John Calvin, influenced by Martin Luther, became a significant figure in the Protestant Reformation. He and Ignatius of Loyola, who later founded the Jesuit order, were classmates at the University of Paris. In 1554, John Knox traveled to Geneva to study under Calvin and later founded the Presbyterian Church, referring to Calvin as “his most worshipful master” and signing himself as “Your most devoted.” Calvin is renowned for his doctrine of predestination, which asserts that God predetermined who would be eternally saved and who would be condemned to hell. John Calvin believed that human free will is bound by sin, making people unable to choose good without divine intervention 443
On January 1, 1519, Ulrich Zwingli delivered his first sermon in Zürich. He spoke out against moral corruption, accused monks of laziness and indulgence, rejected the veneration of saints, asserted that unbaptized children were not damned, and questioned the power of excommunication. His most controversial belief was that tithing was not an obligation. Zwingli believed that the Reformation should be directed by the churches rather than the government, as the goals of the Reformation aimed to end the alliance between the Catholic Church and the state. (THIS VIDEO IS INCORREDT Anabaptism in Switzerland began as an offshoot of the church reforms instigated by Ulrich Zwingli.) Today, his descendants are spread across 57 countries, within 21 distinct groups, including Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites.
After making three short videos about the Protestant Reformation, I was astonished by how different the mindset of that period was. Considering the comparison with how we think today, I also noticed that the 1950s are very different from today, and that we may be changing at an even faster rate. it made me realize that religion needs to evolve just as we do. The only permanent truth is that God is unknowable, as Christianity claims. Religion should not be static dogma but a movable feast, a never-ending quest for truth and goodness.” It is best to be agnostic and cynical, yet deeply religious, always doubting and demanding a better condition for us all. 443
John Knox was a Scottish minister and writer, who played a central role in Scotland's Reformation and is credited with founding the Presbyterian Church. Knox became closely associated with George Wishart during the latter’s travels through Scotland, where he preached for the Reformation of the Church. Acting as Wishart's bodyguard, Knox famously carried a two-handed sword to protect him. However, Wishart was eventually captured by Cardinal David Beaton and was burned at the stake on 1 March 1546. This execution fueled outrage among Protestants, leading to Beaton's assassination just a few months later. These events were pivotal in the Scottish Reformation, and by 1560 Presbyterianism had become the dominant religion in Scotland. 443
John Wycliffe was a vocal critic of the Church, advocating for the radical idea that all clergy should embrace poverty. He is regarded as a forerunner of Protestantism. Though modern scholars suggest his involvement may have been minimal, Wycliffe is traditionally credited with the creation of the Wycliffe Bible, the first English translation of the Scriptures. On May 4, 1415, the Church declared Wycliffe a heretic posthumously, condemning his teachings and ordering his works to be burned. Additionally, it was decreed that his remains be exhumed from consecrated ground. This order was reaffirmed by Pope Martin V in 1428. Wycliffe's remains were exhumed, burned, and his ashes were scattered in the River Swift. 443
In 1517, Martin Luther famously nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg, Germany, challenging the Catholic Church’s practice of selling indulgences to finance the reconstruction of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. Initially, Luther's writings were sympathetic toward Jews, advocating for their fair treatment and conversion to Christianity. However, as large-scale Jewish conversion did not materialize, Luther grew increasingly hostile to Jews, contributing greatly to German antisemitism. The rapid spread of Protestantism was aided by the newly invented printing press. This sparked 150 years of Holy Wars between Catholic and Protestant states and left an estimated 8 million Europeans dead. 443
