Who Were the Reformers?
Posted On October 05, 2023
Written by Dr. Keith Mathison, professor of systematic theology
During my first years as a Christian, I was a dispensationalist. The major topic of concern in my circles was the imminent rapture of the saints. Even when I went to Dallas Theological Seminary, there was little emphasis on history. We were in the middle of the Gulf War (1990–1991), so we were looking toward the immediate future, not the past. When I started reading Reformed theological books, I immediately noticed a different emphasis. There was a strong concern for maintaining the heritage of “the Reformers.” If you’ve been in the Reformed world for any length of time, you’ve heard mention of “the Reformers.” But who were they? What were they reforming? And why?
By the time of the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century, the church in the West had experienced many ups and downs. And throughout church history, when things looked bleak, many individuals sought reform to one degree or another. The two hundred years immediately preceding the Protestant Reformation had been particularly ugly. Largely due to power plays between the pope and the French king, the papal court was moved from Rome to Avignon for about 70 years (1309–1376). During this so-called “Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” the popes were effectively controlled by the French king. Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome in 1377 but died only a year later. The cardinals in France elected a French pope as his successor, but the Romans elected an Italian pope. There were a lot of complicated events involved, but from 1378 until 1417, the church in the West had two popes, and for a short time, it had three. The rival popes had their own cardinals, and each excommunicated the other. This period of church history is known today as the Great Schism.
Theologically, the Western church had gradually moved away from biblical teachings on a whole host of subjects. In spite of the fifth-century efforts of Augustine against Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism, and the church’s official renunciation of both teachings, the late medieval church had veered closer and closer to Pelagianism in its understanding of salvation. The leadership of the church was plagued with gross incompetence and immorality, and the worship of the church had degenerated into superstitious idolatry. These problems did not go unnoticed, and prior to the sixteenth century, numerous individuals made efforts at reform. For their troubles, many died at the hands of the church leadership, men who were content with the status quo. Among these “forerunners of the Reformation,” we find men such as John Wycliffe (1329–1384), Jan Hus (1369–1415), and Jerome of Prague (1379–1416).
It is in the early sixteenth century, however, when we meet the men to whom we usually refer as “the Reformers.” This is largely due to the fact that their efforts resulted in permanent change. Why? There are many reasons, but one of the most obvious is related to the invention of the printing press in the middle of the fifteenth century. The Protestant Reformers were the first reformers who were able to get their message distributed across Europe quickly and economically. The Roman Catholic authorities could not stop the message of the gospel from spreading simply by burning the messenger.
The most important early Reformer was Martin Luther (1483–1546). His efforts in Germany provided the spark that inspired others to speak up and follow in his footsteps. Luther was assisted in many ways by Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560), who wrote the first systematic theology of the Protestant Reformation. Other men, some of whom differed with Luther on issues such as the Lord’s Supper, took up reforming efforts in numerous European cities. Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) and Heinrich Bullinger (1504–1575) led the efforts at reform in Zurich. Johann Oecolampadius (1482–1531) was among the leaders of church reform in Basel. William Farel (1489–1565) led the efforts in Geneva.
One of the most influential of the early Reformers was Martin Bucer (1491–1551), leader of the Reformation in Strasbourg. Among those who worked alongside Bucer at one time or another, and who were influenced by him, were Peter Martyr Vermigli (1499–1562) and John Calvin (1509–1564). After serving alongside Bucer, Peter Martyr taught in England, where reforming efforts were led by men such as Thomas Cranmer (1486–1541). After serving alongside Bucer for four years, Calvin left Strasbourg and returned to Geneva, where he was assisted in reform efforts by men such as Pierre Viret (1511–1571) and Theodore Beza (1519–1605). Among those who learned from Calvin and the Genevan reformers was John Knox (1513–1572), who led the efforts toward reform in Scotland.
Women were also involved in the work of the Reformation. Wives of the Reformers, such as Katherina Luther (1499–1552), Anna Bullinger (1504–1564), and Idelette Calvin (1500–1549), supported their husbands’ work and opened their homes to students and refugees. Some women in positions of royal authority were converted and helped the cause of the Reformation in their unique way. Jeanne d’Albret (1528–1572), for example, was the Queen of Navarre. She embraced the teachings of John Calvin, and under her leadership, the Reformed faith became the official religion of Navarre. Some women contributed to the Reformation with their writings. Marguerite de Navarre (1492–1549) wrote a famous and influential poem called “Mirror of the Sinful Soul.” Marie Dentière (1495–1561) was a nun who converted to the Reformation. She wrote a book entitled The War and Deliverance of the City of Geneva, encouraging Genevans to leave Rome and adopt the teachings of the Reformation.
I have mentioned only a handful of the many men and women who devoted their lives to reforming the church. They desired to bring the church back to its biblical roots—to have its theology and worship grounded on the Word of God. I would encourage all Christians to learn about these men. Find a good biography of Luther, Zwingli, Bucer, Cranmer, Calvin, or any of the Reformers. These men were not perfect, and they would have been the first to tell you so, but they were used to turn the eyes of Christians back to the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel. For that, we owe them gratitude.