Protestant Reformers

Fictitious dispute between the leading Protestant Reformers (sitting at the left side of the table: Luther, Zwingli, Calvin, Melanchthon, Bugenhagen and Oecolampadius) and the representatives of the Catholic Church

Part of a series on
Reformation
Ninety-five Theses
Precursors Arnold of Brescia and Arnoldists Peter Waldo and Waldensians John Wycliffe and Lollardy Jan Hus and Hussites Girolamo Savonarola
Beginning Ninety-five Theses Diet of Worms Luther Bible Iconoclasm Magisterials Radicals
Contributing factors Western Schism Avignon Papacy Bohemian Reformation Northern Renaissance Christian humanism German mysticism Johannes Gutenberg and his printing press Erasmus Johann Reuchlin Propaganda Art
Theologies of seminal figures Theology of Martin Luther Theology of Huldrych Zwingli Theology of John Calvin
Protestant Reformers Martin Luther Philip Melanchthon Huldrych Zwingli John Calvin Martin Bucer William Tyndale Andreas Karlstadt Theodore Beza Heinrich Bullinger Peter Martyr Vermigli William Farel John Knox Thomas Müntzer Balthasar Hubmaier Menno Simons Thomas Cranmer Richard Hooker Jacobus Arminius Roger Williams Many others
Major political leaders Henry VIII of England Elizabeth I of England Oliver Cromwell James VI and I William the Silent Gaspard II de Coligny Henry IV of France Jeanne d'Albret Stephen Bocskai Gabriel Bethlen Gustav II Adolf Frederick V, Elector Palatine Philip I of Hesse Frederick III, Elector of Saxony John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony
By location Germany Switzerland (Geneva/Zürich) England Scotland Netherlands Czech Lands Slovakia Hungary Romania Slovenia Denmark–Norway and Holstein Sweden and Finland Iceland Estonia and Latvia Austria France Italy Poland-Lithuania Ireland
Political and religious conflicts Thirty Years' War French Wars of Religion Eighty Years' War War of the Three Kingdoms German Peasants' War Wars of Kappel Schmalkaldic War
Opposition Catholic Church Council of Trent Anti-Protestantism Criticism of Protestantism Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
Conclusion Peace of Westphalia Rise of Pietism
Commemoration Reformation Day Reformation Wall Lutheran commemorations Anglican commemorations
Protestantism

Part of a series on
Protestantism
Topics Reformation Great Awakenings History Culture Demographics Persecution Criticism
Major branches Adventism Anabaptism Anglicanism Baptist churches Calvinism Lutheranism Methodism Pentecostalism
Minor branches Hussitism Waldensianism Plymouth Brethren Holiness movement Quakerism Multiple others
Interdenominational movements Evangelicalism Charismatic movement Neo-charismatic movement
Other developments Arminianism Pietism Puritanism Neo-orthodoxy Paleo-orthodoxy Christian fundamentalism Modernism and liberalism
Related movements Nondenominational churches House churches

Protestant Reformers were those theologians whose careers, works and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.

In the context of the Reformation, Martin Luther was the first reformer (sharing his views publicly in 1517), followed by people like Andreas Karlstadt and Philip Melanchthon at Wittenberg, who promptly joined the new movement. In 1519, Huldrych Zwingli became the first reformer to express a form of the Reformed tradition.

Listed are the most influential reformers only. They are listed by movement, although some reformers (e.g. Martin Bucer) influenced multiple movements.

For a full and detailed list of all known reformers, see List of Protestant Reformers.

Notable precursors

There were a number of people who contributed to the development of the Reformation, but lived before it, including:

Magisterial Reformers

There were a number of key reformers within the Magisterial Reformation, including:

Radical Reformers

Important reformers of the Radical Reformation included:

Second Front Reformers

There were also a number of people who initially cooperated with the Radical Reformers, but separated from them to form a "Second Front", principally in objection to sacralism. Among these were:

Counter Reformers

Roman Catholics who worked against the Protestant Reformation included:

See also

• List of Protestant Reformers (alphabetical)

Further reading

• George, Timothy. Theology of the Reformers. Nashville, Tenn.: Broadman Press, 1988. N.B.: Comparative studies of the various leaders of the Magisterial and Radical movements of the 16th century Protestant Reformation.