Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of maps
- Preface
- Abbreviations used
- map The Swiss Confederation, c. 1515
- 1 Early years
- 2 Parish priest: Glarus and Einsiedeln
- 3 The Zurich ministry
- 4 The first rift
- 5 Road to independence
- 6 From argument to action
- 7 The radical challenge
- 8 Peasants, opposition, education
- 9 Reform and reaction
- 10 Berne intervenes
- 11 Zurich and St Gall
- 12 Zwingli and Luther
- 13 Marburg and after
- 14 Gathering storm
- 15 Precarious peace
- 16 The last year
- Index
2 - Parish priest: Glarus and Einsiedeln
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 October 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- List of maps
- Preface
- Abbreviations used
- map The Swiss Confederation, c. 1515
- 1 Early years
- 2 Parish priest: Glarus and Einsiedeln
- 3 The Zurich ministry
- 4 The first rift
- 5 Road to independence
- 6 From argument to action
- 7 The radical challenge
- 8 Peasants, opposition, education
- 9 Reform and reaction
- 10 Berne intervenes
- 11 Zurich and St Gall
- 12 Zwingli and Luther
- 13 Marburg and after
- 14 Gathering storm
- 15 Precarious peace
- 16 The last year
- Index
Summary
For ten years, 1506–1516, Zwingli was parish priest of the little town of Glarus. Most Swiss towns were no larger than some English or French villages; and Glarus, although the capital of an independent state (Ort), was simply a small rural market town of less than 2000 inhabitants. If it was fortunate to have attracted the services of a master of arts from Basle, Zwingli was at least equally fortunate to secure such a living when only 23 and without pastoral experience. Many of his contemporaries waited much longer before obtaining a cure of souls like this with a house and a guaranteed income.
Family influence, after the habit of the age, had much to do with it. The same uncle, Bartholomew, who had been responsible for much of his nephew's education, and was rural dean at Weesen, as such was able to put forward a name in the proper quarters. It is also not unlikely that the suggestion was supported by Zwingli's former tutor, Gregory Bünzli, who was also influential in the neighbourhood. Further, an arrangement had to be made with a well-known citizen of Zurich, Heinrich Göldli, who was one of the many pluralists of the day and who had to be compensated for loss of his expectancy to the benefice.
The incoming minister had hardly started the study of theology at the university, and may well not have intended to continue it.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Zwingli , pp. 22 - 46Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 1976