«MYSTERIUM» in the Theology of the Continental Reformation

Abstract

This article presents the view of the prominent representatives of the Reformation on the term «mysterium». It is known that this term is a Latin tracing paper of the Greek term — «μυστήριον» (mystery, sacrament), which was used in the context of sacramentology. And most likely the term «mysterium» could be used instead of the term «sacramentum». Initially, the terms μυστήριον and sacramentum were practically synonymous, but over time, each of these terms manifested its own semantic shades, frolicking to the point that they became different terms, which happened long before the Reformation era. The motto «Ad fontes» (to the sources) runs clearly through the entire history of the theology of the Reformation of the XVI century, and of course the principle of returning to the fundamentals of Christian doctrine could not but affect the theology of the sacraments of the leaders of Protestantism.