1. The Church under the Cross
The Anabaptists
The Church under the Cross

2. Emergence out of Zwingli’s Reformation
1519, Zwingli began attracting students:
Conrad Grebel
Felix Manz
George Blaurock
Known as Swiss Brethren; studies called Prophecy Meetings; studied NT in Greek
Study led to rejection of infant baptism & support of believer’s baptism

3. First Signs of Disagreement
Second Disputation (October 1523)
Grebel opposed Zwingli’s hesitation to reform mass
Swiss Brethren refused to accept magistrates’ decision not to change mass
Began meeting at Manz’ home for worship & Bible study
Contacted other Reformers: Luther, Karlstadt, Muntzer for outside encouragement
Breaking point
Brethren openly opposed infant baptism
Zwingli called for Third Disputation

4. Third Disputation – 17 Jan. 1525
Zwingli recognized that Council would not support rejection of infant baptism; he needed Council’s support for his Reformation
So he called for suppression of Swiss Brethren at public disputation on baptism
Zwingli coined term “Anabaptists”: Re-baptizers
Decision: Brethren to stop meeting & have children baptized or leave in 8 days

5. 1st Baptism – 21 Jan. 1525
At home of Felix Manz, George Blaurock asked Conrad Grebel to baptize him
Then Blaurock baptized others
Baptism by pouring
No ordained minister

6. Anabaptists Covenant Significance To live separate from the world
To teach the Gospel faithfully
To hold steadfastly to the truth
Significance
Formed church after NT model
Affirmed absolute lordship of Jesus
Affirmed church based on voluntary commitment
Refuted popular doctrine of infant baptism
Rejected role of magistrate in religion

7. Anabaptists Pattern of preaching/evangelism Proclamation Response
Baptism
Observance of Lord’s Supper
Witnessing by new converts

8. Persecution & Martyrdom
Ejection from Zurich
Zwingli accused his former students & friends of sedition
Grebel, Blaurock & Manz imprisoned many times; sentenced to life imprisonment but escaped
Grebel died of plague

9. Felix Manz 1st Anabaptist Martyr
Manz sentenced to die on 5 Jan. 1527
Zurich prosecutors decided punishment for 2nd baptism was 3rd baptism: drowning
Manz’s hands bound to his knees, with stick thrust between arms & legs; thrown into icy waters of Limmat River
Last words: “Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit”

10. George Blaurock
On the day of Manz’ martyrdom, Blaurock was beaten & banished from Zurich
Preached throughout Switzerland until banished in April 1527
Went to Tyrol in Austrian Alps, where many believers were baptized & churches started
6 September 1529, burned at stake

11. Church under the Cross
Martyrdom was hallmark of “Church under the Cross”; Jesus was their example
Persecuted by both Catholics & Protestants
More Anabaptist martyrs in 16th century at hands of Christians than during first 3 centuries under Roman pagans
Results:
Dispersion of Anabaptists & spread of movement
Remnants in Germany, Moravia, Netherlands, England
Loss of leadership weakened movement

12. Martyrs’ Mirror
The Bloody Theater or Martyrs’ Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only Upon Confession of Faith, and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus, Their Saviour, from the Time of Christ to the Year A.D. 1660
Illustrated stories of martyrs from Christ to 17th-century Anabaptists

13. Dirk Willems
Dirk was imprisoned in Netherlands; escaped through window by rope
Prison guard chased Dirk across frozen river
Dirk crosses safely; guard fell through ice
Dirk rescued guard, who captured him
Dirk was burned at stake
Remembered as compassionate Christian who risked recapture to save pursuer

14. Hans Bret
Anabaptist baker in Netherlands; imprisoned & tortured for teaching Anabaptist faith
His letters to his mother detail torture
Before being burned at stake, tongue screw was used to silence him
Pastor retrieved screw; married Hans’ mother: screw became family heirloom

15. Michael Sattler (1490-1527) Former prior of Benedictine monastery
Married Margaretha, former nun
Baptized in 1526; became Anabaptist leader
24 Feb. 1527, Schleitheim Confession
Baptism: voluntary; for adult believers
Ban: church discipline
Lord’s Supper: memorial; only for baptized
Separation of church & state
Local church calls, supports, and disciplines pastor
Christians should not be magistrates
Christians should not swear an oath

16. Michael Sattler
Arrested; charged with violations of Catholic doctrine & practice
Asked for debate; prosecutor replied: “You rascal of a monk, should we dispute with you? The hangman shall dispute with you”
20 May 1527, martyred
Tongue cut out
Chained to wagon
Flesh torn with hot tongs
Bound to ladder; bag of gunpowder around his neck; pushed into fire
Prayed for persecutors
Margaretha drowned 8 days later

17. Balthasar Hubmaier (1480-1528)
Education & early ministry as Catholic (to 1522)
Earned doctorate; Scholastic theologian at University of Ingolstadt
Catholic priest at Regensburg
Pastor at Waldshut; studied NT, especially Pauline epistles

18. Balthasar Hubmaier Evangelical Reformer (1522-25)
Associated with Zwingli’s Reform in Zurich but sided with Swiss Brethren at Second Disputation (Oct. 1523)
Wrote 18 Articles & planned Reform at Waldshut

19. Balthasar Hubmaier Anabaptist Reformer (1525-28)
Baptized day before Easter; next day, baptized 300
Reconstituted church at Waldshut based on believer’s baptism
Imprisoned at Zurich & released after recanting
1526, formed church at Augsburg
1527, organized Anabaptist church in Nikolsburg, Moravia

20. Balthasar Hubmaier
10 March 1528, in Vienna, burned at stake with sulphur & gunpowder rubbed into his beard
“O dear brothers, pray God that he will give me patience in this my suffering. I will die in the Christian faith”
Wife Elizabeth drowned in Danube 3 days later

21. Balthasar Hubmaier’s Writings
Eighteen Articles (1524): First Reform writing
Faith, not merely assent
Hints at believer’s baptism
Local church should choose & support its own pastor
Denounced scholasticism
Priests should be allowed to marry Lord’s Supper = memorial

22. Balthasar Hubmaier’s Writings
Concerning Heretics & Those Who Burn Them (1524):
1st 16th-century writing to advocate universal religious freedom
Advocated separation of church & state
On Christian Baptism of Believers (1525):
Defended believer’s baptism & refuted Zwingli

23. Hubmaier’s Doctrines Universal religious liberty
Separation of church & state
Baptism
Essential requirement for proper NT church
Not sacramental
Prerequisites
Hear the word
Repent
Show faith
Confess sins
Lord’s Supper as memorial

24. Hubmaier’s Doctrines Faith Soteriology Not mere mental assent
“Breaks out” in thanksgiving
Soteriology
Human has free will, though limited in capacity to do good
Human is drawn outwardly by Word & inwardly by Holy Spirit
Result is “new birth”
Hubmaier believed in type of predestination that allows Gospel to be preached so that all may have chance to respond & be saved

25. Hubmaier’s Doctrines Marriage of priests Hubmaier on the Magistrate
Christian could be magistrate
Christian could bear the temporal sword, but only in certain instances of civil defense
Never justified in rebelling against unjust tyrant: in such a case, one must practice non-violent resistance, with willingness to suffer

26. Pilgram Marpeck ( )
, at Strasbourg, led Anabaptist church; opposed Bucer’s Reformed covenantal emphases; was expelled
Settled in Augsburg in South Germany
Distinguished between purposes of OT & NT
OT is promise; NT is fulfillment
OT is not equally normative with NT for ecclesiology: OT is preliminary; NT is final
OT should not be used to justify theocracy (church-state union) or covenantal interpretation of infant baptism

27. Melchior Hoffman ( )
Began Anabaptist churches in North Germany & Netherlands
Taught heavenly or celestial flesh of Christ
Mary did not furnish Jesus’ flesh but only his nourishment; she was conduit
Minimized his humanity; emphasized his deity

28. Melchior Hoffman ( )
1533, preached on Daniel & Revelation; declared that Strasbourg would be site of Jesus’ return & start of millennial kingdom
Attracted multitudes, who expected Strasbourg to be New Jerusalem
Rejected earlier Anabaptist pacifism; called for children of God to fight against children of darkness
Predicted his imprisonment for 6 months, after which end would come
He was imprisoned but was held beyond predicted Second Coming
His followers left him in prison & went to Münster to look for Kingdom

29. Münster
Anabaptists took over Münster, led by John Matthys & John Leiden
Expelled Catholics; bishop & his army laid siege to city
Results: iconoclasm, visions, polygamy, death of Matthys
End: John Leiden was tortured, executed; his body was exhibited in cage
Afterward, all Anabaptists tainted by reputation of radicals at Münster

30. Menno Simons ( )
Former priest in Netherlands; baptized in 1536
Theology:
Discipline through church ban
Pacifism: reaction to Münster; refused participation in war
Faulty Christology: Christ’s nature did not derive from Mary’s flesh; instead, Christ’s body composed of “celestial flesh”
Followers settled in America: Mennonites

31. Hutterites
Led by Jacob Wiedemann (1528); financed by Jacob Hutter; near Nikolsburg, Moravia
Peter Riedemann ( ) described Hutterite beliefs: Christians must forsake private property Regenerate person has no desire to own personal goods Community of goods is necessary sign of true Church as seen in Acts 2

32. Biblical Anabaptists’ Theology
Reform church back to primitive, NT model
Scripture: guidelines for church from NT, not OT to justify state-church or persecution of heretics or infant baptism
Believer’s baptism
Lord’s Supper: memorial; Thanksgiving; sign of fellowship & unity

33. Biblical Anabaptists’ Theology
Voluntarism: Believers formed “gathered church,” based on commitment to Christ, pledging themselves to discipleship
Magistrate: to discharge justice & protect innocent; no jurisdiction in religious matters; most Anabaptists said that no Christian could be magistrate
Sword: no Christian could go to war, even in defense of state
Religious liberty for all
Autonomy of local church: local congregations should elect, support & discipline pastor

34. Types of Radical Reformers
Biblical: Use Bible as ultimate authority for reconstructing primitive church; examples: Anabaptists, later English Baptists
Spiritualistic: Emphasize immediacy & primacy of revelation from Holy Spirit; new revelations come to God’s prophets that augment & even supersede Scripture; examples: Zwickau prophets, Münster
Rationalistic: Human reason is authority in determining sense of Scripture & primitive model; challenge to doctrines of Trinity, vicarious atonement; examples: Servetus, Unitarians

35. Spiritualists Inspirationists or Evangelical Mystics Beliefs
Appealed to direct inspiration of Holy Spirit as prior, separate, beyond (or even against) Scripture
Dispensed with externals such as outward ordinances & formal church structures such as ordained ministry & confessions of faith

36. Spiritualists Beliefs
Gathered informal societies for fellowships for prayer, worship, exhortation & Bible study
Often held to perfectionist ideas that saints could live in full power of Christian life & overcome sin in present life
Opposed religious persecution, favored toleration & separation of church from state

37. Spiritualists Andreas Karlstadt Zwickau Prophets Thomas Müntzer
Casper Schwenckfeld ( )
Mystic, Quietist, Pietist
Influenced by Luther but separated from him over spiritual interpretation of Lord’s Supper
Emphasized experiential knowledge of Christ
Believer is enrolled in School of Christ

38. Rationalists (Anti-Trinitarians)
Beliefs
Restoration of biblical ideal for church
Appealed to reason for interpreting Scripture
Questioned orthodox teachings
Anti-Trinitarian in range of heretical positions from modalism & adoptionism to Arianism
Optimistic about humanity’s moral uplift
Opposed persecution, advocated religious freedom

39. Rationalists (Anti-Trinitarians)
Early example – Michael Servetus ( )
Wrote On the Errors of the Trinity (1531)
Executed in Geneva with John Calvin’s approval

40. Rationalists (Anti-Trinitarians)
Later shaper – Faustus Socinus ( )
Exiled Italian humanist who joined Polish Brethren
Applied baptism only to Gentile converts; hence, rejected infant baptism
Denied deity of Christ & Trinity
God's omniscience limited to what was necessary truth in future (what would definitely happen), and did not apply to what was contingent truth (what might happen)
Beliefs led to Socinianism & Unitarianism