Luther As A Beginning

John Wycliffe's Birth

Dec 30, 1324

John Wycliffe was an English priest, most often referred to as the "Morning Star" of the Protestant Reformation. Wycliffe is called as such, as he is recorded as being the first dissident of the Church regarding taught doctrine on the sale of indulgences, transubstantiation, and purgatory. He is also responsible for the first translations of the Bible from Latin into English. He passed away on December 31, 1384 of a stroke.

Jan Hus's Birth

Dec 30, 1369

Jan Hus was born in Husinec, Kingdom of Bohemia (which is now the modern-day Czech Republic). He served and sang at churches to put himself through school, and upon becoming ordained, joined Wycliffe in his condemnation of many doctrines of the Church at that time. The Czech-born priest used his pulpit to further his stances and soon gained attention of the Church, He was burned as a heretic on July 6, 1415.

Luther born in Eisleben, Germany

Nov 10, 1483

Martin Luther, credited as a formative leader of the Protestant Reformation, was born to a working class family in Germany. In 1505, after a severe thunderstorm, Martin decided to become a monk. In 1517, he penned and presented his now famous 95 Theses, which outlined his beliefs in justification by faith and criticized the sale of indulgences by the Church. This earned him many followers and an excommunication by in 1520. He married in 1525 to Katharina von Bora, a runaway nun.

Ulricht Zwingli's Birth

Jan 1, 1484

Zwingli, a Swiss born leader of the Reformation, became convinced with the idea of a literal interpretation of the 'Sermon on The Mount' as outlined in the Gospel of Matthew. He questioned the practices of excommunication,baptism of infants, and the honoring of saints. Further on, Zwingli and Luther greatly disagrred as far as Eucharistic presence and Zwingli insisted that the meal was in symbol only.

John Calvin's Birth

Jul 10, 1509

Calvin, a French born theologian, aimed, at first to broaden an define the Lutheran tradition. Eventually, however 'Calvinism' broke with the Lutheran doctrine of consubstantiation and held that the real presence of Christ occured at time of consumption apart form the actual items being consumed. Calvinists also subscribe to the 5 doctrines of grace outlined in TULIP.

Luther nails 95 Theses on church door at Wittenberg

Oct 31, 1517

Placed for all to see, Luther's condemnation of the sale of indulgences by the Church also included his belief of justification by faith alone. This notion greatly disempowered the Church and caused huge repercussions for all.

Papal bull Exsurge Domine

Jun 1, 1520

Luther is identified and warned in a bull issued by Pope Leo X to recant his statement within 60 days or risk excommunication. A copy of the warning, published in June was publicly burned by Luther in December of that same year.

Diet of Worms

Apr 16, 1521

Luther is requested to appear before the Diet and ordered to recant his statements. When he refuses, he solidifies his stance against the papacy, however he is not arrested. Under the protection and orders of Frederick of Saxony, he is 'kidnapped' and placed into hiding at Wartburg Castle, where he focuses upon the translation of the Bible into the common German language for all.

Edict of Worms

May 5, 1521

Pope Leo X formally orders the destroying of all of Luther's works and forbids any to assist him in any way. Leo declares Luther a heretic and offers reward to any who capture him and bring him before the Church so that he may be condemned as a 'notorious heretic'.

Blaurock and Grebel's Baptism/Anabaptists are born

Jan 21, 1525

George Blaurock and Conrad Grebel were at the forefront of a radical response to the Reformation. Born of the radical end of Zwinglism, Grebel and Blaurock insisted in the 're-baptism" of Christians. Citing scripture, the Anabaptists stated that an understood confession of faith is required (as an adult), to obtain salvation. They rebaptized themselves and their followers. Eventually they came under severe persecution for their theologies.

Augsburg Confession/Birth of the Protestant Church

Jun 25, 1530

When requested to appear before Emperor Charles V, several German Lutheran princes, presented what laid the ground work for the Protestant Church. The statement, penned by a close friend of Luther and fellow professor at Wittenberg, Philipp Melanchthon, was presented without Luther present, as he had previously been declared an outlaw.

Zwingli's Death

Oct 11, 1531

In the second war of Kappel, in Zurich, a suprise attack was launched. Reports are blurry but many hold that within one hour, Zwingli, along with 500 others had been slain.

Schmalkaldic Alliance formed

Nov 20, 1531

Officially brought into existance by Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse, and John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony to defend against the Charles V, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. The Alliance, begun upon religious ground, eventually became a support to try to replace the Holy Roman Empire as a power and the Schmalkaldic War resulted.

The Act of Supremecy/Birth of the Anglican Church

Nov 1, 1534

King Henry VIII of England, after much conversation with the Pope over the legality of Henry's many political marriages, breaks with Rome. The act is put into place and effectively declares Henry as head of the Church in England and the Anglican Church was born.

Luther's Death

Feb 18, 1546

Luther passed away in the early morning hours after a stroke, in the city of his birth, Eisleben, Germany.

The First Book of Common Prayer

Nov 20, 1549

Organized by Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury and supporter of the Act of Supremecy. The first in a series of revised editions, this work first defined the structure of several Anglican services including daily, Sunday, wedding and funeral services. Also included were readings dubbed appropriate and songs to be sung.

Peace of Augsburg

Sep 25, 1555

The treaty that offically ended the tension between the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V and The Schmalkaldic League.

Calvin's Death

May 27, 1564

Following a long bout with illness, Calvin passed away in Geneva. Before and up to his passing, he penned what are his most famous works "The Institutes of the Christian Religion" revered by all Calvinists today.