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The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching:

Timeless Educational Principles from Antonio Del Corro
and Constantino Ponce De La Fu....

Article  in  Journal of Christian Education · November 2014

DOI: 10.1177/073989131401100208

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CEJ 11n2 text:CEJ 11-2 8/18/14 10:54 AM Page 336

CEJ: Series 3, Vol. 11, No. 2 Copyright 2014

THE SPANISH REFORMATION AND

CHRISTIAN TEACHING:
TIMELESS EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLES FROM
ANTONIO DEL CORRO AND CONSTANTINO
PONCE DE LA FUENTE

Octavio Javier Esqueda
Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

Abstract: In the Spanish Reformation, we find two excellent Spanish educators, Antonio del Corro
and Constantino Ponce de la Fuente, who illustrate timeless principles for Christian teachers. In the
middle of extensive persecution, they strived to serve the Lord and his people with the greatest dedi-
cation and passion. The Spanish Inquisition failed to erase the memory of these educators, and now
Christian educators can imitate their exemplary educational integrity and commitment to Christian
ministry.

Keywords: Christian teaching and preaching, Spanish Reformation, Inquisition, tolerance, Christian
faith.

Introduction

In the 16th century, Spain in general and Seville in particular were enjoy-
ing their most glorious days and their darkest times. The situation in Seville
perfectly matched the opening words of Charles Dickens in his famous novel
A Tale of Two Cities (2013). This novel is considered a classic of English liter-
ature of the 19th century. Dickens’s story describes the condition of two im-
portant cities, London and Paris. At that time France was struggling with its
own revolution and England was also facing several social conflicts and in-
equalities similar to the ones that sparked the French Revolution. Dickens
feared that England would continue the same path as France, and this novel,
in some ways, was a warning to avoid an English revolution. The opening
lines are well known and clearly portray the reality:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wis-
dom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 337

epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Dark-
ness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had every-
thing before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way. (p. 1)

In the same way, Spain was enjoying an economic and cultural flourishing
that led to what is known as the Golden Age (Siglo de Oro) of the 15th–17th
centuries, but also was struggling with the darkness of repression and the
cruel Inquisition. It is in this context that we find two excellent Spanish edu-
cators, Antonio del Corro and Constantino Ponce de la Fuente, who exem-
plify timeless principles for Christian educators. These two Spanish Reform-
ers lived and taught according to outstanding Christian ethical ideals in spite
of their difficult situation and persecution. This article introduces their life
and work with the hope that Christian educators in the 21st century will
be inspired and challenged by their outstanding work and walk in their
footsteps.

The Golden Age in Spain

The year of 1492 became very important for Spain and the entire world.
At that time the couple known as the “Catholic Monarchs,” Queen Isabella of
Castile and King Ferdinand of Aragon, were able to unite Spain, to expel Jews
and Muslims from their territory, and to sponsor the Christopher Columbus
expedition that eventually led to the “discovery” of the American continent.
Consequently, Castilian became Spanish, the national language, and Roman
Catholicism became the official religion of Spain. In 1493, Pope Alexander VI
awarded all new territories to Spain and Portugal under the condition that
the new lands would be considered part of the Catholic dominion and that all
indigenous people would be instructed in the Roman Catholic faith. Spain
became one of the wealthiest and most powerful countries in the world, and
Roman Catholicism became the leading social and cultural force.
An ideological and cultural awakening accompanied the economic pros-
perity of Spain. What became known as “the Spanish Golden Age” was a pe-
riod of cultural growth when Spanish literature reached its peak. This period
started about 1492 and ended around 1681 with the death of Pedro Calderon
de la Barca, one of the most famous Spanish playwrights. The arts and litera-
ture flourished in Spain during this time with excellent painters like El Greco,
Diego Velázquez, and Murillo, and writers like Lope De Vega and perhaps the
greatest Spanish writer of all time, Miguel de Cervantes, author of what is
considered the most significant Spanish work, Don Quixote de la Mancha
(1937). Cervantes published the first part of this novel with the adventures of
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338 Christian Education Journal

Don Quixote and his noble companion Sancho Panza in 1605 and the second
part in 1615.
Located in southern Spain, Seville rapidly found itself one of the most
important cities in Europe because the gold and colonial riches came to Spain
though its port. Merchants and bankers from the whole world visited Seville,
and the cultural growth led to the establishment of the University of Seville in
1505. Madrid, the capital, Valencia, Toledo, and Zaragoza also became vital
cities in Spain and Europe.
Cipriano de Valera, one of the major Spanish Reformers, describes the
importance of Seville as follows:

The city of Seville has one of the largest populations, is rich, old, produc-
tive and has luxurious buildings in Spain. . . . All the treasure that comes
from the western Indians comes to it. (Valera, 1851, pp. 241–242, as cited
in Estrada, 2009, p. 31. All Spanish translations are my own).

Even though Spain and Seville were at their peak economically and culturally,
they were also living their darkest hour due to the cruel religious and social
repression exemplified by the Spanish Inquisition.

Spain and the Pedagogy of Fear

The Catholic Monarchs established the Spanish Inquisition in 1478 with

the purpose of unifying Spain. Although its initial goal was to identify the
Jews and Muslims who had not yet converted to Roman Catholicism and
were still living in the country, over time it focused on eradicating Protestants
or “Lutherans” as they were called in Spain and later on in the Spanish
colonies. The Holy Office Court was constituted in Seville in 1480. The Span-
ish Reformation scholar David Estrada (2009) uses the term “pedagogy of
fear” to refer to the methods used by the Spanish Inquisition. The strategy
was to instill terror and control the society since everyone served its purposes
as informants in order to discover possible Protestant heretics.
The Inquisition dominated everything by fear (González Montes, 2008).
The cruelty of the Inquisition torture methods was severe, and their punish-
ments made no distinction between the living and the dead. Even the corpses
of those found guilty who died before they could be burned alive at the stake
were exhumed and burned anyway. If this punishment was not possible, the
inquisitors made a straw effigy representing the heretic and burned it in the
public execution known as “auto de fe” (Monjo, 2009). The “pedagogy of
fear” worked within a global structure that penetrated all social structures; no
sector of the population was excluded. Estrada (2009) argues that the inquisi-
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 339

tors were masters in the macabre art of creating terror. The Tribunal of the
Holy Office always acted with total impunity and without any scruples. The
“success” of the Spanish Inquisition, across all institutional and social levels
in the country, was due to the cruel regime of fear and terror among all citi-
zens (Estrada, 2009, p. 15).
In spite of Seville’s economic flourishing, the Inquisition limited the
freedom of its citizens. Genuine education always requires the liberty for in-
quiring and seeking answers to life’s most important questions. Most people
were afraid to broaden their understanding because they feared persecution
by the inquisitors. The church and state promoted this fear among the popu-
lation, and in 1559 they prohibited the opportunity to study abroad in order
to close the borders to “Lutheran” ideologies (Estrada, 2009). The Spanish au-
thorities were fearful that Spain would face a schism like Germany and other
countries influenced by the Reformation and did everything in their power to
close the borders (Monjo, 2009).
The first public execution or “auto de fe” in Seville took place on Sep-
tember 24, 1559. The Inquisition did not have many public executions since
they only needed a few to successfully instill terror among the population. All
public executions took place in the Plaza de San Francisco after the members
of the Inquisition Tribunal, the nobility of the city, key functionaries, and the
prisoners walked there from the Castle of San Jorge in Triana just across the
Guadalquivir River that divided Seville.
In spite of the Inquisition, many people received the new life in Christ
and embraced the key beliefs that sparked the Reformation in Europe (sola
fide, sola gratia, sola scriptura, solo Christus). One clandestine church in
Seville met in the house of Doña Isabel de Baena who when caught was con-
demned to die in the public execution on December 22, 1560. Her house was
completely destroyed and burned to eradicate all traces of all Protestantism.
The monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, outside of Seville in the current
town of Santiponce and close to the ruins of the Roman city of Italica became
a center for the Protestant church. Because of some oversights in the under-
ground distribution of forbidden books, Protestants were discovered and
most were punished in the public executions. Only 12 monks from the
monastery were able to flee Spain and escape the Inquisition: Francisco de
Frías, Antonio del Corro, Peregrino de Paz, Juan de Molina, Casiodoro de
Reina, Alonso Baptista, Fray Miguel, Cipriano de Valera, Lope Cortés, Her-
nando de León, and Francisco de la Puerta, along with Luis Sosa and the mer-
chant Francisco de Cárdenas (Monjo, 2009).
Perhaps the two best-known Spanish Reformers are the former Jerome
monks Casiodoro de Reina and Cipriano de Valera. Reina completed and
published his Spanish translation of the Bible from the original languages
in 1569, and Valera revised it in 1602 in Amsterdam. This translation,
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340 Christian Education Journal

“Reina-Valera,” is to this day the most popular and widely used Protestant
version in the Spanish-speaking world. Two other Spanish Reformers, Anto-
nio del Corro and Constantino Ponce de la Fuente, stand out as brilliant
Christian educators and models to imitate for their exemplary educational
integrity and passion.

Antonio del Corro

Antonio del Corro was born in Seville in 1527 and died in London in
1591. He is perhaps one of the most important, but lesser-known, Spanish
Reformers. Del Corro also is an example to imitate for all those who follow
Christ and especially for those who are dedicated to serving the church as
teachers and leaders. The Spanish historian Emilio Monjo refers to Antonio
del Corro as,

a person who reflects the frame of mind of the Spanish Reformation in

terms of their freedom of thought and speech: a church that had been
born free by the action of the Word, and that remained free with the
Word also in its European exile.” (Monjo, cited in Ruiz de Pablos, 2010,
p. 17)

In 1547, at the age of 20, del Corro became a Jerome monk and moved to the
Monastery of San Isidoro del Campo in Santiponce, a village outside of
Seville. He stayed there until 1557 when he fled from the Spanish Inquisition.
Del Corro had come to true faith in Christ through the study of the Scrip-
tures. The majority of the monks, including their director, García Arias,
known as “el maestro blanco” (the white teacher) because he was an albino,
also became true believers (Monjo, 2009). When the Inquisition discovered
del Corro’s belief in salvation only by grace through faith in Christ and his
firm belief in the Bible as the only source of authority for faith and practice,
del Corro along with other monks managed to escape to Geneva to stay with
John Calvin. Since del Corro was able to flee from Spain, his straw effigy was
burned at the stake in his “public execution” on April 26, 1562.
Antonio del Corro was a scholar who spoke several languages, including
Spanish, English, and French, and was an expert in Latin. In the fall of 1559,
Calvin recommended he move to the Court of Navarre. There, he was wel-
comed by Queen Jeanne d´Albret, who had converted to Christianity, and del
Corro became the Spanish tutor to the 6-year-old prince, who later became
the King Enrique IV.
In 1579, Antonio del Corro achieved the milestone of becoming profes-
sor at Oxford University. However, although he completed all academic re-
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 341

quirements for a doctorate and the Chancellor of the University, the Earl of
Leicester, interceded for him, del Corro was not awarded the title because
of the pressure from his theological enemies. Del Corro served as preceptor of
religion in three colleges in Oxford, and from 1581 to 1585 he was a theolog-
ical censor of the prestigious college Christ Church. Antonio del Corro died
in London on March 30, 1591. His wife of 30 years and a daughter survived
him.

Three Foundational Educational Principles from Antonio del Corro’s Life

Antonio del Corro was a consummate educator and a faithful minister to
the gospel. His life was not easy, and he had to travel constantly throughout
most of his adult life trying to avoid theological controversies. However, his
passion for the church and its educational ministry remained constant at all
times. He exemplified three essential principles for those who serve in Chris-
tian education.

Antonio del Corro was passionate for his teaching ministry in spite of
his many trials and tribulations. Antonio del Corro faced many problems
due to his firm belief in the authority of the Bible (Monjo, 2009). At the be-
ginning he was persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition because of his conver-
sion and “Protestant” beliefs. Later in his life, many Protestants who wanted
del Corro to subscribe to certain doctrinal positions, which he considered
secondary to the Christian faith, also persecuted him. In 1567, del Corro pub-
lished in French his Carta a los Pastores Luteranos en Amberes (2006) (Letter
to Lutheran Pastors in Antwerp), where he tried to mediate doctrinal disputes
between Lutherans and Calvinists. Unfortunately, he was unable to com-
pletely please either group. In this letter, del Corro explained his position to
clearly distinguish biblical teachings as the supreme authority over man-
made doctrinal statements:

There are others who make their confessions, catechisms, commentaries

and traditions as if they were a fifth Gospel, and want to authorize their
particular interpretations so that they put them at the level of the articles
of faith, and they dare to call heretics all those who do not exactly follow
their imaginations: which, although they might be good and full of edifi-
cation, are made by men, and therefore, unworthy to be compared with
the word of the Lord. (p. 55)

Del Corro made it a priority to distinguish the essential beliefs of Christian-

ity. He was willing to defend them from secondary doctrinal beliefs. He be-
lieved that some doctrinal statements could cause unnecessary divisions in
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342 Christian Education Journal

the body of Christ when they are imposed on others as if they were the in-
spired Word of God.
Antonio del Corro showed true Christian character in the way he dealt
with his many doctrinal adversaries and enemies. He faced much opposition
and had many theological enemies, but he always tried to please the Lord and
pray for them. In his introduction to the Dialogue Commentary to the Letter to
the Romans (2010), del Corro sums up his feelings to his accusers:

The heavenly doctrine commands us to love our enemies and not to

compensate their slander with more slander thus matching the respon-
sive action with one equally offensive, but rather do good to our haters
and to request for them favorable things in light of the received injuries.
Following this rule, therefore I ask God Optimum Maximum, Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, to grant my persecutors a spirit of repentance and
best intention toward me so that they do not obstruct the course of the
Gospel by desiring my shame, especially among my colleagues who can
hear dark little rumors, but not also the complete reasons and full story.
Hopefully by my prayers and wishes one day the hearts of those who per-
secute me can surrender and change. (p. 100)

Antonio del Corro was passionate in his ministry to overcome the lan-
guage and cultural barriers of his audience. Antonio del Corro published Co-
mentario Dialogado a la Carta de Romanos (2010) (Dialogue Commentary to
the Letter to the Romans) in 1574 in Latin and in 1575 in English. This mag-
nificent work truly represents his educational skills. This biblical commen-
tary uses the form of a dialogue between a Roman soldier and the Apostle
Paul. The soldier addresses several questions to Paul, and Paul answers him
with the different sections of the epistle. In the introduction to this commen-
tary, del Corro also states what he considers are three essential conditions for
appropriate Christian teaching. These three represent a summary of what
could be considered his philosophy of Christian education. According to del
Corro (2010), Christian teachers should be diligent to present themselves ap-
proved to God in their teaching methods without taking into consideration
the judgment of others; should not be ashamed of the gospel and embrace
with joy the suffering that comes along to those who serve the Lord; and
should accurately handle the word of truth and follow closely the biblical au-
thors’ message in their teaching (pp. 93–94).
Hundreds of years before “globalization” became a primary trend in our
modern world, Antonio del Corro (2010) emphasized his desire for the fra-
ternal coexistence of all human beings without the barriers imposed by bor-
ders, languages, and cultures. He desired friendship among all nations since
all people have God as monarch and live in this world as brothers enjoying
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 343

the same inheritance, which is eternal happiness (p. 20). In order to advance
the mutual interaction among cultures, when he was almost 60 years old, del
Corro published a grammatical manual so English speakers could learn
Spanish and French. This work, Reglas Gramaticales para Aprender la Lengua
Española y Francesa (Grammatical Rules to Learn the Spanish and French
Language), was, according to Ruiz de Pablos (2010), a progressive work for
his time in terms of its didactic and literary structure.
Even though del Corro (2010) was fluent in different languages, in the
introduction to his commentary to Romans he revealed that the most diffi-
cult consequences he faced as a result of the theological disputes that accom-
panied him through his life were his forced exile from his homeland and the
Spanish language (p. 97). Del Corro had to teach and write in different lan-
guages, and he missed the opportunity to promote the Protestant faith
among his countrymen in Spain (p. 98). Nevertheless, the Spanish edition of
this commentary was finally published in Spanish in 2010, 436 years after its
original publication in Latin. The Spanish scholar and pastor Emilio Monjo
established the Research and Recollection Center for the Spanish Reforma-
tion (CIMPE is its abbreviation in Spanish), and this organization is sponsor-
ing the translation and publication of the Spanish reformers’ major works.
This author has the privilege of serving on the academic board of this impor-
tant organization. Spain lost track of the Spanish reformers for more than
400 years, but there is currently a deep interest to recover their memory. For
example, del Corro’s commentary to Ecclesiastes (2011) published in Latin in
1576 was finally translated and published in Spanish in 2011.

Antonio del Corro was passionate for defending the freedom of thought
of his students. As an educator, del Corro admitted everybody into his classes
regardless of their religion or beliefs. This included Roman Catholics, since
he was an “advocate of freedom” and believed that all students had the right
to freely pursue knowledge (Ruiz de Pablos, 2010). His firm conviction to de-
fend human freedom caused him many problems with those who held more
radical stances regarding academic tolerance. He defended the freedom for all
people, and especially his students, to think and believe by themselves. Del
Corro fought for tolerance all his adult life after his exile from Spain and had
to defend himself from serious accusations from different churches and reli-
gious groups who resisted his beliefs (Ruiz de Pablos, 2010). The scholar Ruiz
de Pablos (2010) describes del Corro’s attitude in the following way:

Tireless premiere champion of freedom, he defended constantly, without

contextual reservations, that to read or to ask about someone does not
mean to be in agreement with their points of view. . . . His deep sense of
freedom of conscience in religious matters allowed him to expand his
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344 Christian Education Journal

perspective to infinite areas without lowering his commitment to Chris-

tianity. It was an extremely wise teaching methodology. (p. 18)

Antonio del Corro reminds us that we must be firm on the essential

foundations of our faith, but at the same time respect the different perspec-
tives on secondary issues. As Christian teachers, we can learn from Antonio
del Corro that we must defend freedom of thought and our students’ pursuit
of truth.

Constantino Ponce de la Fuente

Constantino Ponce de la Fuente is another important character of the

Spanish reformation and a model to imitate for his faith and Christian com-
mitment. Ponce de la Fuente was more erudite than many of his contempo-
raries and other reformers, but his simplicity in teaching and firmness of bib-
lical convictions leave us a legacy worthy of preserving and celebrating.
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente was born in 1502 in the La Mancha vil-
lage of San Clemente, in the province of Cuenca, Spain. He studied at the
prestigious Universidad Complutense in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid). He ar-
rived in Seville in 1533 and lived there until his death. He obtained the doc-
torate in theology at the Colegio de Santa María de Jesús. Ponce de la Fuente
came from a Jewish family that had converted to Christianity, and as a “new
Christian” he had to work hard to make progress in his religious and aca-
demic career. Nevertheless, his brilliance eventually led him to become a
preacher at the Cathedral of Seville, which for many years was the largest
church in the world.
Ponce de la Fuente was an excellent biblical scholar, teacher, and
preacher. Due to his fame, the Emperor Carlos V and his son Phillip ap-
pointed him as their personal chaplain and Royal Court preacher. Ponce de la
Fuente accompanied them on the European tour they did in 1549 through
the provinces of Germany and Flanders in order to introduce to everybody
the future king, Prince Philip (Monjo, 2009). Estrada (2009) cites the words
of Juan Cristóbal Calvete de Estrella, the official chronicler of that trip, who
described Constantino Ponce de la Fuente as “a great philosopher and pro-
found theologian and one of the best men in the pulpit and great eloquence
that we have had, as the works he has written full of wit clearly give evidence”
(p. 64).
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente was able for a few months to continue
his clandestine evangelical faith and ministry in spite of the Inquisition’s ef-
forts to discover “Lutherans” in Seville. He continued preaching expository
sermons and the inquisitors could not find any evidence against him even
though there were rumors about his progressive ideas. However, in 1557 Ju-
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 345

lian Hernández, known as Julianillo, the person who served as messenger and
distributed the forbidden books among the Protestant community, was im-
prisoned and the clandestine church in Seville was discovered (Monjo, 2009).
Constantino preached his last sermon in the Cathedral of Seville on August 1,
1558. On August 16, 1558, he fell into the hands of the inquisitors who acci-
dentally discovered his hidden writings in which he openly declared his
strong convictions and beliefs against the Roman Catholic Church. Ponce de
la Fuente was confined to a jail in Triana. When confronted with his writings
and asked whether he was able to recognize his own handwriting, he re-
sponded with these words:

I recognize my handwriting and, therefore, I confess that I have written

all these things, which I also declare with sincerity, are true. And there is
no need to spend more energy and to seek more testimonies against me;
here you have a clear and wide confession of my beliefs, be sure to act ac-
cordingly and do with me whatever you think is convenient to do. (cited
in González Montes, 2008, p. 299)

Constantino Ponce de la Fuente’s health rapidly declined in prison. He was ill

with dysentery and was not able to tolerate the sweltering heat of his cell
(Monjo, 2009). He died in one of the cells of the San Jorge Castle in Triana in
1559 before he was given his final sentence as a heretic. His name was erased
from the tombstone of famous preachers of the Cathedral of Seville. Later his
remains were exhumed and along with his straw effigy were burned at the
stake. Reinaldo González Montes is the pseudonym used by the author of
Artes de la Santa Inquisición Española (2008) (Arts of the Spanish Inquisi-
tion). This work was originally published in Heidelberg in 1567 and provides,
perhaps, the most complete description of the Spanish Inquisition and the
trials and execution of many Spanish reformers. González Montes explains
that Ponce de la Fuente’s effigy had one hand lifted and the other one holding
on to the pulpit depicting his common stance while preaching. González
Montes concludes that without any doubt that effigy effectively preached to
the souls of as many people as Ponce de la Fuente had done when he was still
alive (p. 301).
In 2010, the former Inquisition jail in Triana, a suburb of Seville, became
a museum for tolerance with the name of Thematic Center of San Jorge Cas-
tle. This museum describes the horror of the Inquisition and has a plaque
about Constantino Ponce de la Fuente with the following words:

He was elected Canon of Seville thanks to the intervention of the Vatican

and the support of the Cathedral’s Chapterhouse. Associate of Carlos V.
His enemy Archbishop Valdés decided to find fault in his faith and in
1558 the Vatican accused him of being a “Lutheran.” The inquisitors,
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346 Christian Education Journal

who had censored and publicly burnt his books, persecuted him and
locked him in the castle of Triana, where he died before hearing his sen-
tence. When his processing was completed, his remains were dug up and
burnt, together with other members of Seville’s protestant community,
after the auto de fe of December 22, 1560. He was also a convert. (n.d.)

The Emperor Charles V, in his retirement at the monastery of Yuste,

heard the news that his former chaplain had been condemned by the Inquisi-
tion and he exclaimed with surprise, “If Constantino is a heretic, he is a great
heretic” (Monjo, 2009).

Two Foundational Educational Principles from Constantino Ponce de la

Fuente’s Life
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente was a consummate scholar, an outstand-
ing preacher, and a great educator. Even though his brilliant erudition set him
apart from most people, in his ministry he attempted to make himself under-
stood and to connect with everybody. Christian educators should do well to
emulate the principles he exemplified with his life.

Ponce de la Fuente used his preaching and teaching to serve people. De-
spite his great fame and erudition, Constantino Ponce de la Fuente always at-
tempted to serve people through his preaching and teaching. His messages
were not trying to impress his audience; instead they were clear and, although
deep theologically, presented in a simple way so his audience could under-
stand them (Estrada, 2009). David Estrada (2009) sums up the fame of this
master of the Scriptures in the following way:

Constantino Ponce de la Fuente has been one of the great preachers of

the Christian Church in general and the Spanish Evangelical reformation
in particular. . . . Such was his fame and the amount of people who fol-
lowed him that when he had to preach and usually preached at eight
o’clock, the crowd of people was so large that at four in the morning, of-
ten times even at three, one could barely find a comfortable place in the
temple to hear him.” (p. 65–66)

The Christian instruction of children was a primary concern for Ponce de la

Fuente. His Catecismo Cristiano had children as its primary audience and ac-
cording to Nieto (as cited in Estrada, 2009, p. 125) “is unique in Spanish reli-
gious history.” The catechism provided a clear and simple presentation of the
Christian faith and used a literary structure of a dialogue between the child
Ambrosio and his godfather Dionysus. Ambrosio is excited to give a presenta-
tion to Dionysus and his father Patrick about what he has learned about Chris-
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ESQUEDA: The Spanish Reformation and Christian Teaching 347

tian doctrine. In this way, the child instead of adults is the one who becomes
the spiritual and doctrinal teacher in the dialogue (Estrada, 2009, p. 126).

Ponce de la Fuente used his scholarship to benefit society and not his
own personal interests. Constantino Ponce de la Fuente was a scholar who
understood Latin, Hebrew, and Greek and was a consummate master of the
Spanish language. He dedicated all of his work in Seville to the task of guiding
people to follow the living faith in Christ (Monjo, 2009). He was also a Bible
teacher in the college of doctrine in Seville where he taught several biblical
books such as Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job, and the Song of Songs.
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente published several books that in 1559 be-
came part of the forbidden books list that the Inquisition had established. For
this reason, most of his works are lost. However, Estrada (2009) lists among
his major works Suma de Doctrina Cristiana in 1543 (Summa of Christian
Doctrine), Exposición del Primer Salmo de David in 1546 (Exposition of the
First Psalm of David), Catecismo Cristiano in 1547 (Christian Catechism),
Confesiones de un Pecador in 1547 (A Sinner’s Confessions), and Doctrina
Cristiana in 1548 (Christian Doctrine). Monjo (2009) considers Ponce de la
Fuente’s commentary on the first Psalm a complete tract of practical theology
and his Confesiones one of the best texts for guidance on the experience of
true conversion. Remarkably, some copies of his Exposición del Primer Salmo
were able to survive the Inquisition, and they were republished 2009. The
public presentation of this book took place in 2010 at the Public Library in
Seville, just a few feet away from the place where 450 years before Ponce de la
Fuente and his books were burned at the stake on December 22, 1560.
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente converted to Christianity through the
study of the Scriptures, and the Bible remained his main authority for faith
and practice. He dedicated his life to teaching people about Christian doc-
trine and used his deep scholarship to the edification of the people and not
for personal vainglory. His testimony continues to be a good example for all
Christian educators who share his same passion for the edification of the
body of Christ.

Conclusion

Antonio del Corro and Constantino Ponce de la Fuente were two pillars
of the Spanish Reformation and excellent Christian educators. In the middle
of extensive persecution they strived to serve the Lord and his people with the
greatest dedication and passion. Christian educators in the 21st century face
different social and cultural challenges in their teaching ministries and can
benefit from the example of these two Spanish reformers by imitating their
faith and commitment to the Lord’s work.
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348 Christian Education Journal

As a Christian minister, del Corro was passionate to teach people how to

grow in their faith. After he had to flee Spain, he traveled to different places,
served in different ministries, and faced constant opposition, but his zeal for
the Lord’s work remained intact. He had to endure both the exile from his
country and from hearing and using his Spanish language during most of his
life and ministry. His motives and desire to focus on the essentials of the faith
were frequently misunderstood. However, he kept his passion and convic-
tions at all times.
There are three key foundational principles that Christian teachers can
learn from the life and ministry of Antonio del Corro. First, we must main-
tain our passion for teaching in spite of our personal trials and tribulations.
Second, we must maintain our passion for teaching in a way that crosses the
linguistic, cultural, and ideological barriers of our students. Third, we must
defend and proclaim the essential beliefs of the Christian faith and, at the
same time, we must safeguard our students’ freedom of thought and their
pursuit of truth through their education.
Constantino Ponce de la Fuente was a brilliant scholar and communica-
tor. His well-deserved fame reached the emperor Charles V who appointed
him as his personal chaplain. However, although he had the opportunity to
make his career with the social and cultural elite, he decided to focus his min-
istry on serving the common people. Christ and his people were at the center
of Constantino’s life and educational ministry. His commitment to Christ
was complete and eventually cost him his life, but he now stands as one of the
exemplars of authentic Christian education.
From Constantino Ponce de la Fuente, Christian teachers can learn two
important principles. First, we must remember that our teaching should be at
the service of our students since Christian teaching serves people. Second, we
must remember that our scholarship, our faith, and our ministry as Christian
educators must benefit our society and not merely our own interests.
As Christian educators and followers of Christ we stand on the shoulders
of many who lived and served faithfully to the end. May we also be found
faithful to future generations and, most importantly, may our teaching min-
istries receive the Lord’s approval.

REFERENCES
De Cervantes, M. (1937). The most ingenious
knight Don Quixote of the Mancha (T. Shelton,
Trans.). New York, NY: P. F. Collier & Son.
Del Corro, A. (2006). Carta a los pastores lute-
ranos de Amberes. Obras de los reformadores
españoles del siglo XVI. Seville, Spain: Edito-
rial MAD.
Del Corro, A. (2010). Comentario dialogado
a la Epístola a los Romanos. Obras de los re-
formadores españoles del siglo XVI. Seville,
Spain: Editorial MAD.
Del Corro, A. (2011). Comentario a Eclesiastés.
Obras de los reformadores españoles del siglo
XVI. Seville, Spain: Editorial MAD.
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Dickens, C. (2013). A tale of two cities. Mine-
ola, NY: Dover Publications.
Estrada, D. (2009). [Introducción]. In C.
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Gonzalez Montes, R. (2008). Artes de la Santa
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Monjo, E. (2009, August 27). La reforma en Es-
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Ponce de la Fuente, C. (2009). Exposición del
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AUTHOR:
Octavio Javier Esqueda, (Ph.D. University of
North Texas) serves as Professor in the PhD
and EdD Programs in Educational Studies at
Talbot School of Theology at Biola University.
E-mail: octavio.esqueda@biola.edu