The Protestant Revolution

Writing Prompt: Compare and contrast the reformation in France, Scotland, England, and Southern and Eastern Europe. Note leading figures and the results of the Reformation in each place.

The Protestant Reformation in Western Europe was a widespread phenomenon. It was also varied in its character and degree of success from one part of Europe to another. The Lutheran approach to reform spread through northern Germany and Scandinavia, while Calvinism had the greatest impact on the reform movements in France, the Netherlands and even Switzerland, where Zwingli had been an early influence.

(Image of Calvin from the website: The World of Ignatius Loyola )



Compared to Luther's theoretical and somewhat experimental approach to ecclesiastical reform, John Calvin's (1509-1564) was more systematic. It was also non-hierarchical and non-ritualistic. In 1536, he published a comprehensive manual for church reform entitled: Christianae Religiois Institutio. He also founded a university in Geneva. Under the influence of Huldrich Zwingli (1484-1531), Geneva had become an urban theocracy that attracted reform-minded theology students from throughout Europe - including John Knox.