A Little Known Reformation Day Factoid

Heinrich Bullinger, the successor of Zwingli in Zurich, never quoted or even so much as mentioned Martin Luther in any of his sermons.  What’s odd about this is that he cites or quotes nearly everyone else of note!

I love Bullinger.  In fact, in my list of top 5 Theologians it’s
1- Zwingli
2- Bullinger
3- Brunner
4- Oecolampadius
5- Barth

Bullinger’s Preaching

Heinrich Bullinger was what we today would call a bit long-winded.  His sermons were, in fact, notoriously long, frequently wearing out the congregation altogether.  And he knew it.  At the conclusion of one of his typical sermons he remarked
I have with somewhat too long a sermon, dearly beloved, by more than the space of two [...]

Today In Theological History

It was on the 17th of September, 1575, that the fantastically gifted Heinrich Bullinger died.  He became pastor of the Grossmunster in 1531 when Zwingli was murdered by the Catholics at Kappel-am-Albis.  44 years he served that community, and the wider community of Christendom, with learning, piety, and forthrightness.

Today in Theological History

We take freedom of the press for granted and people can, and do, sometimes unfortunately, publish whatever they like.  But the 16th century was different.
That’s why it’s noteworthy that on this day, in 1553, Heinrich Bullinger appeared before the Zurich City Council and asked them to allow the printing of a couple of theological volumes [...]

Today in Theological History

On this day in 1529 Heinrich Bullinger, who would replace Huldrych Zwingli as the Pastor of the Grossmunster in Zurich after the former’s death, preached his first sermon in Bremgarten.
As well, Emil Brunner was awarded his Doctorate of Theology on this day in 1925.
And finally, Peter Stephens was born on the 16th of May, 1934.  [...]

In Memoriam Heinrich Bullinger

Heinrich Bullinger perished on the 17th of September, 1575 in Zurich where he had served the church since 1531.  His long and illustrious career was marked by many important successes.  For example, under his unwavering (and sometimes quite stern) leadership, the Reformation begun by Zwingli was carried out and furthered.  He authored the rightly famous [...]

Die Bundestheologie Heinrich Bullingers

In seiner “Studienanleitung” von 1528 schreibt Heinrich Bullinger: “Soviel ist gewiss, dass alle Bücher der Heiligen Schrift ein gemeinsames Ziel haben; … Der Gott des Himmels, jener allmächtige Gott, hat mit dem Menschengeschlecht auf ewig ein Testament, einen Vertrag oder ein Bündnis abgeschlossen”.
That’s the thematic introduction to a little ‘essay-ette’ on the covenant theology of [...]