Original subtitles

Zwingli's Legacy

Beginning of the 16th century

Late medieval life is marked by war, poverty and plague.

In these uncertain times, many people seek stability in the Church.

But their access to God is inhibited, for they hear Mass and the Bible texts only in Latin.

Bullinger?

What are you doing here?

The Central Swiss have invaded Kappeln,

so I thought it would be wise to leave from there.

They don't respond very well to the followers of Zwingli.

And -

if I do end up in Zurich, I thought

I might visit the two great theologians.

The great theologian - that is more likely you.

Where's Zwingli?

When you escaped from Kappeln to Zurich,

he made his way from Zurich to Kappeln.

But he didn't go to the battle, did he?

No, it's good that way.

Zwingli fights for the truth.

And that is why our God will surely watch over the soldiers of Zurich.

Then he'd have to do a big miracle.

They're completely inferior to them.

And why are you here in his home and not with him?

I was not able to stop him.

We priests do not belong in war.

Anyway, God doesn't take any pleasure in it at all.

But he's coming back, isn't he?

Jud?

I can't bear it anymore.

If we could at least hear news of what's happening!

I don't know if this is the right time, but...

I once told you that there is something I want to discuss with you.

What was it again?

I'm in the process

of drafting a chronicle

of everything that's happened.

But now that Zwingli isn't here...

But maybe you could give me ...?

I don't think I could tell you everything you want to know.

But you are his friend

and the priest of Saint Peter, aren't you?

You were there when it all happened.

We'd better wait until Zwingli gets back.

Do you think he wants anything to do with me at all?

I'm just a little priest.

But it is said

that he was more a politician than a people's priest...

Although it is beyond my capabilities to describe all the circumstances,

I will try to do it for the sake of truth.

I want you to know everything I know about Zwingli for your chronicle.

To his friends, Zwingli is great,

and to his enemies, so small.

For me, however, he has done the greatest thing I've ever known.

That's why I owe him this debt of gratitude.

I know that Zwingli was born in 1484

as the son of upright parents

in a place in Toggenburg called Wildhaus.

In proper foreshadowing,

they sent him at a tender age to Weesen to be educated by his uncle.

And then on to Bern and the universities of Vienna and Basel,

where I met him for the first time during my studies.

Then our paths parted for a few years.

We both became priests,

and as a cleric Zwingli soon caused a stir

when he fought against mercenarism.

And then we met again.

Your journey to the Church of the Mother of God shortens the suffering of your soul in purgatory.

You bless these people in German, not in Latin?

Look at them, they come from so far away,

and may have given up everything they possessed.

And then I'm supposed to speak to them in a language they don't understand?

Zurich is anticipating your arrival, my friend! Your reputation precedes you.

What do you think you're gonna miss the most here?

As soon as we're inside, I'll show you.

It's the monastery library here in Einsiedeln, isn't it?

Librorum!

Your letters enthuse about it.

And my eyes are already complaining.

Take enough light with you to the library.

Homer, Aristotle, Cicero, Saint Augustine...

Yes. But above all, I found one thing:

Veritas.

The truth.

I wonder if it exists?

Vere absolutum?

But it's nice if you've found your truth.

The Bible in the original text,

without traditions, without interpretations, without additions!

God has revealed Himself solely in the Bible!

How can one ascertain that the Bible is God's Word?

Our Holy Father says so.

By trying it out in life!

So it's an experiment.

Then you'd have to take everything seriously.

It starts with what the Bible says about Christ, that he is the truth:

Ego sum via,

et veritas, et vita.

Yes. That's where it starts.

It is written, all are justified not by works,

but by his grace, through the redemption that is of Jesus Christ.

You're not going to miss the library, you're going to miss preaching, am I right?

I can do that in Zurich, too.

And I will say: Read the Bible and realize for yourself that it is true!

Even if someone could read,

few understand our scholarly languages like Latin or Greek.

Then...

Then...

one should be able to read them in German!

Are you going to translate it?

Then you'd need a couple of years.

Or do you anticipate a sense of boredom in Zurich?

Welcome to Zurich, people's priest.

This is your new home.

You should have oratory skills, we've heard.

You can give proof of that in Grossmünster starting tomorrow.

Besides, your devotion to pastoral care is required.

You've got enough to do here in Zurich

with hearing confessions

and forgiving sins.

I cannot forgive sins.

But you have to.

That is your mission.

The Bible says otherwise.

You will take care of your duties, young man.

That's what you're here for.

What if the Bible says the truth and what you say is wrong?

It is veritas.

You're not here to tell us what's true and what's not -

you are no wiser than other priests.

As long as the old Hofmann lives,

the rules of the Holy Church apply to us!

Here, for example, we take celibacy a little more seriously

than you did in Einsiedeln.

So don't forget: Some other canons and I, we were the ones

who chose you as our people's priest.

Welcome to Zurich!

I want to extend a warm welcome to you as well.

I would like to introduce myself as your new neighbour: Anna Reinhart.

I'm glad that you are here, Mr. Zwingli.

I am glad as well.

Have a good first sermon tomorrow.

Thank you - you, too!

I will read today from the holy gospel of Matthew.

And I will interpret it with divine help and not according to human reason.

Why is he speaking German?

It's about the gospel telling the message of Christ.

It's solely about the text of the Bible.

Someone who doesn't mince his words.

With the Scripture we have a reliable foundation of truth.

Against all hypocrisy, against superstition,

against assertions - even from the Church itself.

Against the enslavement of mercenary traders with their golden temptations!

Everything can be examined on the basis of the Scripture.

For God's sake, let him kindly read his mass!

Therefore have no fear -

the truth, yes Christ, sets you free and saves you!

Come to me,

He's a lout!

This will have some consequences.

...for I am meek and lowly in heart.

And you shall find rest for your souls!

Thank you, that's enough!

I want to listen to the one in front, that lout from the Säntis!

I will start at the very beginning, in the gospel of Matthew.

I hope there's nothing going around.

This is the book of the birth of Christ...

Excuse me a second. People's Priest!

Thank you so much. That sermon, I must say... was the first time in my life

where I felt I understood the Word of God.

Thank you so much!

Thank you!

Who's that?

That's Manz, Felix.

Watch out, people's priest!

When you start misleading boys of good faith,

you're walking on thin ice!

Congratulations, people's priest!

If you decide to put your provocations into writing

and earn some money at the same time, I am your man!

Froschauer is my name, Christoph Froschauer!

I'm a printer. The best in town!

People obviously have an interest in what you're saying.

So, go ahead, write it down, and I'll make it public.

I do not serve mammon.

Oh, mammon! Don't forget: You are here in Zurich, the home of money!

Zurich seems to be rather the home of poverty. Not only materially.

Let's not take such a narrow view.

I have an idea: Come to my home for a juicy piece of meat,

and we'll talk about our future.

And Zurich also seems to be the home of generosity.

Thank you - some other time, please. Maybe even before Lent.

With pleasure.

Zwingli!

Are you insane?

Everyone's leaving town and you return from your retreat!

Zwingli come with me now!

We still need you as a people's priest!

Yes. People need a people's priest -

namely now!

Our saints Felix and Regula have already left us!

This is God's judgment for years of fornication!

Zurich has ignored God's Word!

Felix Manz.

Then now is the time to put God's word into practice!

You're the do-gooder - so start with your neighbour!

"If you still want me dead in the middle of my days,

so it shall be your will,

do as you will. Do as you command."

That is the plague song he wrote, is it not?

Yes.

The plague almost cost him his life.

But as by a miracle, he survived.

"Your vessel is me."

And out of gratitude, he placed himself completely at God's disposal.

"Your vessel is me."

His vessel.

God and His Word carried him through.

Anna carried him through first and foremost.

She nursed and cared for him the whole time, despite the risk of infection.

Where is she, by the way?

Upstairs. She is making sure that her children are sleeping.

He must return.

He leaves behind a wife and children.

And a whole town with an unfinished mission.

But...

you will be his successor?

You'll carry on, won't you?

No.

That's out of the question!

But...

I could never ever do that!

I cannot do it!

No.

I can't do it.

He put himself entirely in God's hands.

He let himself be used.

I never could and I never will be able to do that.

Now,...

if you want to hear about Zwingli's hunger for the truth, keep writing.

Gentlemen!

We spent the whole day preparing the order of books for Erasmus of Rotterdam

for the Frankfurt Trade Fair.

Now I have a surprise for you!

Those who work hard

should nourish themselves accordingly.

Do I assume rightly,

that you're about to do something that'll put you in jail?

Do I assume rightly, that you want to prevent that?

I clearly abide by the sermons of our people's priest.

Freedom!

Yes, but it's still forbidden, Froschauer!

You know very well that such an offence will be punished very severely by the Council!

That may be -

but we couldn't care less today.

We cannot feed ourselves only on yeast buns.

Please remember well what the old Hofmann says, yes:

Fast-breaking, Froschauer, is adultery!

Zwingli, please tell these gentlemen

that in the days before Easter it is forbidden to eat meat.

Easter.

Easter...

was when Christ

redeemed us from all sins

through his death and resurrection.

So through faith in him

we are completely free!

Amen.

Amen.

But the fasting regulations!

Would you like to fast? Then do it!

Do you want to eat meat? Then eat!

A Christian is free!

Hallelujah!

Can you write that down?

And include it in the next sermon?

The people will love that!

Couldn't we just print the sermons?

We must convince the Council that they will make decisions as arbitrators!

Spiritual things are decided by spiritual people - not by politicians.

Anyway, we have to risk it!

Hofmann is always trying to suppress the truth!

Only the Council can forbid him to do that.

I thought it would be your experiment - not Zurich's.

You know this could cost us all our lives.

If we want to live God's Word, the Council has to support us.

Fasting should be voluntary in Zurich, but how if not with the Council?

The poor in Zurich are to be helped, but how if not with the Council?

Let us draft some theses!

Good evening, gentlemen!

Oh, Anna. I...

We wanted to go to the marketplace. They are already cleaning up.

Absolutely!

Leo, why don't you start with the theses?

So I'll start with a thesis on celibacy, if that's all right.

Well?

The mayor, hundreds of councilmen and clergymen, they are here from all over Switzerland -

even a delegation from the bishop! Everyone is here!

So, and our lout from the Säntis?

He's at a table,

with the Bible wonderfully open in front of him.

Froschauer.

Now, at this moment, he is defending his theses.

All those who say that the gospel is nothing without the confirmation of the Church revile God!

Literally!

I printed it for him.

But Froschauer:

Look, he'll walk out of this room disappointed.

Most of the people in there don't even understand what it's all about!

I miss modesty, people's priest!

It is disgraceful to mock the Pope and the bishops!

They should be shut up.

They only tempt Christians to place their trust in them instead of in God.

Christ! Zurich will perish because of you!

And stay away from that woman.

People are already talking about the priest and his unchastity.

The priests are forbidden to have wives, but having harlots for money is granted to them!

Watch out, watch out, watch out for the poisoners, my dear!

Well?

The Council has given permission to continue the preaching of the Bible.

Oh praise God! Praise God!

All priests, like us, should only preach what we can prove with the Holy Scripture.

Gentlemen. You know what the next step is:

Making the Bible accessible to all people!

Amen.

Amen.

Lord, help us anew to translate your word. Amen.

Amen.

Very well. We left off in the Acts of the Apostles.

Paul's apologia.

Leo.

Felix Manz. Upon your confession that you died with Christ

and resurrected to eternal life,

I baptise you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife,

and they shall be one flesh.

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

And I translate:

And why do you tarry? Arise and be baptised and wash away your sins,

called upon the name of the Lord.

No, no. That must be completely different.

Like this: Wash away your sins and call upon the name of the Lord.

Nonsense. Before that, one would have to say: Let yourself be baptised and let your sins be washed away.

...but certainly not: And call upon the name of the Lord.

But of course. Call upon the name of the Lord.

No. It's very clear. Called upon. Aorist, past. Completed action.

No, but first of all, we must...

Gentlemen! Gentlemen, please!

Enjoy!

And then we studied the Word of God just like you said.

And then we celebrated the Lord's Supper without a priest.

We broke the bread into several pieces, we took a sip of wine -

just like Jesus with his disciples.

It's nice that you follow his example.

Yeah, we should all follow his example.

Soon we will meet in the town hall to discuss Mass.

Yeah, but soon, soon. And Mass, Huldrych.

Biblically, Mass is evidently wrong.

We have to abolish it now.

Please Felix, we must give these things time.

Yes, but enough words have been spoken in the meantime. We want to see some action.

Who are "we"?

Well, us, your friends.

We gather in my mother's house or in the woods

and above all we read the Bible there, just as you do.

That's good.

Only the divine Scripture counts. And that's why we have to finish translating it first.

And you know what else we've discovered, Huldrych?

Baptising children is also absolutely not biblical!

It would be right to make a decision to follow God first, and then be baptised!

That's a good fairy tale, my friend.

Let's all just go swimming in the Limmat, if the new birth is so easy to get.

Oh, yeah? And who got baptised in the Jordan?

Did children or adults get baptised in the Jordan, Huldrych?

Arise,

be baptised

and wash away your sins, called upon the name of the Lord.

Now, listen to me:

If we were to come to the point

where anyone, as soon as something strange comes to his mind, would form a new group,

then so many sects would have to arise that Christ would be divided into a thousand pieces!

No, Felix, that's not the way.

The Council...

A true Christian does not participate in political affairs, Huldrych!

And he doesn't swear fidelity to the state either!

What are you talking about? How long have you been telling people that?

A true Christian obeys God more than the state.

Do you know how dangerous it is to say what you're saying?

Yes. I am not ashamed of the gospel!

And I'll tell you something else, Zwingli:

I got baptised.

You - got yourself rebaptised?

Felix Manz, come with me!

Don't do things by halves, Huldrych! Please!

Stick to the truth! To the veritas!

Please let him go!

Let the Council know I want to have a word with them immediately!

That was when we made progress translating the Bible.

Even Bern had called Zwingli to a disputation about Mass and Images of Saints.

But you were there.

And when old Hofmann died, we also had less resistance in Zurich.

Well, and what about Manz?

You witnessed Marburg?

I wasn't there.

Then let me tell you:

The discussion in Marburg with Luther...

You can tell me that later. What about Manz?

He emigrated to Basel.

I see. And the prison door opened by itself.

All right, then.

The truth.

Felix. Please swear to the Council that you will no longer rebel against Zurich.

We as God's people should only cling to the Gospel, Leo.

That is why one should not renounce the state.

The Bible says we shouldn't swear at all!

You also have the Bible text:

Why don't you get baptised?

That's not the issue now, Felix.

The issue is how to get you out of here.

The issue, Leo, is that it is our duty

to fight the good fight and to be brave for God.

Say something!

This may be your last chance to say something, Huldrych!

Yes, he may prevent us from finishing the Bible.

But the Holy Spirit also dwells in him.

I know that we have laws in Zurich -

but then talk to the Council again!

They are the only ones who could do anything about it!

How about, "This is my body given for you, do this in remembrance of me."

I don't know. Ask Zwingli!

Or perhaps: "This is my body which is given for you, do it in memory ..."

Ask Zwingli!

Excuse me for disturbing the learned masters!

Come on in. We don't have to argue.

It's enough with Zwingli disputing with Luther in Marburg.

How long is it gonna take?

We calculated that he will have thirteen days ride until he is back in Zurich.

No, I mean, how long will it take until you're done?

I see.

We still have not finished the end of the gospel of John,

Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther and Job.

Then you'll be done soon!

Well, not really.

Did you hear that Luther is also working on a translation?

Uh-huh, he started one, too.

At this rate we'll never be finished faster than the Germans!

Let's go, let's go! Or do I need to pressure you?

I was actually going to ask about Hans Holbein, if the illustrations are set in order...

Ask Zwingli!

Anna.

Leo.

Huldrych.

What's the matter, Regula?

What's going on? Daddy has returned.

Papa, the woman from the marketplace said you killed her son.

And that her other son will also die soon because of you.

Don't believe everything you're told, Regula.

So it's not true?

No, God has no pleasure in killing.

Remember Cain, who killed his brother Abel?

People talk about me a lot while I'm not around.

And is it true that evil soldiers are coming here again?

Did that woman tell you that, too?

No, Gerold. He said that once you're back, he'll go into battle with you.

Don't worry, Regula.

Let's go inside and tell your brother to think first before he speaks.

People are dying because of my ideas. I cannot stand it anymore!

Settle in first!

I cannot just watch anymore.

Stop it!

Settle in and take care of your family!

How many more are to die while I preach from the pulpit and fail to at least assist these people?

Shall I tell you how many more should die?

Not a single one!

God doesn't want you to spread his gospel that way.

Listen:

If the people of Central Switzerland continue like this, they will end up splitting the entire Swiss Confederation!

They are already advancing into areas of Zurich again and forcing people to become catholic!

They are burning Protestant preachers and...

And that's why you want to teach them the truth by force now?

If necessary, yes.

"That they see with seeing eyes and yet do not perceive."

So? Is there any news?

Yes, yes. It is completed.

After all these years! Finally completed.

You have to look at it. A masterpiece!

"But the Lord said to the heirs ..."

Heinrich Bullinger became Zwingli's successor.

He continued the Reformation and networked it throughout Europe.

He recorded these events in a major chronicle of the Reformation.

The Zürich Bible was the first German translation of the whole Bible from the original languages.

Many people received the opportunity to read and understand the Bible themselves.

The Bible spread all over the world and remained the main component of the Reformation - even to this day.

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