Heinrich Bullinger
| Heinrich Bullinger | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
18 July 1504 Bremgarten (Aargau) |
| Died | 17 September 1575 (aged 71) Zurich |
| Residence | Zurich |
| Nationality | Swiss |
| Occupation | Theologian, Antistes |
| Spouse(s) | Anna Adlischwyler |
| Parent(s) | Heinrich Bullinger & Anna Wiederkehr |
Heinrich Bullinger (18 July 1504 – 17 September 1575) was a Swiss reformer, the successor of Huldrych Zwingli as head of the Zurich church and pastor at Grossmünster. A much less controversial figure than John Calvin or Martin Luther, his importance has long been underestimated; recent research shows that he was one of the most influential theologians of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century.
Heinrich Bullinger was born to Heinrich Bullinger senior, dean of the capitular church, and Anna Wiederkehr, at Bremgarten, Aargau. The bishop of Constance, who had clerical oversight over Aargau, had unofficially sanctioned clerical concubinage, having waived all penalties against the offense in exchange for an annual fee. As such, Heinrich and Anna were able to live as virtual husband and wife, and young Heinrich was the fifth son born to the couple.
At 12 years of age, Bullinger was sent to the distant but celebrated gymnasium of Emmerich in the Duchy of Cleves.
In 1519, at the age of 15, his parents, intending him to follow his father into the clergy, sent him to the University of Cologne, just as Luther's protests against the sale of indulgences was becoming widely known. In 1520–21 Bullinger felt that he needed to decide the issues for himself and, having been exposed to Luther's works, began his own reading of Peter Lombard's Sentences and the Decretum of Gratian. This led him to recognize that both relied on the authority of the Church Fathers, which in turn led him to read them, including Chrysostom's and Jerome's commentaries and Melanchthon's 'Loci communes'. From this reading Bullinger came to conclusion that Lutheran teaching was more faithful to the Church Fathers and the Bible than medieval authors. In 1522, now a convinced "Martinian" (follower of Martin Luther), Bullinger ceased receiving the Eucharist, also giving up his previous intention of entering the Carthusian order and earned his Master of art degree.
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