Most of us are familiar with the Reformation, have heard of Luther's 95 theses, the Popes and Henry VIII, and understand that the Protestant church was formed as a result of the Reformation. However, we often forget other people that played a role in the Reformation, and slo forget the fact that every aspect of church was reformed, not just basic theology. Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Huldrych Zwingli were three reformers who had a lot of influence in the movement in general. However, they all also had different ideas about what worship should look like in the Church.
Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli all saw that music was a part of the Church, but differentiated when deciding how much music should be in the Church. Luther advocated for more music that can be sung by the congregation, meaning sung in the vernacular with instruments and played to familiar melodies. Calvin, however, strictly wanted Psalms or other Scriptures sung, and to be sung without instruments. Finally Zwingli suggests that music in worship should not be a part of church worship, if done, worship should be practice individually and not with a whole congregation. I had very little knowledge of the worship in music debate during the Reformation, and I was surprised to see such differences. I would agree most with Luther's ideas of worship in a church service. That worship is something to be done together, to be participatory, to be familiar and new songs, and be an emphasized part of worship. I definitely find Zwingli's ideas about worship the hardest for me to understand. After learning about worship in the Reformation, and I thankful for people like this who challenged the Church to grow and find ways to worship God more fully.
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