Ulrich Zwingli Biography for Kids

Ulrich Zwingli of the Reformation is an intriguing figure, also known as Huldrych Zwingli. Your kids will love this Ulrich Zwingli biography!

I want to thank Christian Focus Publications for providing me with a copy of Shepherd Warrior in return for my honest review.

Ulrich Zwingli and the Reformation

Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531)–also known as Huldrych Zwingli–was a Roman Catholic pastor from Switzerland who became convinced that Scripture is sufficient for Christians–that we need not rely on religious tradition to guide our faith.

Zwingli became a chief Reformer in Switzerland, verbally criticizing Lent, the Mass, and Transubstantiation–the idea that the wine and bread presented during Communion are actually Christ’s physical body and blood.

His belief that Jesus meant Communion to signify his sacrifice for our sins led him into an ugly and direct confrontation with Martin Luther.

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Pastor William Boekestein, a skilled author for young people, takes on the telling of Ulrich Zwingli’s life in his new volume Shepherd Warrior: Ulrich Zwingli (Christian Focus Publications, 2016). The book is a part of the ever-growing line of Trailblazers biographies for ages 8-14. I love this line and highly recommend the books for your family!

Boekestein creatively tells the story of Ulrich Zwingli, of his struggles, his conversion, his quest to teach the Gospel, and of his family life. Young people will feel as though they, too, struggle along with Zwingli as he seeks to shepherd his flock, to rebuff doctrinal differences of those taking the Reformation “too far”, and as he gains and loses relationships on the sword of his beliefs.

Ulrich Zwingli was an important figure in the Reformation.

His expository preaching was revolutionary in his area. Zwingli interacted with many of the Reformers of his time, as well as important humanists like Erasmus of Rotterdam.

I’m so glad to see the work Pastor Boekestein has done in creating an accessible biography of Zwingli. If students are to get a full view of the Reformation period, Zwingli really must be included. (For high school students, check out Boekestein’s Ulrich Zwingli, a part of the Bitesize Biographies collection from EP Books.)

The Struggles of Ulrich Zwingli

Telling Zwingli’s story well can’t have been an easy task, but I think it’s an important one.

The more young people understand of the struggles the Church has faced, the more they will understand the struggles faced by the Church today. Zwingli lived during a time when Swiss men often served as mercenary soldiers for neighboring countries, forced conversions were a political issue, and swords were often lifted in the defense of doctrine. The medieval Roman Catholic Church demanded celibacy of the priesthood, yet often turned a blind eye to sexual immorality in the clergy. In fact, there were Renaissance Popes who had children they made no effort to hide (for example: Alexander IV, Julius II, and Alexander VI).

Ulrich Zwingli himself succumbed to sexual immorality prior to his marriage to his wife Anna, even after his apparent conversion. He also served as a chaplain to mercenary soldiers in his career, ending his life with a sword in his hand. Boekestein does not avoid these facts, but skillfully shows Zwingli’s anguish and failures without being graphic.

The author also includes a really helpful appendix titled “Religious Use of Violence during the Reformation”. The appendix covers three points (applicable to Zwingli’s sexual sin as well). While Boekestein elaborates on these points, they are as follows:

We should try to understand our heroes’ faults, but not defend them.
God’s people are seduced by the sins of their age.
Godly people often believe better than they behave.

Hear, hear! In studying Christian history, these are three really important points to remember. They are even more important to introduce to young people, who may not yet have come to terms with the idea that heroes are often flawed.

Kids need to know, too, that the standards of the church may change over time but that the truth of God’s Word never does. I think there is great value in allowing young people to see that the Lord sanctifies his people, even whilst using them to accomplish His purposes–flaws and all.