ZUINGLIUS, ULRICUS, or Ulrich Zwingli, an able and zealous reformer, who laid the foundation of a separation from Rome in Switzerland, at the time when Luther was similarly employed in Saxony, was born on the first of January 1504, at Wildehausen in Tockenburg, a distinct republic in alliance with the Swiss confederation. He was sent to school at Basel, and afterwards at Berne, where he learned the Greek and Hebrew languages. He studied philosophy at Vienna, and divinity at Basel, where he took the degree of A. M. in 1506. While he officiated as preacher at Zürich, a Franciscan sent by Leo X. came to publish indulgences there; against which Zuinglius, after the example of Luther, decried powerfully. In the course of this opposition he started a new doctrine, which he called Evangelical Truth; and from the beginning of 1519 to 1523, he preached not only against indulgences, but against other articles of the Romish church. But though Zuinglius made no less progress than Luther, he conducted himself with more moderation; and wishing to have the concurrence of the civil powers, procured two assemblies to be called at Zürich. By the first, he was authorized to proceed as he had begun; and by the second, the outward worship and ceremonies of the church of Rome were abolished. During these transactions, Zuinglius published several books in defence of his doctrines; but treating of the eucharist, and prescribing a form of celebrating the Lord's Supper different from Luther, he was involved in violent disputes with the rest of his reforming brethren. Respecting the divine decrees, the opinion of Zuinglius and his followers differed very little from that of the Pelagians; and instead of declaring, with Calvin, that the church is a separate independent body, vested with the right of legislation for itself, Zuinglius ascribed to the civil magistrate an absolute and unbounded power in religious matters, allowing at the same time a certain subordination among the ministers of the church. This was abundantly agreeable to the magistrates of Zürich; but the rest of the Swiss cantons disallowing of their proceedings, the opposite parties had recourse to arms; and Zuinglius, who began as a preacher, died as a soldier, in 1531. His works have been published in four volumes folio.