The Reformation: Key Figures and their Impact on Christianity

The reformation was a watershed moment in the history of christianity it marked a seismic shift in the way people thought about and practiced their faith for centuries the catholic church had been the dominant religious institution in europe wielding immense power and authority but in the 16th century a wave of religious and social upheaval swept across the continent as people began to challenge the church s teachings and practices

S. No.	Key Figures	Year	Impact
1	Martin Luther	1517	Nailed 95 Theses, split from Roman Catholic Church
2	John Calvin	1536	Predestination, reformed theology, Geneva
3	Ulrich Zwingli	1523	Reformed Swiss churches, emphasis on Scripture
4	William Tyndale	1536	Translated Bible into English, influenced KJV
5	Thomas Cranmer	1532	Archbishop of Canterbury, Book of Common Prayer
6	Menno Simons	1536	Anabaptist movement, pacifism, communalism
7	Desiderius Erasmus	1500s	Humanism, biblical scholarship, critical of RCC
8	Philipp Melanchthon	1525	Collaborated with Luther, key Lutheran theologian
9	Ignatius of Loyola	1540	Founded Society of Jesus (Jesuits), counter-reformation
10	John Wycliffe	1370s	English translation of Bible, Lollard movement
11	Jan Hus	1415	Czech reformer, influenced Hussite movement
12	Martin Bucer	1530s	Worked with Calvin, unified Swiss churches
13	Theodore Beza	1560s	Successor to Calvin, key French reformer
14	John Knox	1560s	Scottish reformer, founder of Presbyterianism
15	Huldrych Zwingli	1519	Leader of Swiss Reformation, opposed RCC
16	Johann Sebastian Bach	1700s	Lutheran composer, music as form of worship
17	Jacob Arminius	1600s	Arminianism, emphasis on free will, against predestination
18	Jonathan Edwards	1700s	American theologian, revivalist preacher
19	John Wesley	1700s	Founder of Methodism, emphasis on grace, personal holiness
20	Charles Wesley	1700s	Methodist hymn writer, brother of John Wesley
21	George Whitefield	1700s	English preacher, revivalist, key figure in Great Awakening
22	William Carey	1792	Baptist missionary, founder of modern missions movement
23	Francis Asbury	1700s	American Methodist bishop, circuit rider
24	Charles Finney	1800s	American revivalist preacher, second great awakening
25	Dwight L. Moody	1800s	American evangelist, founder of Moody Bible Institute
26	C.H. Spurgeon	1800s	English Baptist preacher, “Prince of Preachers”
27	John Henry Newman	1800s	Anglican priest, convert to Roman Catholicism, cardinal
28	William Booth	1800s	Founder of Salvation Army, emphasis on social justice
29	Karl Barth	1900s	Swiss Reformed theologian, emphasis on Christ-centered theology
30	Dietrich Bonhoeffer	1900s	German Lutheran pastor, opposed Nazi regime, martyr
31	John Henry Newman	1800s	Anglican priest, convert to Roman Catholicism, cardinal
32	William Booth	1800s	Founder of Salvation Army, emphasis on social justice
33	Karl Barth	1900s	Swiss Reformed theologian, emphasis on Christ-centered theology
34	Dietrich Bonhoeffer	1900s	German Lutheran pastor, opposed Nazi regime, martyr
35	Reinhold Niebuhr	1900s	American theologian, social ethics, “Christian realism”
36	Billy Graham	1900s	American evangelist, “crusades” and media outreach
37	Martin Luther King Jr.	1900s	American Baptist minister, civil rights leader
38	Dorothy Day	1900s	American Catholic activist, founded Catholic Worker Movement
39	Mother Teresa	1900s	Catholic nun, founded Missionaries of Charity
40	Desmond Tutu	1900s	South African Anglican archbishop, anti-apartheid activist
41	Pope John Paul II	1900s	Polish pope, global outreach, conservatism
42	Jürgen Moltmann	1900s	German theologian, “theology of hope”
43	Rowan Williams	2000s	Archbishop of Canterbury, interfaith dialogue
44	Timothy Keller	2000s	American Presbyterian pastor, author, apologist
45	Francis Chan	2000s	American evangelical pastor, author, speaker
46	Rachel Held Evans	2000s	American writer, progressive Christian voice
47	Rob Bell	2000s	American author, pastor, “emergent” Christianity
48	N.T. Wright	2000s	English theologian, “New Perspective on Paul”
49	Pope Francis	2000s	Argentinian pope, emphasis on mercy, social justice
50	Beth Moore	2000s	American author, speaker, Bible teacher

Each of these figures played a vital role in shaping the course of the reformation and the development of protestant christianity their ideas and teachings continue to influence christians around the world today