Protestant Reformers
Theologians who brought about the Reformation
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Protestant Reformers were theologians whose careers, works and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
In the context of the Reformation, Martin Luther was the first reformer, sharing his views publicly in 1517, followed by Andreas Karlstadt and Philip Melanchthon at Wittenberg, who promptly joined the new movement. In 1519, Huldrych Zwingli became the first reformer to express a form of the Reformed tradition.
Listed are the most influential reformers only. They are listed by movement, although some reformers influenced multiple movements and are included in each respective section.
Notable precursors
Throughout the Middle Ages, according to Edmund Hamer Broadbent, there were a number of Christian movements that sought a return to what they perceived as the purity of the Apostolic church and whose teachings foreshadowed Protestant ideas.[1]
Magisterial Reformers

There were a number of key reformers within the Magisterial Reformation, including:
Lutheran
Reformed
Anglican
Radical Reformers
Second Front Reformers
There were also a number of people who initially cooperated with the Radical Reformers, but separated from them to form a "Second Front", principally in objection to sacralism. Among these were:
Anabaptist
Counter-Reformers
Catholics who actively opposed the Reformation and partook in the Counter-Reformation include:
See also
- List of Protestant Reformers (alphabetical)
- Protestantism in Germany