10 Interesting Facts about Ulrich Zwingli

One of these following facts about Ulrich Zwingli might probably let you know more about him. As some people know, he was a leader of Reformation in Switzerland. He was 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 humanism. He continued his studies while he served as a pastor in Glarus and later in Einsideln, where he was influenced by the writings of Erasmus. To get to know more about him, here are some other facts about Ulrich Zwingli you might like.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 1: Pastor of the Grossmunster

In 1518, Zwingli became the pastor of the Grossmunster in Zurich where he began to preach ideas on reforming the Catholic Church. In his first public controversy in 1522, he attacked the customer of fasting during Lent.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 2: Life

Ulrich Zwingli was born as Huldrych Zwingli, on January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, in the Toggenburg valley of Switzerland, to a family of farmers, the third child of nine. His father, Ulrich, played a leading role in the administration of the community. Zwingli’s primary schooling was provided by his uncle, Bartholomew, a cleric in Weesen.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 3: The Beginning of Zurich Ministry

On 1 January 1519, Zwingli gave his first sermon in Zurich. Deviating from the prevalent practice of basing a sermon on the Gospel lesson of a particular Sunday, Zwingli, using Eramsmus’ New Testament as a guide, began to read through the Gospel of Matthew, giving his interpretation during the sermon, known as the method of lectio continua.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 4: Outbreak of the Plague

In August 1519, Zurich was struck by an outbreak of the plague during which at least one in four persons died. All of those who could afford it left the city, but Zwingli remained and continued his pastoral duties. In September, he caught the disease and nearly died. He described his preparation for death in a poem, Zwingli’s Pestlied, consisting of three parts: the onset of the illness, the closeness to death, and the joy of recovery.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 5: First Rift

The first public controversy regarding Zwingli’s preaching broke out during the season of Lent in 1522. On the first fasting Sunday, 9 March, Zwingli and about a dozen other participants consciously transgressed the fasting rule by cutting and distributing two smoked sausages. Zwingli defended this act in a sermon which was published on 16 April, under the title “Regarding the Choice and Freedom of Foods”.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 6: First Disputation

On 3 January 1523, the Zurich city council invited the clergy of the city and outlying region to a meeting to allow the factions to present their opinions. The bishop was invited to attend or to send a representative. The council would render a decision on who would be allowed to continue to proclaim their views. This meeting, the first Zurich disputation, took place on 29 January 1523.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 7: Music

Zwingli enjoyed music and could play several instruments, including the violin, harp, flute, dulcimer and hunting horn. He would sometimes amuse the children of his congregation on his lute and was so well known for his playing that his enemies mocked him as “the evangelical lute-player and fifer”.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 8: Legacy

Zwingli was a humanist and a scholar with many devoted friends and disciples. He communicated as easily with the ordinary people of his congregation as with rulers such as Philip of Hesse. 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.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 9: Works

Zwingli’s collected works are expected to fill 21 volumes. A collection of selected works was published in 1995 by the Zwingliverein in collaboration with the “Theologischer Verlag Zurich”.

Facts about Ulrich Zwingli 10: Church Worship

Zwingli criticised the practice of priestly chanting and monastic choirs. The criticism dates from 1523 when he attacked certain worship practices. He associated music with images and vestments, all of which he felt diverted people’s attention from true spiritual worship.

Hope you would find those Ulrich Zwingli facts really interesting and useful for your additional reading.