Monday, November 17, 2008

Thirty Years War

The Thirty Yeaars War was a religious war, fought mainly in the Holy Roman Empire, lasting from 1618 to 1648. It began as a war between Catholics and Protestants, but the grew to be a political war involving most of Europe. The Peace of Augsburg was a major cause because, although it briefly ended religious battles, it only recognized Catholicism and Lutheranism; as Calvinism bgan to spread, more religious conflict resulted because it was not recognized by the Peace of Augsburg. The war continued the Bourbon-Habsburg rivalry. It resulted in a large number of casualties and, eventually, the Peace of Westphelia.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Zwingli Reformation





Huldrych Zwingli was the leader of the reformation in Switzerland. He opposed fasting during lent, corruption in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, and the use of images in places of worship. He clashed with the Anabapist reformers, which ultimately led to their persecution. One reason for this clash is because of their differing views on baptism. The anabaptists did not believe in infant baptism, while zwingli defended it. He believed that church and state should not be seperate, but that they should work together and be one soveriegn authority under God. Another thing that set Zwingli apart from other reformers was his belief about the eucharist. He did not agree with other reformers that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ, but rather that they are a symbol and signify them.