Diss.--Fribourg. / Includes bibliographical references.

Diss.--Fribourg. / Includes bibliographical references.

The first section of this chapter sets out the rise of civil government in Geneva and how the stage was set for the take-over of ecclesiastical authority by the civil powers. The second section outlines the growing discontent of the Genevans with episcopal authority since their bishop had become dangerously favourable to the house of Savoy. Farel's forceful preaching drew many sympathisers and these, added to those who sought political freedom, soon found themselves in a position to proclaim the Reformation of Geneva. Chapter II: In this chapter, we examine the structure of the Church in the later middle ages. The examination of a sixteenth century Missal sets the norm by which Reformation liturgies may be judged. Chapter III: Will attempt to date Farel's Maniero et Fasson is made in the light of his reforming activities. The origin of his thought is traced to Lefèvre d'Etaples. This thought is brought out in the liturgy which must be considered as the first Genevan reformed liturgy. Chapter IV The origins of Calvin's liturgy are to be found in Strasburg. Diebold Schwartz was the first to translate the Mass into German, reforming its contents, and is found to have been the first to celebrate this German Mass in Strasburg. This Mass is examined for the tendencies which it represents of a break away from many of the more blatant distortions of late Medieval worship. Bucer's ascendency at Strasburg is outlined because of the changes which he brought about in the liturgy. Chapter V: Calvin' s Strasburg liturgy is examined in relation to Bucer's and its distinguishing tendencies are brought to light. The rise of the first French Psalter, and the origin of its tunes is taken into account. Calvin's return to Geneva resulted in the publication of another liturgy derived from that of Strasburg, but this liturgy did not fulfil Calvin's aspirations for it was limited by the prevailing religious opinion which Calvin was forced to take into account. As against this, Calvin's ideal of worship is exanined, as well as the place given by Geneva to the adherence to the Christian Year. Chapter VI: The eighteenth century in Geneva witnessed the rise of rationalism and the rejection of the oversystemtised Calvinisn which followed the Reformer's death. But at the same time, the prevalent ecumenical concern brought about a new consciousness of the traditional forms of worship. The effect of these two currents of thought is traced in the 1724 Genevan liturgy. Chapter VII: In the nineteenth century we are faced with a more thoroughgoing rationalism, with revivalist pietism and with a new spirit of liberalism which has sprung out of the changing political outlook. These elements are expressed in the liturgies of the time. When the 1875 liturgy was drawn up, liberal opinion had gained such a strong hold that a dual liturgy was deemed necessary, in which alternative forms were prescribed for those who disagreed with the orthodox doctrines. The separation of Church and State government resulted in a revision of the liturgy. But the only exanple of this thought is contained in the forms for the morning service published in 1921. Chapter VIII: The liturgy of the twentieth century is a witness to the vitality of the movement towards liturgical renewal. But it appears to lack solid doctrinal foundation in the multitude of texts provided to cater for all ranges of opinion. Nevertheless, it contains many traditional elements as well as a number of reformation forms, though the latter are usually presented as they appeared in the seventeenth century revision. This liturgy, therefore, is a sign that a new consciousness of worship has entered the Genrvan Church and bears, within it, the promise of possible further developments. C0NCLUSION: In conclusion, we take note of the movements which have influenced the liturgy throughout this study, finding that with the exception of Calvin, there has never been a proper theological approach to thi liturgy. It is just such a theological approach that is necessary if the Genevan liturgy is to reap the benefits of the present air of liturgical renewal. Summary, p. ii-iii.

Given the relative paucity of treatments relating to both the 1532 and 1538 Bern Gespräche, alongside a growing historiography which has offered a clearer understanding of the backdrop around which these two debates were held, the focus of this research project will be to provide a comparative analysis of the recorded dialogues from the debates at Bern. This ecclesiologically focused comparison aims to discern whether the debate relating to the nature of the church at the 1538 session was merely a redundant exercise and continuation of the earlier 1532 disputation or whether the latter debate offered anything substantively new to the ongoing religious dialogue between these two groups. Furthermore, all of the respective views on the nature of the church manifest in these debates will be examined in light of the preceding Anabaptist/Reformed dialogue of the period to determine their place contextually. Having embarked upon the aforementioned goals several conclusions may be definitively drawn. First, the major ecclesiological suppositions expressed by both the Anabaptist and Reformed participants at the 1538 debate were, in fact, retained using the same core theological elements employed by their predecessors at the 1532 debate. Yet, despite this striking similarity, the independent nature of these debates must also be acknowledged. This may primarily be found in that both groups expressed their retained ecclesiologies with notable variation in things such as language, argumentative content, biblical corroboration, and illustrative evidence. Finally, both the similar and independent nature of these events will be shown to have been largely derived from the Anabaptist/Reformed dialogue already begun as the Swiss Brethren movement emerged from under Zwingli’s reform efforts in Zürich. Each of these conclusions should help to paint a more accurate portrait of not only what was accomplished through these debates, but where each stands contextually during the period.

This study charts the developing relationship between the Zurich church and Italian-speaking Protestants between around 1540 and 1620. It explores the close ties that were established between Zurich's senior minister, Heinrich Bullinger, and Italian evangelical exiles in Switzerland and elsewhere from the early 1540s, and describes how the Zurich church facilitated the spread of Protestantism in Italian-speaking regions such as Locarno and southern Graubünden. That process culminated in the setting-up in Zurich, under Bullinger's patronage, of an Italian Reformed congregation. A particular concern of the thesis is the threat to the integrity of the Zwinglian settlement posed by the ideas and activities of religious radicals within the Italian exile community. To begin with, Bullinger was confident that those 'heretics' could be accommodated within the emerging Reformed consensus. However, a series of doctrinal disputes during the 1540s, 1550s and 1560s revealed the extent of the radicals' differences with Reformed orthodoxy and compelled the Zurichers to revise their judgement. Bullinger's hostile reaction to the publication of the allegedly heterodox Dialogi XXX by his Italian colleague, Bernardino Ochino, signalled a move from conciliation to confrontation. From the early 1560s, the Zurich divines assumed an active role in the Reformed campaign to shore up Nicene orthodoxy against the criticisms of Italian antitrinitarians, and to expel radicals from the Italian-speaking churches of the Rhaetian Freestate. In the process, they endeavoured to counter the charges of heresy that had long bedevilled Zwinglianism by articulating a conservative, 'catholic' definition of their church's identity. The study concludes by examining how relations between the Zurich church and the Italian Reformed communities of Graubünden and its subject lands were placed on a new, co-operative basis once the radical challenge had been repelled. Through its support for those vulnerable congregations, I suggest, the Zurich church gave evidence of its continued commitment to the international Protestant cause during the period following Bullinger's death. The correspondence of Bullinger and other Zurich ministers forms the dissertation's most important source. The study also draws on works produced by the Zurich divines in the context of their exchanges with Italian evangelicals, the works of the Italian exiles themselves, and the records of Zurich's Italian-speaking community.