As a theologian Zwingli did not make any pre tense to special originality. He believed himself to be in substantial agreement with Luther, and accepted heartily the efforts of Philip of Hesse and others to bring about an effective alliance of the two movements. Unfortunately for this re sult, Luther had convinced himself that the Swiss were moving along the line which had led al ready to the social upheaval in Germany and to the extravagances of the Anabaptist Party. The famous conference at Marburg in 1529 between the leading theologians of the German and the Swiss parties failed, because, on the test ques tion of the Eucharist, Luther refused to make any admission which might have seemed to com mit him to a spiritual or figurative interpreta tion of the doctrine of the sacraments. Zwingli was not afraid to trust the common sense of men to make a sound use of their right of interpreta tion. so long as they should admit the supreme authority of Scripture. Moreover, he did not dread, as Lather did, the formation of alliances to strengthen the position of the reformed faith. He saw Switzerland surrounded by eager enemies who were doing all they could to foment the dissent between the Catholic Forest Cantons and the other members of the Confederation, and he felt that these two objects, the integrity of the Confederation and the reform of religion. must
go hand in hand. It was on this account that, man of peace as he was, he threw himself with all his energy into the internal quarrel. Zurich became the active agent of the Confederation in combating the Forest Cantons, and Zwingli took the side of the war party. Twice, in 1529 and in 1531, bloody encounters ensued, the first time to the advantage of the Confederation, but the second time to their total defeat. Zwingli hail supported his: principles by his action and had gone into the campaign of Kappel (q.v.) as a lighting chaplain. His death on the field of battle, October 11, 1531, was the logical outcome of his teaching and was the seal of the permanent religious cleavage between the Catholic and the Protestant cantons.
The Life of Zwingli was written shortly after his death by his friend and associate, Alyconius (ed. Meander, in Qua we leeformaturum, 1841). His complete works were published by Schuler and Schulthess (Zurich, 1828-61) ; a new edition is in progress. Consult the modern lives by Christofiel (Elherfehl, 1857) ;\liirikofer ( Leipzig, 1807-69) ; Stithelin (Basel, 18!1.3.9i) ; .Jackson ( New York, 1901) ; Simpson (ib., 191a1: also Thomas, Das Erkcnntnistwineip bei Zwingli (Leipzig, 1902) : Baur, Zwinglis The (docile (Halle, 1885-89) ; Finsler, graphic (Zurich, 1897).