Simon Sulzer (23 September 1508 – 22 June 1585) was a

Reformed Reform is beneficial change Reform may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine *''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...

theologian, Reformer, and

Antistes Antistes (from Latin ''ante'' "before" and ''sto'' "stand") was from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century the title of the head of a church in the Reformed Churches in Switzerland. It was the highest office in churches with synodal church gover ...

of the Basel church.

Life

Sulzer was born in

Schattenhalb Schattenhalb is a municipality in the Interlaken-Oberhasli administrative district in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. The municipality includes the settlements of Willigen, Geissholz, Falcheren and Lüögen. History The municipality was ...

, the child of a priest. He was educated in

Bern german: Berner(in)french: Bernois(e) it, bernese , neighboring_municipalities = Bremgarten bei Bern, Frauenkappelen, Ittigen, Kirchlindach, Köniz, Mühleberg, Muri bei Bern, Neuenegg, Ostermundigen, Wohlen bei Bern, Zollikofen , website ...

and

Lucerne Lucerne ( , ; High Alemannic German, High Alemannic: ''Lozärn'') or Luzern ()Other languages: gsw, Lozärn, label=Lucerne German; it, Lucerna ; rm, Lucerna . is a city in central Switzerland, in the Languages of Switzerland, German-speaking po ...

. The sudden death of his father, the provost of

Interlaken , neighboring_municipalities= Bönigen, Därligen, Matten bei Interlaken, Ringgenberg, Unterseen , twintowns = Scottsdale (USA), Ōtsu (Japan), Třeboň (Czech Republic) Interlaken (; lit.: ''between lakes'') is a Swiss town and mun ...

, forced him to turn to manual labor to support himself. He worked as a barber in

Strasbourg Strasbourg (, , ; german: Straßburg ; gsw, label=Bas Rhin Alsatian, Strossburi , gsw, label=Haut Rhin Alsatian, Strossburig ) is the prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est region of eastern France and the official seat of the Eu ...

and attended lectures by

Martin Bucer Martin Bucer ( early German: ''Martin Butzer''; 11 November 1491 – 28 February 1551) was a German Protestant reformer based in Strasbourg who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican doctrines and practices. Bucer was originally a me ...

and

Wolfgang Capito Wolfgang Fabricius Capito (also Koepfel) ( – November 1541) was a German Protestant reformer in the Calvinist tradition. His life and revolutionary work Capito was born circa 1478 to a smith at Hagenau in Alsace. He attended the famous Latin ...

. He moved to

Basel , french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese , neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...

in 1531, where he associated with

Simon Grynaeus Simon Grynaeus (born Simon Griner; 1493 – 1 August 1541) was a German scholar and theologian of the Protestant Reformation. Biography Grynaeus was the son of Jacob Gryner, a Swabian peasant, and was born at Veringendorf, in Hohenzollern-Sigma ...

. Here he worked as a proofreader at the print shop of Johann Heerwagen and was also employed as a teacher. From 1533 he worked in Bern in education and proved his worth in the schools. On the initiative of the Bern town council, he pursued additional studies in 1537 and took a master's degree. As a supporter of the

Wittenberg Concord Wittenberg Concord, is a religious concordat signed by Reformed and Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose e ...

, he was in

Wittenberg Wittenberg ( , ; Low Saxon language, Low Saxon: ''Wittenbarg''; meaning ''White Mountain''; officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg (''Luther City Wittenberg'')), is the fourth largest town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Wittenberg is situated on the Ri ...

in 1536 and was greatly impressed by

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

, as he revealed to his friend

Joachim Vadianus Joachim Vadian (29 November 1484 – 6 April 1551), born as Joachim von Watt, was a humanist, scholar, mayor and reformer in St. Gallen, Switzerland. Biography Vadian was born in St. Gallen into a family of wealthy and influential linen mer ...

. He blamed the disagreement with Luther on the Swiss. Meanwhile, the older generation of reformers of Bern,

Berchtold Haller Berchtold Haller (c. 149225 February 1536) was a German Protestant reformer. He was the reformer of the city of Bern, Switzerland, where the Reformation received little to none opposition. Haller was born at Aldingen in Württemberg. After schoo ...

and

Franz Kolb Franz Kolb ( fl. 1880s) was a German pharmacist and the inventor of the modeling paste Plastilin. In English-speaking countries this material is also known as "plasticine." Because of different patent rights in Germany and England there are dif ...

, died, and a new direction was set by certain theologians from Strasbourg, to which he also adhered. As a learned and clever man, he soon became the head of the Bernese clergy. His impact was multifaceted and not always unambiguous. He was consumed in the struggle with the followers of

Ulrich Zwingli Huldrych or Ulrich Zwingli (1 January 1484 – 11 October 1531) was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland, born during a time of emerging Swiss patriotism and increasing criticism of the Swiss mercenary system. He attended the Unive ...

, to whom he eventually was forced to concede in 1548. He received a post in Basel in 1549, first as pastor of the ''Peterskirche,'' then as a professor and as

of the Basel church in 1553. He proceeded more cautiously here than in Bern. He endeavored to bring about the reconciliation of the German and Swiss churches, although he kept a relative distance from the

Zwinglian The theology of Ulrich Zwingli was based on an interpretation of the Bible, taking scripture as the inspired word of God and placing its authority higher than what he saw as human sources such as the ecumenical councils and the church fathers. He ...

and

Calvinist Calvinism (also called the Reformed Tradition, Reformed Protestantism, Reformed Christianity, or simply Reformed) is a major branch of Protestantism that follows the theological tradition and forms of Christian practice set down by John Ca ...

position. His Lutheran inclinations made him favor the

Formula of Concord Formula of Concord (1577) (German, ''Konkordienformel''; Latin, ''Formula concordiae''; also the "''Bergic Book''" or the "''Bergen Book''") is an authoritative Lutheran statement of faith (called a confession, creed, or "symbol") that, in its t ...

over the

Second Helvetic Confession The Helvetic Confessions are two documents expressing the common belief of the Calvinist churches of Switzerland. History The First Helvetic Confession ( la, Confessio Helvetica prior), known also as the Second Confession of Basel, was drawn up in ...

and to likewise to promote private confession, organs and church bells. Thus he occupied an awkward position vis-à-vis the Swiss churches and provoked opposition. His efforts proved to be only an ephemeral episode in Basel. He played a major role in a mediatory role that led to the

Strasbourg Consensus The Strasbourg Consensus was a joint statement of doctrine by Reformed and Lutheran theologians, signed in Strasbourg in March 1563. The signing of the Strasbourg Consensus resolved the open struggles in Stasbourg, with both factions signing a join ...

and in the introduction of the Reformation into the

margravate Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...

Baden-Durlach The Margraviate of Baden-Durlach was an early modern territory of the Holy Roman Empire, in the upper Rhine valley, which existed from 1535 to 1771. It was formed when the Margraviate of Baden was split between the sons of Margrave Christopher ...

. He ordained Protestant ministers for this area in 1556 and led by church visitations. Without abandoning his position in Basel, he worked as a Superintendent in Baden. Sulzer was an energetic and responsible worker into his old age. He died in

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Sulzer, Simon 1508 births 1585 deaths People from Interlaken-Oberhasli District Swiss Calvinist and Reformed theologians Academic staff of the University of Bern Academic staff of the University of Basel 16th-century Swiss people Swiss Protestant Reformers 16th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians

Life

Further reading

External links