What if Protestantism united at Marburg Colloquy

Zwinglian

Banned
In 1529, Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, the two major leaders of the reformation at the time met in Marburg for the sake of Protestant unity but they couldn’t agree on the Eucharist. What if Luther managed to convince Zwingli or Zwingli convinced Luther of his view on the Eucharist or they come up with a view similar to Calvin’s view a few decades early as a compromise. What is the impact on Europe and Christianity if Protestantism manages to unify?
 

Philip

Donor
I don't think you can accomplish this without radically altering at least one of their personalities. Both were absolutely convinced that they were right and unwilling to compromise. If you change this, it is not clear that they would still be leaders/founders of their respective movements.

If they are willing to compromise, they may remain as reformers within the Catholic Church.

Even if they do come to terms with each other, there are still the Anabaptists to consider.
 

Md139115

Banned
I have a college textbook (A Reformation Sourcebook by Michael E. Bruening, ISBN 9781442635685) that did a very good job quoting the central argument in question:


7A099500-63B3-4A62-A6F6-9BEFC81A7AC9.jpeg

99602FB5-D902-4234-B906-4C44A7C429A4.jpeg
 
I don't think you can accomplish this without radically altering at least one of their personalities. Both were absolutely convinced that they were right and unwilling to compromise. If you change this, it is not clear that they would still be leaders/founders of their respective movements.

If they are willing to compromise, they may remain as reformers within the Catholic Church.

Even if they do come to terms with each other, there are still the Anabaptists to consider.

I agree. The issue of the Eucharist in particular was a major sticking point between Luther and Zwingli.

So you need to either have on change their mind (unlikely) or have one removed from the debate in the first place.

Unsubtle plug for my own timeline where Luther is unable to attend due to an injury and is increasingly sidelined by a unified post-Marburg Reformed Church.
 

Zwinglian

Banned
I agree. The issue of the Eucharist in particular was a major sticking point between Luther and Zwingli.

So you need to either have on change their mind (unlikely) or have one removed from the debate in the first place.

Unsubtle plug for my own timeline where Luther is unable to attend due to an injury and is increasingly sidelined by a unified post-Marburg Reformed Church.
I feel like Luther was too big for a unified Protestent Church to just ignore. Luther didn’t even consider Zwingli Christian until Marburg so if Luther didn’t show up he would go all out on attacking the new church which would keep Protestantism split
 

Zwinglian

Banned
I don't think you can accomplish this without radically altering at least one of their personalities. Both were absolutely convinced that they were right and unwilling to compromise. If you change this, it is not clear that they would still be leaders/founders of their respective movements.

If they are willing to compromise, they may remain as reformers within the Catholic Church.
Luther wanted to be a reformer within the Catholic Church the purpose of the 95 theses was never to split the Church or form a new church.
 
I feel like Luther was too big for a unified Protestent Church to just ignore. Luther didn’t even consider Zwingli Christian until Marburg so if Luther didn’t show up he would go all out on attacking the new church which would keep Protestantism split

Oh I agree. He would keep up his fight. Lutheranism would remain a force, but I imagine it would slowly lose ground to a more unified Reformist faith. Even in OTL Luther's influence slowly waned
 

Zwinglian

Banned
Oh I agree. He would keep up his fight. Lutheranism would remain a force, but I imagine it would slowly lose ground to a more unified Reformist faith. Even in OTL Luther's influence slowly waned
Lutheranism would always stay the largest Protestant Church in Germany though because Luther translated the first German bible which was very important to the spread of Protestantism
 

Philip

Donor
Luther wanted to be a reformer within the Catholic Church the purpose of the 95 theses was never to split the Church or form a new church.

Indeed. That is exactly my point. The same facets of his personality, his conviction of his own correctness and his unwillingness to compromised, that made it impossible for him to remain in communion with Rome made it impossible for for him to join Zwingli. If you change Luther so that he could compromise with Zwingli, he'll compromise with Rome first.

Lutheranism would always stay the largest Protestant Church in Germany though because Luther translated the first German bible which was very important to the spread of Protestantism

That does not follow. While it ensures Luther's position in the history of the German Protestants, it does not ensure that his theology will prevail.
 

Philip

Donor
Oh I agree. He would keep up his fight. Lutheranism would remain a force, but I imagine it would slowly lose ground to a more unified Reformist faith. Even in OTL Luther's influence slowly waned

Indeed. Take away Melancthon and Luther's theological influence wanes even faster. He remains a historically important figure, but his theology is eclipsed by the Reformed even faster.
 
Goethe said it, Luther was a strong character - and this impressed the masses - but his teachings were horribly muddled. As Voltaire expressed it: "The papists enjoy God, the Calvinists bread, the Lutherans bread with God."
 
Top