Reasons to believe in Jesus Christ
Ulrich Zwingli (1484 – 1531) founded the Swiss Reformed Church and was an important figure in the broader Reformed tradition. Like Martin Luther, he accepted the supreme authority of the Scriptures, but he applied it more rigorously and comprehensively to all doctrines and practices. History remembers him as “the first Reformed theologian.” Though Calvin would later…
William Tyndale is a name that has become synonymous with the English Reformation and the translation of the Bible into the English language. His contributions to the development of the English language, his passion for the Word of God, and his courage in the face of persecution make him a figure of immense historical and…
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Martin Luther (1483-1546), a 16th-century monk and theologian, was one of the most significant figures in Christian history. His beliefs helped birth the Reformation—which would give rise to Protestantism as the third major force within Christendom, alongside Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy. The early life of Martin Luther Martin Luther was born in 1483 to Hans and…
Girolamo Savonarola was an Italian Dominican friar and preacher active in Renaissance Florence. He is know for his prophecies, the destruction of secular art and culture, and his calls for Christian renewal. He denounced clerical corruption, despotic rule and the exploitation of the poor. Savonarola intervened to save Florence when the French King invaded Italy….
John Huss is considered by many to be one of the first Church reformers. Wycliffe’s work greatly influenced his beliefs. The teachings of Huss had a strong influence, most immediately in the approval of a reformed Bohemian religious denomination and, over a century later, on Martin Luther. His execution as a heretic was followed by…
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The Lollards were a group of itinerate preachers who followed the example of John Wycliffe and challenged the anti-bibical traditions of the Catholic Church. Using pages from the Wycliffe Bible and gospel tracts, these men of faith traveled throughout England preaching the supremacy of the Bible over the traditions of men. Despite facing intense persecution…
John Wycliffe is widely considered one of the medieval forerunners of the Protestant Reformation. His criticism of the practices and beliefs of the church foreshadowed those of later reformers. Wycliffe also directed a translation of the Bible into English. The need for church reform in the fourteenth century The fourteenth century was a very dark time…
Vladimir was the king who brought unity to the people of Russia. As the Prince of Novrogod, he was not expected to rule Russia. But after his brother is killed, the people make him king at the age of eighteen. After several years of pagan revelry and an assassination attempt by one of his wives…
Gottschalk was born in Saxony in the northern part of Germany. He joined the Benedictine Order as boy, a decision that troubled him later in life. Gottschalk became a controversial figure when his teaching on the Augustinian doctrine of predestination provoked sharp negative reaction. He was branded a heretic and forced to throw his books…
Boniface was a man who brought the Christian faith to Germany. As he evangelized pagans, he also brought needed reforms to the church. He was born as Winfrith at Crediton, in the little Saxon kingdom of Wessex. He traveled from England to Frisia and Germany in the seventh century to evangelize the mostly pagan tribes…