Editing Huldrych Zwingli (section)

===Beginning of Zurich ministry (1519–1521)===
[[File:Prozessionsachse murerplan.jpg|thumb|right|The Grossmünster in the centre of the medieval town of Zurich ([[Murerplan]], 1576)]]
On 1 January 1519, Zwingli gave his first sermon in Zurich. Deviating from the prevalent practice of basing a sermon on the Gospel lesson of a particular Sunday, Zwingli, using [[Erasmus]]' New Testament as a guide, began to read through the [[Gospel of Matthew]], giving his interpretation during the sermon, known as the method of ''[[lectio continua]]''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Old|1998|pp=46–47}}</ref> He continued to read and interpret the book on subsequent Sundays until he reached the end and then proceeded in the same manner with the [[Acts of the Apostles]], the New Testament [[epistles]], and finally the [[Old Testament]]. His motives for doing this are not clear, but in his sermons he used exhortation to achieve moral and ecclesiastical improvement which were goals comparable with Erasmian reform. Sometime after 1520, Zwingli's theological model began to evolve into an idiosyncratic form that was neither Erasmian nor [[Lutheran]]. Scholars do not agree on the process of how he developed his own unique model.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=44–45}}</ref> One view is that Zwingli was trained as an Erasmian humanist and Luther played a decisive role in changing his theology.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|p=46}}. Proponents of this view include Oskar Farner and Walther Köhler.</ref>

Another view is that Zwingli did not pay much attention to Luther's theology and in fact he considered it as part of the humanist reform movement.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|p=46}}. Proponents of this view are Arthur Rich and Cornelius Augustijn.</ref> A third view is that Zwingli was not a complete follower of Erasmus, but had diverged from him as early as 1516 and that he independently developed his theology.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=46–47}}. A proponent of this view is Gottfried W. Locher.</ref>

Zwingli's theological stance was gradually revealed through his sermons. He attacked moral corruption and in the process he named individuals who were the targets of his denunciations. Monks were accused of indolence and high living. In 1519, Zwingli specifically rejected the [[veneration]] of saints and called for the need to distinguish between their true and fictional accounts. He cast doubts on hellfire, asserted that unbaptised children were not damned, and questioned the power of [[excommunication]]. His attack on the claim that [[Tithe|tithing]] was a divine institution, however, had the greatest theological and social impact. This contradicted the immediate economic interests of the foundation. One of the elderly canons who had supported Zwingli's election, Konrad Hofmann, complained about his sermons in a letter. Some canons supported Hofmann, but the opposition never grew very large. Zwingli insisted that he was not an innovator and that the [[Sola scriptura|sole basis of his teachings was Scripture]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=49–52}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Potter|1976|p=66}}</ref>

Within the [[Bishopric of Constance|diocese of Constance]], Bernhardin Sanson was offering a special [[indulgence]] for contributors to the building of [[St. Peter's Basilica|St Peter's]] in Rome. When Sanson arrived at the gates of Zurich at the end of January 1519, parishioners prompted Zwingli with questions. He responded with displeasure that the people were not being properly informed about the conditions of the indulgence and were being induced to part with their money on false pretences. This was over a year after [[Martin Luther]] published his [[Ninety-five theses]] (31 October 1517).<ref>{{Harvnb|Bainton|1995|p=xii}}</ref> The council of Zurich refused Sanson entry into the city. As the authorities in Rome were anxious to contain the fire started by Luther, the Bishop of Constance denied any support of Sanson and he was recalled.<ref>{{Harvnb|Potter|1976|pp=44, 66–67}}</ref>

In August 1519, Zurich was struck by an outbreak of the [[Bubonic plague|plague]] during which at least one in four persons died. All of those who could afford it left the city, but Zwingli remained and continued his pastoral duties. In September, he caught the disease and nearly died. He described his preparation for death in a poem, Zwingli's ''Pestlied'', consisting of three parts: the onset of the illness, the closeness to death, and the joy of recovery. The final verses of the first part read:<ref>see e.g. {{Harvnb|Potter|1976|pp=69–70}}</ref>

{|class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto;"
|-
|
:''Thuo, wie du wilt;''
:''mich nüt befilt.''
:''Din haf bin ich.''
:''Mach gantz ald brich;''
:''dann nimpst mich hin''
:''der geiste min von diser Erd,''
:''thuost du's, dass er nit böser werd,''
:''ald anderen nit''
:''befleck ir läben fromm und sit.''
|
:Thy purpose fulfil:
:nothing can be too severe for me.
:I am thy vessel,
:for you to make whole or break to pieces.
:Since, if you take hence
:my spirit from this earth,
:you do it so that it will not grow evil,
:and will not mar
:the pious lives of others.
|}

In the years following his recovery, Zwingli's opponents remained in the minority. When a vacancy occurred among the canons of the Grossmünster, Zwingli was elected to fulfill that vacancy on 29 April 1521. In becoming a canon, he became a full citizen of Zurich. He also retained his post as the people's priest of the Grossmünster.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|p=51}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Potter|1976|p=73}}</ref>