As the New Testament letters were being written by first-century followers of Jesus, Christianity was perceived as a heretical Jewish cult. Unlike the Jews, the Roman government offered no provisions or protections for Christians. The Jews believed that Jesus had been executed as a blasphemer, and Rome viewed him as a troublemaker and potential threat to regional peace. Many thought Christians were ridiculous for believing in the resurrection of the body (because they believed that the flesh was evil), and rumors were circulating that followers of Jesus were cannibals!
Despite these precarious beginnings, by God’s grace and through his Spirit, faithful men and women persisted. The leaders of the early church worked together to recognize and circulate Scripture, understand what it taught, organize their thoughts, and defend against false teaching. Eventually, Christianity was recognized as legitimate, and Rome made it the official state religion in 380 A.D.
Unfortunately, the end of persecution brought compromise and corruption. For hundreds of years, the influence of politics eroded the purity of the Christian faith. Lines between church and state were blurred, positions in the church were bought or given as favors to the powerful, and men in power were not held accountable for their sinful behavior. Pride, jealousy, and greed were often as influential as Scripture during this era of church history. Once again, persecution returned for those who stood with the conviction of Scripture in opposition to those in power.
Michael Reeves, author of The Unquenchable Flame, has served us well by retelling the stories of men like Jan Hus (John Huss), Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, William Tyndale, and others who stood against corruption of Scripture and the Church. The Unquenchable Flame is not a dry history of dates and events; rather, it is a beautiful revelation of the drama that surrounded faithful men in their courage and conviction, often at the cost of their lives. In each of these stories one preeminent truth empowers each of these heroes of the Reformation—the glorious message of the gospel of Jesus Christ! Each brief biography recounts the willingness of individuals to risk rejection, imprisonment, and death for the sake of God’s Word and the good news of the gospel.
One of my favorite examples of courage and conviction from the book is that of Ulrich Zwingli. In his day, Zwingli’s country of Switzerland, now known for neutrality, was known for providing mercenary armies. Since crops and livestock were difficult to grow in the Swiss mountains, many chose to make a living as warriors for hire. As a young man, Zwingli served as an army chaplain and fought on behalf of the Catholic church. When he returned home from war, he began reading Erasmus’ Greek New Testament. This book was highly influential during the time of the Reformation, for through it men and women were able to read Scripture for themselves without interpretation or potential corruption.
Rapidly growing in prominence, Zwingli moved from a small parish to the largest church in the capital city of Zurich. At age 35, he entered the pulpit and announced that he would preach verse-by-verse through the book of Matthew instead of following the prescribed plans of the Catholic church. Thus, Scripture was proclaimed, and Zwingli continued to preach through the rest of the New Testament. Despite the impact of his preaching and popularity, many were unhappy with his actions. Ultimately, the Catholic church, furious with Zwingli and the political establishment, marched an army to Zurich to regain control over the city.
Returning to his post as army chaplain and fearing that defeat would silence the proclamation of the gospel, pastor Zwingli marched out with the defenders of Zurich, battle axe in hand. Alas, it was no contest. The forces of Zurich were swiftly defeated, and Zwingli was mortally wounded. When he refused to pray to the Virgin Mary at the demands of the invading army, he was stabbed to death, drawn and quartered, and his remains were burned. But Zwingli’s legacy would last beyond his death, and the country of Switzerland would be ripe for the preaching of a man named John Calvin.
The story of Ulrich Zwingli is just one of many amazing tales of courage and conviction recounted by Reeves in The Unquenchable Flame. Like the flame of the gospel that spread throughout Europe in the 16th century, these stories will stir your own heart to love and treasure the truth of Scripture and the great privilege we have to read the Bible in our own native language.The Unquenchable Flame provides a highly readable and enjoyable history of the Reformation in 191 pages and seven chapters. You will enjoy the stories and the glimpses into the lives of these servants of Christ, and you too will be encouraged to stand in conviction when persecution comes!
Todd Young (MDiv, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the Tech Team Lead and as a Community Group Leader at Oak Park Baptist Church. He and his wife, Heather, have three children, and they live in New Albany.