Page "Martin Bucer" Paragraph 45

In January 1543, Bucer began work on a major document for von Wied, Einfältiges Bedenken, worauf eine christliche, im Worte Gottes gegründete Reformation ... anzurichten sei ( Simple Consideration Concerning the Establishment of a Christian Reformation Founded upon God's Word ).

Melanchthon joined him in Bonn in May, and Caspar Hedio a month later, to help draft the document.

At the beginning of July, Bucer discussed the draft with the archbishop, who, after studying it, submitted the document to the territorial diet on 23 July.

Although the cathedral chapter flatly rejected it, the diet ruled in favour of the reform programme.

The final document was over three hundred pages and covered a number of subjects on doctrine, church law, and liturgy.

Some of the principles proposed include justification by faith, the acceptance of baptism and the Lord's Supper as the only valid sacraments, the offering of the cup to the laity, the holding of worship services in the vernacular, and the authorisation of priests to marry.