This week in Christian history: First Chinese Methodist convert, Swiss Reformation leader born
Heinrich Bullinger born – July 18, 1504
This week marks the anniversary of when Heinrich Bullinger, an influential Protestant Reformation preacher and writer, was born in Bremgarten, Switzerland.
A Roman Catholic by upbringing, Bullinger became sympathetic to the Reformation while a student at the University of Cologne, and later became a supporter of Swiss Reformer Ulrich Zwingli.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“When Zwingli died in 1531, Bullinger took his place as main pastor at Zürich. His influence extended to other countries through correspondence with their rulers, including Henry VIII and Edward VI of England,” explained Britannica.
“In order to overcome differences on the Lord’s Supper with Martin Luther in the interests of church unity, Bullinger helped draft the First Helvetic Confession of 1536. When this effort failed, he subsequently reached agreement with the reformer John Calvin in the Consensus Tigurinus (1549) and with other churches in his own Second Helvetic Confession (1566).”
