Prophesying (preaching service) facts for kids
Prophesyings were special religious training sessions. They were popular with Puritan church leaders in England during the 1570s. During these sessions, several talks (sermons) were given about a Bible passage. Then, everyone discussed what was said, led by a teacher. People who supported prophesyings often quoted a Bible verse from 1 Corinthians 14. It said, "let the prophets speak two or three." This meant people could share their understanding.
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Where Did Prophesyings Begin?
These training sessions, called "prophesyings," started at the very beginning of the Protestant Reformation. A key figure named Huldrych Zwingli began them. The idea for the word "prophecy" came from a comment by Erasmus. He talked about how St Paul used words to explain the Bible.
Zwingli's Daily Bible Study
In the 1520s, Zwingli started prophezey as a daily activity. This happened in the Grossmünster church in Zurich, Switzerland. Historian Patrick Collinson believes that the library of Zwingli's successor, Heinrich Bullinger, was used for training students and church leaders. A school called the Carolinum was also set up in the church's cloister.
Why Did England Adopt Prophesyings?
Prophesyings became popular in England. They helped spread Puritan ideas about the Bible and religion. They were also secretly used to build a Presbyterian church system in England.
Queen Elizabeth I's Objections
Elizabeth I of England did not like these practices. She felt they were spreading Puritan views and challenging her authority. She pressured Edmund Grindal, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury, to stop the prophesyings.
Archbishop Grindal's Stand
However, Archbishop Grindal saw good things in these sessions. He believed they helped improve the quality of preaching. Because he refused to shut them down, Queen Elizabeth I removed him from his powerful position. An official ban on prophesyings was put in place from 1577. This ban affected the Province of Canterbury, which covered a large part of England.
