Ulrich Zwingli, Minister, Soldier [11 October]

Ulrich Zwingli was a Swiss reformer. He led the Swiss to reform their religion and bring it under national control. He began as a priest in charge of a parish after graduating from college. He deeply studied the Bible, and it changed his entire religious perspective. He led his nation in establishing a reformed Church.

Zwingli fell in battle fighting to preserve Swiss freedom of religion. Tradition has it that an enemy solider looked down at the body of the Zwingli as it lay on the battlefield at Cappel on October 11, 1531, and exclaimed, `You were a rotten heretic, but a damned good Swiss!?

Zurich remained free. Heinrich Bullinger, who succeeded Zwingli, continued the work of reform and Church organization, collaborating with Calvin.

"For God's sake, do not put yourself at odds with the Word of God. For truly it will persist as surely as the Rhine follows its course. One can perhaps dam it up for awhile, but it is impossible to stop it."

Learn more about the many Reformed Chruches worldwide that came from the work of Zwingli, Calvin, and other reformers at Wikipedia