts 19:4). The basis of the theology of Huldrych Zwingli was the Bible. . Thus, the Bible is not to be taken literally when it says baptism saves a person.[46]. Among Evangelicals, spirituality is thought of in terms of private prayer, individual bible study, and personal faith rather than corporate participation in sacraments and the church’s liturgy. To verify what Zwingli asserts one needs to review both the scriptural statements that connect baptism with salvation as well as the major claims of church fathers. redemption.”[12] It is equated with salvation itself. they then receive the washing with water.” He quotes John 3:5 in relation to this practice, stating that “we have learned from the apostles this reason . <> Zwingli was not the first theologian to have a strong view of the sovereignty of God. the Divine laver, nor think lightly of it, as a common thing, on account of the use of water. 42-56. . [38] One might argue that John himself drew a distinction between them saying, “I baptize you with water for repentance. To this extent, God would not be sovereign in that (a) he would have to wait on humans to respond to his call, and (b) a non-elect person might get the bright idea of being baptized and forcing God’s hand to remit grace. Zwingli observes that the unity of the church is manifest in the communal meal celebrated by believers everywhere. [3]Huldrych Zwingli, “On Baptism,” Zwingli and Bullinger, in The Library of Christian Classics, Vol. . But for this end is baptism conferred on a man, that being regenerated thereby, he may be incorporated in Christ. ,7vP����W��GT�T�' 28-32. If these two sacraments are reinterpreted, suddenly the church is very different than it once was. Spirit baptism is truly from Jesus and is entirely separate from the rite of water. “The Biblical Consensus: Historical Backgrounds to Reformed Theology.” In Baptism and the Remission ofSin:An Historical Perspective, pp. [19]Martin Luther, “Kleine Antword auf Herzog Georgen,” Werke, Weimar Edition, Vol. . In a sense, Zwingli was unfair to his predecessors here (particularly Augustine and Luther). If this is true then there truly is only “one baptism, whether we call it of John or of Christ, for there is ‘one faith, one baptism,’ (Ephesians 4:5).”[37] He argues that both were for forgiveness of sins symbolically but effected nothing in actuality. Confession and Catechisms of the Reformation. (Eds.). How did Zwingli come to such a radically different understanding of Baptism? 194-95. 38, p. 147, cited in What Luther Says: An Anthology, ed. Martin Luther (C.E. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1960. This was a decisive victory of Zwingli, at least in Zürich. [13]Augustine, “A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins,” I: 34, The Works of Aurelius Augustine, Vol. Allison Park, PN: Pickwick, 1984. [42]For example, when dealing with Romans 6:1-3 he says, “If Christ redeems us from all sin, and if the grace of God is manifested most clearly where the sin is greatest, we will continue in sin. Jackson, Samuel M., ed. For example, Israel (literally the man named Jacob), stands for the whole nation. [67]E.g. <> We are wrong to attribute salvation to faith above election and even more misguided to attribute it to works above faith. [43]Zwingli, Commentary, pp. Theology of Huldrych Zwingli: | | ||| | Huldrych Zwingli, |woodcut| by |Hans Asper|, 1531. Library of Christian Classics. If we only have one covenant, then circumcision and baptism are functionally identical (cf. “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” tr. Here he encountered rampant abuses of the pilgrimage to the famous local shrine. . [14]Ibid. endobj . Peter Holmes (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1872), p. 35. Thus, according to Zwingli, Luke must be speaking about something other than water baptism. He founded the Swiss Reformed Church and was an important figure in the broader Reformed tradition. Christianity is a social entity, not merely a spiritual one. Yet his own life was cut short when he was killed on the battle field on October 11, 1531. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans reprint, 1978), 16, p. 5. Furthermore, this faith we have in Christ is not what we develop. . . In Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers,ed. <> After all, Esau was circumcised even though he was not elect — it is not ours to judge. “The Small Catechism.” In The Book of Concord, tr. He works under three basic presuppositions: (1) We can only be saved by grace, apart from anything we do. [4]The following material is adapted from Jack Cottrell, “The Biblical Consensus: Historical Backgrounds to Reformed Theology,” in Baptism and the Remission of Sins: An Historical Perspective, Edited by David Fletcher, (Joplin: College Press, 1990), pp. 110-165) said that new converts were to be instructed to fast and pray. [21]Luther, “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” tr. Therein lies the power of baptism. From Ulrich Zwingli, An Account of the Faith of Huldereich Zwingli Submitted to the Roman Emperor Charles (3 July 1530) Trans. A. T. W. Steinhauser et. . �ςXR� N�x�c�g4fAJBe��A� e But the texts themselves will require some fancy exegetical footwork (as we shall see), to extricate salvation from immersion. He communicated as easily with the ordinary people of his congregation as with rulers such as Philip of Hesse. Examples such as this could be multiplied by the hundreds if not thousands. Granted, Zwingli was not the only one responsible for this shift. For this passage of Acts plainly bears witness that twelve men were baptized over again in the name of Jesus, who yet had been previously baptized with the baptism of John. Samuel Macauley Jackson, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1901), p. 228-236. Professing faith. 441-442. Peter Holmes. endobj As Zwingli says, “For how is the testament and covenant the same if our children are not equally with those [of the Jews] of the church and people of God? He published his famous tract “67 Theses” in January of 1523 and disputed them with Johann Faber on January 29. He took scripture as the inspired word of God and placed its authority higher than human sources such as the Ecumenical councils and the church fathers.He also recognised the human element within the inspiration noting the differences in the canonical gospels. There was Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 6:3; 1 Peter 3:21, among others. He forgave us all our sins. We do not make choices, we do not freely offer worship, we do not even voluntarily love God. 180-81, He offers three definitions of the word: (1) Pledge which litigants deposited at some altar, (2) an oath, (3) an initiatory military promise of faithfulness. Augsburg Publishing House. p. 203-204. This paper will examine Zwingli’s views on baptism in particular and suggest several ramifications his views have had on the Evangelical world. ��Q?X��eE�Ũ���Lu���s��V��#�y�ڭ���>���}����zTԩ�h(�7��t�\����/>�n2�,T�I��,W|vEjX�)OF��,�S��|��C>^����~�/��ZQɹ �"k2��ns�^���k>\p���i������F�ۤ�r��ްڡ͒#�I���m��w���?��j����� T�xĸ+oR�j>��㙡� That “there is nothing good in our perishable flesh” is “a fact that even a blind man can see” (Commentary, p. 81). endobj Every religious adherent needs some means of measuring their “faithfulness.” There must be some standard by which a person can say, “Yes I am a good Christian” or “I am not quite where I should be.” Historically the sacraments functioned in such a capacity (among other things, of course). Philadelphia: Cottrell, Jack. But if the baptism of John and that of Christ are the same, there was no need of their being baptized with the baptism of Christ. “So I am brought to see that a sacrament is nothing else than an initiatory ceremony or a pledging.”. Christian Apologetics: Supplement… Why people reject God open menu. He also recognised the human element within the inspiration noting the differences in the canonical gospels. . Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1874. . x���Mo�0���x��E)ɲ���$��[Ov�Z� �&E�n��~$nN`˶��|��4�]����hp6sx�� �����1\�t;���!�D����p���(@����n�߅�� `��w�2zm�� � Zwingli’s movement spread rapidly. IV: The Anti-Pelagian Works, vol. endobj [63]Zwingli, On Baptism, p. 154. [56]Ibid. (2) Men perform these acts with evil motives but God’s motive is to glorify himself. i., ed. Huldrych Zwingli: His Life and Work. Editor and translator of Zwingli and Bullinger ( Library of Christian Classics ). Cit., p. 81, agree: “At points (in arguing for infant baptism) he appears to be skating on pretty thin exegetical ice, as in his surmise that John baptized infants in the Jordan, or his claim that the disciples of John who sought rebaptism (Act 19) had only received a baptism of ‘teaching’ not of water.”. And ed. (Ed.). All who are in the flesh are sinful.”[57] This is because the flesh is always evil. Cross, F. L. 354-430) argued that baptism was the point in time in which God applied grace to the repentant sinner. Die Zürcher Regierung wie auch Huldrych Zwingli waren gegen das Söldnerwesen – deshalb wurde Zwingli 1519 als Leutpriester ans Grossmünster berufen. The theology of Huldrych Zwingli was based on the Bible, taking scripture as the inspired word of God and placing its authority higher than what he saw as human sources such as the ecumenical councils and the church fathers. From Ulrich Zwingli, An Account of the Faith of Huldereich Zwingli Submitted to the Roman Emperor Charles (3 July 1530) Trans. Therefore Paul is not speaking about external baptism, but internal. This redefining process took years and it ricocheted him between two groups. A. T. W. Steinhauser et. New York: G.P. [29]Ibid., pp. Huldrych Zwingli, Huldrych also spelled Ulrich, (born January 1, 1484, Wildhaus in the Toggenburg, Sankt Gallen, Switzerland—died October 11, 1531, near Kappel), the most important reformer in the Swiss Protestant Reformation.He founded the Swiss Reformed Church and was an important figure in the broader Reformed tradition. Is it important? New York: Benzieger Brothers, 1947-1948. In fact, some time in 1522 he secretly married Anna Reinhart, the widow of Hans Meyer von Knonau, a woman of higher social class than he. “Ulrich Zwingli.” Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1977. 4! Fathers of the English Dominican Province (New York: Benzieger Brothers, 1947-1948), 68:1, p. 2398. 204 relations. [12]Augustine, “On the Soul and Its Origin,” II: 13, The Works of Aurelius Augustine, Vol. Huldrych Zwingli : biography 1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531 Zwingli’s successor Heinrich Bullinger gives an account of the battle and of Zwingli’s death in his Chronicle. may obtain in the water the remission of sins.”[5], Tertullian (C.E. . New York: G.P. It is a degrading and negative anthropology. This is particularly true of baptism. Both Judaism and Christianity had a facelift when this happened. Ewald M. Plass (St. Louis: Concordia, 1959), I: 46. Edward H. Gifford. De Zwingli (Huldrych Zwingli, äigetli Ulrich Zwingli, * 1. If an individual participates with God in the saving act, then their actions would control God’s as to the time of salvation. He was serving as chaplain for the forces of Zürich. Cit., suggests, however, that Luther was not as major a factor in Zwingli’s thinking as some suggest and that when he is mentioned there tends to be a hint of jealousy. [22]Huldrych Zwingli, Commentary on True and False Religion, ed. Zwingli categorically denies any difference between them, however, saying, “There was no difference between the baptism of John and that of Christ, as far as the nature, effect, and purpose are concerned.”[39]  Why then did John distinguish between them? endobj (3) Physical actions can have no bearing on spiritual transformation. 1510   Autumn            The Fable of the Ox. The!Politicization!and!Criminalization!of!Anabaptism! 38, p. 147, cited in What Luther Says: An Anthology, ed. “For in this way,” says Zwingli, “the Liberty of the divine Spirit which distributes itself to individuals as it will, that is, to whom it will, when it will, where it will, would be bound.”[50]. Huldreich Zwingli: The Reformer of German Switzerland. This gave him the influence and protection he needed to carry out his gradually developing reforms. Commentary on True and False Religion. “Yes,” says Zwingli, that too is from God. Third, external baptism can represent an internal faith and thus be spoken of as the whole conversion experience by synecdoche (1 Peter 3:21). <>>> God forbid!”[33] Furthermore, Hebrew children were saved prior to having faith in Yahweh. https://markmoore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mark-moore-logo-1.png. For these things, and all that follow from them, the grace of Baptism secures and conveys to us.”[10] Perhaps his clearest assertion is this, “Baptism, then, is a purification from sins, a remission of trespasses, a cause of renovation and regeneration.”[11], Augustine (C.E. We were invited to participate with God and treated as capable of doing so. Because of Zwingli’s rejection of the historic view of baptism, he had to give it a different definition. Huldrych Zwingli (or Ulrich Zwingli), became a leader in the Swiss reformation movement. And ed. stream [27], Now, if baptism is to strengthen one’s faith, then it would be unnecessary to baptize infants. But what this means? Yet in some ways his influence is even more important than the other two. andCalvinism”(VanGelderen,1992,p.65).!!As!a!foil!for!Zwingli,!I!selected!Menno! Martyrs were the only exception to this rule. 8.- Baptism. Its purpose was to inform the whole church rather than one’s self of the faith that had been inwardly wrought by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Is Christ less kind to us than to the Hebrews? [��Xe [43], This is Zwingli’s “way out” of Acts 19:4. This is when a part is spoken of for the whole. . Steinmetz, David. Samuel Macauley Jackson (Durham: Labyrinth Press, reprint 1981), p. 182. In short, the blessings of Baptism are so boundless that if timid nature considers them, it may well doubt whether they could all be true.”[20] Now Luther knows that there is no magical power in the water or even the act itself. Huldrych Zwingli secretly married Anna Reinhart and they even lived together. He spoke of the essence of the sacrament as consisting in Pflichtszeichen, that is, a "demonstration of allegiance." Thus, great care must be taken to choose relevant and representative data. Romans 6:3-4, “Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? . Putnam’s Sons, 1912-1929. At this level, Zwingli’s baptismal views have at least three important social (or ecclesiastical) implications. Peter Holmes (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1874), p. 257. Philadelphia: Univ. Something else had to replace it. stream Marcus Dods, tr. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans reprint, 1978), VII: 15. discussed in biography. Huldrych Zwingli, woodcut by Hans Asper, 1531 The theology of Huldrych Zwingli was based on the Bible, taking scripture as the inspired word of God and placing its authority higher than what he saw as human sources such as the ecumenical councils and the church fathers.He also recognised the human element within the inspiration noting the differences in the canonical gospels. S. M. Macauley, The Latin Works and Correspondence of Huldreich Zwingli, vol. Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 21:16). Jackson, Samuel M., ed. endobj Obviously, Zwingli was doing more than theologizing. In The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Rather he was comparing his (and Jesus’) water baptism to a separate Spirit baptism that only Jesus could supply. Theodore Tappert et al.Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1959. ), Prophet, Pastor, Protestant: The Work of Huldrych Zwingli After Five Hundred Years, (Allison Park, Pennsylvania: Pickwick Publications, 1984), p. 72. [53] He goes so far as to say that a person can be saved without faith so long as they are elect by God: “The elect were chosen before they were conceived; they are at once then sons of God, even if they died before they believe or are called to faith.”[54]  Thus the proper order of salvation is election, faith, and works. Cyril of Jerusalem (c. C.E. Zwingli discussed his theological views on the movement in his work "On Baptism" (1525), where he emphasized on the importance of water baptism. [59]Ibid., p. 161. Luther was primarily concerned about doctrinal renovation within the walls of the … “As long as we are in the flesh, we are never without sin. 179-180. What Zwingli asserted was that baptism stood for the whole process of conversion while, in fact, the person was “saved” long before they ever got wet. (2) It was the point in time that a convert contacted God’s grace. Water baptism, therefore, functions as an earthly illustration of a spiritual reality. It is only by synecdoche that baptism could be connected with salvation in biblical texts. He was more conscious of social obligations than Luther and he genuinely believed that the masses would accept a government guided by God's word.He … 17-38. Remission of Sins: An Historical Perspective, pp. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). Granted, there was a good bit of community among the Protestants. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1953. Aquinas, Thomas. The Swiss reformer Huldrych Zwingli was a pioneering and domineering voice during the early sixteenth century, especially at the genesis of the Protestant Reformation. [15], He, too, clarifies that baptism is a gift of God and the point in time in which God confers his grace upon the convert. [4] While quotations could be multiplied, these major church fathers express the primary tenets of the historic Christian faith. Gäbler, Ulrich. [4]The following material is adapted from Jack Cottrell, “The Biblical Consensus: Historical Backgrounds to Reformed Theology,” in Baptism and the Remission of Sins: An Historical Perspective , Edited by David Fletcher, (Joplin: College Press, 1990), pp. [60], “The Spirit is receptive for holy things, but the flesh resists, as I have said . Things began to take a turn in 1516. Zwingli Huldrych. [45]”Thus election is attributed to those only who are to be blessed, but those who are to be damned are not said to be elected, though the Divine Will makes a disposition with regard to them also, but He rejects, expels and repudiates them, that they may become examples of His righteousness” Huldrych Zwingli, On Providence and Other Essays, (Durham, NC: Labyrinth Press, 1922), p. 186. Dods and Reith, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Moses and Jesus). The public wedding ceremony was held on April 2, 1524, while Anna was pregnant. 24, Edited by G. W. Bromiley, p. 130. endobj “Procatechesis [Prologue],” tr. So when Paul says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith,” it, like baptism, is merely synecdoche. Zwingli, of course, will explain these texts differently than the church fathers had. See also W. P. Stephens, The Theology of Huldrych Zwingli, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1986), p. 215: “It was primarily because of the controversy with Anabaptists that Zwingli has to develop his doctrine of baptism.”. … Now it is manifest that no one can obtain salvation but through Christ. . We must, therefore, consider the character of both baptisms.[40]. However, it is a claim that Zwingli himself makes. His major works on the subject include Baptism, Rebaptism, and Infant Baptism (1525), A Reply to Hub… Thomas Aquinas (c. C.E. Zwingli was correct, he was blazing an entirely new trail with his non-sacramental view of baptism. “A Treatise on the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins,” I: 34. Zwingli was one of the first to formulate a covenantal framework for baptism. 9 0 obj His reputation as a stern, stolid reformer is counterbalanced by the fact that he had an excellent sense of humour and used satiric fables, spoofing, and puns in his writings. . This, of course, coincides with two letters dating July 2 and 13, 1522, requesting permission to marry (see Appendix A). Some of his fiercest rhetoric is reserved for the Anabaptists. Ewald M. Plass. If no one has ever taken a given position it is usually because it is indefensible. Baptism open menu. There were obligations for God’s people to keep. He will also repudiate this whole notion of baptism as an assurance of faith in March of 1525 in his “Commentary on True and False Religion.”[28]. E. J. Furcha). Durham: _______________. is carnal, in that we are plunged in water, but the effect is spiritual, in that we are freed from sins.”[7]. “The sum total of the whole matter is that all things which have to do with man, either as to his body or as to his soul, are so completely from God as their only real cause, that not even the work of sin is from any one else than God, though it is not sin to Him, as I said early in this discussion.”[56] With Zwingli’s particular brand of God’s sovereignty, it is not difficult to see why he balked at the idea of baptism having any salvific efficacy. He was the third of eight sons who distinguished himself at an early age by his precocious genius. These citations leave little doubt about the church’s traditional, even unequivocal, belief about baptism. Zwingli, the Reformer. During this time, Zwingli almost accepted believer’s baptism, and did change to a memorial view of the sacraments. This was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost when Peter told his would-be converts what to do in response to his sermon, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. 39-82. . The New Testament frequently connects baptism with salvation. 169-191. The mind yearns for light, purity and goodness, inasmuch as its nature is light, its substance pure and devoted to the right, seeing that it derives its origin from the Godhead; the body inclines to idleness, laziness, darkness and dullness, and it is lazy and indolent by nature, and without reason and intelligence, seeing that it consists of earth. The sacrificial and ceremonial systems were replaced with an educational system. According to Zwingli, John was not comparing his water baptism to Jesus’ water baptism. Allison Park PN: Pickwick Publications, 1984. Zwingli's view on the Eucharist (as well as baptism) is heavily influenced by two factors. Huldrych Zwingli [lower-alpha 1] or Ulrich Zwingli [lower-alpha 2] (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system.He attended the University of Vienna and the University of Basel, a scholarly center of Renaissance humanism. He left Glarus for Einsiedeln. Converts accept what God does through and grants in baptism. A Commentary on the Present Course of Affairs, 1510   Autumn            The Fabulous Poem of the Priest Zwingli Concerning an Ox and Many Other Animals, 1516   Spring               The Labyrinth. What is Baptism? Augustine. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans reprint, 1978), III: 669. Thus if you wish to compare man with something, he would seem like nothing so much as a lump of muddy earth plunged into a very clear, pure brook. and ed. Unfortunately, however, he portrays a God who is manipulative and either unwilling or unable to lay aside his own sovereignty in order to grant humans enough free-will to choose to love him. In Luther’s Small Catechism (1529) he writes that baptism, “works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as … _______________. Therefore, “No material thing can purge the conscience.”[63] Again, “It is clear and indisputable that no external element or action can purify the soul.”[64] Thus he says of Baptism, “Water-baptism cannot contribute in any way to the washing away of sin.”[65] Of the Eucharist he says, “It is wrong for us to be so dull as to attribute to a material thing what belongs to God alone, and to turn the creator into the creature and the creature into Creator.”[66].