Key Protestant Reformers
Agents of the Protestant Reformation whose works still influence us today
Although most historians would probably date the beginning of the Protestant Reformation to Luther’s publication of the 95 Theses in 1517, it has long been recognized that the Reformers of the 16th century did not appear out of thin air. The Forerunners of the Reformation developed many ideas which inspired Luther. Although we could speak of many broad societal trends which led to the outbreak of the Reformation, it is important to recognize the initiative of these prominent individuals. Interestingly all of these reformers identified the Papacy as the Little Horn Antichrist of Daniel Chapter 7.
Great Reformers of the Protestant Reformation
John Wycliffe – “The Morning Star Of The Reformation”
(1330–1384)
Often referred to as the “Morning Star of the Reformation,” Wycliffe was an English theologian best known for being the first to translate the Bible into English. He rejected papal authority and is considered the primary precursor of the Reformation. Wycliffe was an early critic of the Papacy and clerical power. He placed greater emphasis on scripture, advocating Bible-centred Christianity. His followers were known as Lollards and were precursors to Martin Luther.
Martin Luther
(1483-1546)
Luther is credited as the founder of the German Reformation. Luther’s study of the writings of the Apostle Paul and Augustine of Hippo led him to the belief that men and women could only be justified by the grace of God, through faith rather than through good works or religious observances. Luther sought to reform the Roman Catholic Church which he felt had been corrupted and lost its original focus.
Philip Melanchthon
(1497-1560)
Melanchthon shared a lifelong friendship with Luther. Having arrived at Wittenberg with a strong humanist background, he was won to the Reformation by Luther, and became the reformer’s leading associate. It was Melanchthon who urged Luther to translate the Bible into the German for the common people. In Wittenberg, Luther had little time to systematize the various doctrines of evangelical theology, so in 1521 Melanchthon took on this task, writing the first systematic summary titled Loci Communes. Based on several already completed writings and on the negotiations of Augsburg, Melanchthon also wrote the first great confession of the Reformation, the Augsburg Confession (1530). Lutheran pastors to this day are ordained with this confession.
John Calvin
(1509-1564)
Calvin, a French reformer, was known for his work in Geneva and The Institutes of the Christian Religion (1536). His teachings shaped Reformed churches, emphasizing God’s absolute sovereignty and holiness. Though linked to predestination and election, he differed little from other reformers on these doctrines. The five points of Calvinism stemmed from the Synod of Dort, not Calvin himself. In 1541, he reformed Geneva’s church, establishing four offices: Doctors (theological scholars), Pastors (preaching and discipline), Deacons (charity and welfare), and Elders (spiritual oversight).
John Knox
(1513-1572)
John Knox was a Scottish teacher who embraced the principles of the continental Reformation. As chaplain to Edward VI he was involved in the revision of the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. After a period in exile following the accession of Mary he returned to Scotland, where he pioneered changes along Reformation principles. He was primarily responsible for the First Book of Discipline and the Book of Common Order, which were adopted by the newly formed Church of Scotland.
Ulrich Zwingli
(1484–1531)
A principal figure in the Reformation in Switzerland and Europe. Zwingli proposed many reforms to the Catholic church, based on the primacy of the Bible and influenced by his Renaissance learning and the works of Erasmus.
Thomas Cranmer
(1489-1556)
In 1533, Cranmer was chosen to be Archbishop of Canterbury. With Thomas Cromwell, he supported the translation of the Bible into English. In 1545, he wrote a litany that is still used in the church. Under the reign of Edward VI, Cranmer was allowed to make the doctrinal changes he thought necessary to the church. He is credited with writing and compiling the first two Books of Common Prayer (1549, 1552), assisted by the Strasbourg Reformed leader Martin Bucer, and the Thirty-Nine Articles, which established the basic structure of Anglican liturgy for centuries.
William Tyndale
(1494–1536)
William Tyndale was one of the first people to print the Bible in English. He worked on translating the Bible into English even when it was deemed to be an illegal act. He was executed for blasphemy after years of avoiding capture. His English Bible was ironically then taken up by Henry VIII after he broke from the Roman Catholic church.