Spread of Protestantism

Anabaptists

• Characteristics– Voluntary association of believers with no

connection or allegiance to any state– No childhood baptism– Believed end of the world was near– Rejected idea of Trinity

John of Leyden

• Anabaptist who took control of the German city of Munster

• Polygamy was instituted• All books except the Bible were burned• Began killing some Lutherans and Catholics• Tragedy at Munster– Armies of Catholic and Protestant forces captured

city and executed Anabaptist leaders

Impact of Anabaptists

• Mennonites– Founded by Menno Simmons– Emphasized pacifism

• Quakers– Similar beliefs of Mennonites, mostly in England

• Unitarians– Reject the Trinity

Ulrich Zwingli

• Swiss Reformation• Believed Bible should be the sole authority• Saw the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) as symbolic,

disagreeing with Luther• Split from Luther in 1529

Calvinism

• John Calvin– Influenced by humanism– Exiled to Switzerland due to his reform

• Institutes of the Christian Religion– Calvin’s foundational work for Calvinism– Predestination• “Good works” is not sufficient• No free will since God already knows

Calvinism

• Geneva became home to Protestant exiles• Calvinists emphasized the importance of hard

work and accompanying financial success as a sign that God was pleased

Impact of Calvinism

• Presbyterianism– Established by John Knox– Became dominant religion of Scotland

• Huguenots– French Calvinists, dealt with social classes

• Dutch Reformed Church– Netherlands, set stage for revolt against the king

• Puritans– England, established colonies in America (NE, Mass,

Conn)