500 years of Protestant reform
To celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, Return to the Gospel will present weekly articles and biographies of several reformers: Girolamo Zachi (January), Theodore Beza (February), Thomas Cranmer (March), Guilherme Farrel (April), William Tyndale (May), Martin Bucer (June), John Knox (July), Ulrico Zuonglio (there), Joo Calvino (set)
- Girolamo Zanchi (1516–1590) was an Italian reformer who fled persecution and eventually settled in Strasbourg as an Old Testament professor on St.
- Louis.
- Thomas College; he was then appointed to Heidelberg as professor of theology at the University.
- His work is characterized by an impressive synthesis of reformed theology.
- Tomism and the scholastic method.
1516? Born: Girolamo Zanchi was born on February 2, 1516 in Alzano, Italy, was a key figure in the Reformation in the generation that followed Luther and Calvin, played a key role in the development of reformed Protestantism and a renowned biblical theologian and In the time and generations after his death, his influence was widely recognized and deeply admired for his erudition and piety.
1528-1531? Death of the parents: his father, Francesco Zanchi, died in 1528, and his mother, Barbara Morlotti, died three years later.
1531? Religious life: Shortly after his mother’s death in February 1531, the young Zanchi entered the religious community of Santo Spirito di Bergamo and became a novice in the Order of the Regular Canons of St. Augustine, where he studied Aristotle, languages and theology.
1541? Moving to San Frediano in Lucca: In the community of Bergamo, Zanchi befriended Massimiliano Celso Martinenghi. Together they read theology and studied Greek. In early 1541, when fifteen members of this community moved to San Frediano in Lucca, Zanchi and Celso were among them, in a way that they could hardly foresee, this change changed the course of their lives.
1541? Zanchi meets Vermigli (1499–1562): 1541 was a period of crisis in Lucca, as the city had become notoriously corrupt. His absent bishop did not provide moral guidance and even neglected the Augustinian order of St. Frediano. The responsibility to restore order, both among canons and on the streets of the city?It was attributed to Pedro Mártir Vermigli (1499–1562), who was known as one of the best preachers of the order and, although he is not yet clearly identified with the Protestant movement later, Zanchi regarded this change as a good providence of God, as Vermigli became a kind of father figure, directed the young man toward a new understanding of the gospel and redirected his reading from the scriptures.
1541? Celso, Zachi, Vermigli: reformers
In Lucques, Celso taught Greek, Zanchi taught theology and Vermigli devoted himself to community reform, helped guide the city, and taught about pauline epistles. In fact, the community of Lucca has become an incubator of Protestantism in northern Italy.
1551? Contact with the works of the Reformation: Zanchi and Celso remained in Lucca for almost a decade to preach, teach and learn. They have read the works of several Swiss, German and French reformers, including Filipe Melanchthon, Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger and Joel. Calvin. Zanchi produced a summary of the Calvin Institutes for private study, which was published on a supersume, in 1598, as Compendium praecipuorum capitum Doctrinae Christianae [Compendium of the main points of Christian doctrine].
1553? Leaving Italy: Under increasing persecution against the Reformation, Zanchi left Italy through Geneva and agreed to teach the Old Testament at St. Louis. Thomas College strasbourg, where he continued to provide an excellent education for more than 10 years.
1563? Pastoral Ministry: That year, Zanchi began to become pastor of an Italian Protestant congregation in the city of Chiavenna.
1567? University of Heidelberg: Prince Frederick III convinced Zanchi to accept a chair of theology at heidelberg University, along with Zacharias Ursinus (one of the authors of the Heidelberg catechism).
1568? Physician and pastor: He began his new duties and the same year he received his doctorate, a position he held for 9 years when, on the death of Fredrick III, he chose to assume the pastorate of the church of Neustadt an der Haardt. He remained in this role as pastor until his death.
1590? Death: On 19 November 1590, Zanchi died during a visit to Heidelberg.
Zanchi was a prolific writer whose works include :?Confession of the Christian religion?[Confession of the Christian Religion] and observation of divine attributes, being best known for his book The Doctrine of Absolute Predestination.
1?« Christians only need absolute resignation to be perfectly happy in every possible circumstance; and absolute resignation can only arise from an absolute faith and an absolute acescence of God’s absolute providence, based on absolute predestination.
2?” Everything God wants or does not want, but at first glance it seems to conflict with our ideas of good and evil, it cannot be truly unfair. “
3? All that God wants or does does not desire and does so because they were righteous or righteous in their own nature and before God’s appointment, or because, because of their intrinsic ability, he should have loved and done them; but, therefore, they are just, righteous, and appropriate, for he himself who is holiness desires and makes them.
4?« Mercy is not in God, as it is in us, passion or affection, being incompatible with the purity, perfection, independence and immutability of its nature; But when this attribute is relative to God, it only indicates his free and eternal will or purpose to bless some of the fallen race, freeing them from the guilt and dominion of sin and communicating with them in a manner consistent with their own inviolable righteousness. , truth and holiness. ?
5? Whatever favor we are granted, all that is good in us or practiced by us, whether in will, word or deed, and any other blessing we receive from God, from choice to glorification, everything proceeds, simply and completely, to goodwill. of his will and mercy to us in Jesus Christ. ?