While Martin Luther led the Protestant Reformation in Germany, Ulrich Zwingli helped launch the Swiss Reformation in Zurich in the 1520s. As in Germany, the church in Switzerland had become corrupt and desperately needed reformation—a revolt against papal tyranny. Her leaders had become ignorant, superstitious, and corrupt.
By examining the life of Zwingli, we can learn as much from his errors as we can from his accomplishments. The heroes of the faith in Church History blundered just like the champions of the faith in Scripture. Amidst their mistakes came treasure boxes of triumph, including Zwingli’s tug-of-war success and failure at seeking peace with others.