LIFE LESSONS FROM OUR PAST - TIMELESS TIMES
CHAPTER 1.
Why Conservative Principles & Evangelism Struggle: Truncated Theology?
(Leading to a discussion on how Baptist Distinctives Developed.)
(Note: The Previous Introductory- Posted 9/3/2021)
by
Dr. Marc S. Blackwell Sr.
- Understanding a "remnant mindset.
- Theology is Generally Truncated.
- How Conservative Biblical Principles Developed.
- Considering the Swiss or Biblical Anabaptists: Literalism in Interpreting Truth, and Principles of Scripture
- Vignettes of the Reaction to Partial Reform.
- The Reformation: Magisterial, Mystical & Biblical.
- Mystical:Tauler-like, Kasper Schwenckfeld von Ossig - Influenced by Valentine Crautwald, Silesia (d.1545)
- Swiss Anabaptists: Grebal & the Zürich lieutenants Distinctives
- Michael Sattler's martyrdom
- Balthasar Hubmaier - Congregationalism.
1. Understanding a "Remnant Mindset".
The sad reality of a truncated theology (mentioned in the earlier class session) will be discussed further in this section. For our purposes, it is sufficient for me - at this stage - to refer to a "remnant" group of believers as those who are maintaining the truth amidst a Christian community otherwise compromised. When our world surrounds us with a form of Christianity that is weakened, or 'truncated' being reduced in authority and value by those who have wandered-off from the Truth about God and are replacing the Truth with compromises, any who are faithful might be understood as a 'remnant" or at least having a "remnant's mindset."
A "Remnant Mindset" is a term being used through-out these lessons to speak of the attitude and thought processes behind faithful Baptists and other faithful believers, as well. Throughout our world of heathenism and Christian compromise those who are faithful to the true Truth of God's written (revealed) Word consider themselves to be a remnant people. So, a "Remnant Mindset" is viewed from this perspective.
Today's believers with the same qualities of faith as found among the "remnant" within Israel: the Jewish Old Testament nation-state. It might be equally correct to refer to today's faithful believers as "sojourners" (like Job, Noah and Abraham etc.) or possibly or rather as "pilgrims," since all of these images speak of people who are faithful, focused and serious believers.
2. Theology is generally Truncated: Theology's goal, as informal or formal confessions, a witness or a statement of what one believes - i.e. thier faith. No doubt the study and production of one's theological beliefs was meant as a help, but history reveals that such "confessions," or "theologies" have done the opposite of what they intended to do. Rather than bring unity they have tended to dividie. Knowing why this "Remnant Mindset" came about in history can be seen in part at the time of the Reformation. The Anabaptists reaction to a weakened or diluted view of God and the influences of a Hierachal and Creedal religion led to this understandable mindset It really is not unlike the Pharisees and our Savior..
- Understanding a "Remnant Mindset."
- Reactions to a truncated theology: The sad reality of a weakened Truth and the problem of partial reformation.
- Reform Weakened by Augustinian Philosophy
- Reform Diluted through Thomastic Theology
- Reforms Influenced by Hierarchialism.
- Reform Compromised by Acceptance of Creedalism
- Reforms Neutralized by Historic Interpretations.
- Politically Expedient Distancing from Early Positions.
One important illustration of the disunity brought about through theology is the writings of Aurelius Augustine (354 to 430). Augustinian teaching varied between Aristotelian and Plotinus' (205-270) Neo-Platonistic beliefs which thought of truth as the divine illumination of the One to the intellect of the soul. With reality limited to this intellect and soul Plontinus and Augutine taught that only what the One decreed could be understood as good.
Augustine and much of the Reformed church view evil from Epicurus' philosophy and this Irenaean Christian theodicy views evil as caused by the abuse of goodness through free will and is unrelated to God's will or to God allowing and degree of creaturely freedom in His Divine creative choices. It is useful to study the different types or uses of theological studies down through history but only the Bible will answer the questions of true faith.
Today's Catholicism is arguably closer to the teaching of the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) that accepts truth as available wherever it is found, rather than being limited to the Spirit's illumination of the Word of God or as accepting the Holy Bible as 'Special Revelation.' This view drives the current Charismatic trends in theology, as well.
3. How Conservative Biblical Principles Developed. Any serious historical investigation into conservative Biblical thought or into a "Remnant Mindset" requires looking at a number of historical examples. Conservativism existed in the thousands of congregations and hundreds of thousands, or more, from region to region, and over time period to time period.
Though we do appreciate and respect Luther’s contributions we also need to see the underlying and often unrecognized theological weaknesses that were latent in his thinking.
Luther developed along the path of the Augustinian Observantines Monks (Wittenberg) who’s Vicar was Staupitz an Aristotelian. The works of William of Ockham (emphasizing faith), Duns Scotus, but also the Medieval Mystics: St Bernard, Master Eckhart & Tauler.
4. Considering the Principles & Scripture as literally and clearly taught by the Swiss or Biblical Anabaptists is an important re-balancing of genuine history. These Bible-believing churches were and are Biblically-based congregations. Rather than being "confessionally-based" or incorporating either Greek Philosophy or any Catholic Historical theologies, they focused rather on the only revelation from God. Truth that has "saving value" is "Special Revelation" and only exists in the Inspired Word of God. Bible-believing Christians consider the Word of God as God's offer of salvation by Grace through faith.
These churches further believe that the New Covenant promised regenerating changes of the Spirit of God which allows the believer to live-out the Truth, teach the Truth and share the Truth. The issues around compromise and half-hearted reformations remain relevant today. Claiming a set of theological or dogmatic beliefs or giving lip-service to a set of confessional statements is considered unacceptable as a matter of faith.
CHAPTER 2.
Why the Evangelical Focus is so Difficult to Maintain.
Long before the famed “Reformation” of Luther, Zwingli and Calvin there existed hundreds of thousands of obedient believers. In every century from the 2nd to the 15th separatist independent congregations and spiritual leaders would stand for the truth and pay the price of suffering and sacrifice for their courage! Unlike the later reformers they were above all else fully committed to taking the Gospel to the masses - those around them and beyond.
The Many Reformations.
Magisterial Reformers (or the 'State Church.)
Chiliasts or Militant 'Inspirationist' Messianism. (T. Muntzer, Jan Matthys, Melchior Hofmann, Jan of Layden,) "Münsterite sect."
Middle-way Spiritualists: Andreas Karlstadt (1486 –1541) Kasper Schwenckfeld von Ossig & Valentine Crautwald, Silesia (d 1545). Today's Schwenckfeld Church is a small denomination of churches that have, over-time, changed their perspectives from anything like the "Middle-Way" and rather have joined the ranks of others, like the Quakers (or Geroge Fox's Society of the Friends), as theological liberals and a uniquely developed Social Gospel religious group with a mystical element included.
Biblical Anabaptists: (Reublin, Grebal, Marpeck, Hubmaier,, etc)
Personally, I identify with the Swiss & South German Anabaptist movement due to their submission to the Scriptures as their only authority for faith & practice and their literal {or use of "the most obvious"] interpretation of the Scriptures.
Menonite Anabaptism: (Menno Simons 1496-1561) of NE Netherlands' Frisa and with a more centralized church government somewhat similar to Moravian governance.
Rationalists: Anti-trinitarian, as with Michael Servetus. A relatively small, ineffective and unique grouping.
The Radical Reformation got off to a sad and most regretable early abuse of faith. The most extreme "among the early reformers, was the ‘Chiliastic Militant Messianism.’ There were no remnants of this short-lived radicalism that continued after the sad and foolish Munster debacle of 1534. A sad and regretable mis-interpretation and misapplication of Scripture led to these men forming a strange apocalyptic sect. Jan of Leiden, took control of the Münster rebellion and tried to create a democratic proto-socialistic state. This rebellion was overthrown in 1535.
These Chilists or "Münsterite sect." were not Anabaptists but the Lutherans and Calvin's Reformers loved accusing the Anabaptist of being a part of this sect though they were never a part of any stream of anabaptism. Chiliastic's early reformational influences had additional influences from the radically militant messianism anti-catholic Taborites within the Bohemian Brethren movement. Men like Thomas Muntzer and groups like the Zwickau Prophets (1500’s) formed a most radical view of carrying out a Reformation of the church.
Many public - market square debates between Luther and his followers and T. Muntzerr and his followers over the later group’s radical “realized millennialism” lasted for years. Regrettably, in time, Münzer’s followers would only become increasingly polemical, violent, ‘socialist’ and fanatical. These ‘Realized" Chiliastic arose as a direct reaction to the Lutheran version of a partial Reformation. the Chiliastic reformers were not anabaptist in thought or theology and had been influenced by their leader’s backgrounds and education in Franciscan extremes of interpreting Scripture which used prophetical typology and symbolism. Happily, no modern Baptist accepts the teaching of those radical ‘Chiliasts.”
Mistaken Association. Down through history, many independent groups such as the Brethren, the Anabaptists or Baptists would be mistakenly asociate with those early radical Militant Messianic Chiliasts. The “mis-branded” or being falsely accused of these extremes by those who rejected independent conservative and evangelical Biblical interpretations.
A literalalist interpretation. common to most Anabaptists, was not the basis for the radicalism that developed into Militant Messianism or Chiliasts - rather it was allegorical or figurative mis-interpretation that was (mis-) applied to a literal Biblical reference.. For most of the, so-called magisterial Reformers, such as Zwingli, Luther and Calvin, it was simply easier to “brand” all the ‘radical reformers’ as extremists rather than to take the time to enter into dialogue and try to understand the distinctions between these groups.
The background settings of Radical ‘Mysticism: Men such as Hans Denck ( Born in Bavaria, 1495) and Ludwig Hetzer (born in Thurgau, in 1500) were at the most formative stages of this militant groupimg of Millennialists. To understand Denck and Hetzer and the developing mystical-allegoricalism one should look back to the year 1516, a year before Luther posted his famous theses, Switzerland and on future aspects of the overall Reformation. Another influence developed around 1523, a Biblical linguist, Oecolampadius, who began a strong friendship with Zwingli.
The vital link to Mystical Militant Messianism (Chiliasm) came when Oecolampadius, based in Basel, would become the mentor of Hans Denck from 1520 to 1523. Denck then become the rector of a school in Nuremberg where he would begin to teach his highly spiritualized views and interpretations of the Godhead, Scripture, faith, righteousness, sin and the ordinances. Though anti-pedobaptist these mystics were not Anabaptist in their overall theological commitment, not at all.
Others: Most regrettably this fact is generally ignored and these allegorical-mystics were grouped with Anabaptism in general terms. Denck was driven from Nuremberg and eventually arrive at St Gall then he is found in Augsburg, Strasburg, Worms and then arrived back in Basel seriously ill in 1527 where he died in the home of his friend Oecolampadius that same year. In his short ministry he published (with Hetzer) a translation of the Hebrew later used by Luther in his own translation. His most important work was “The Law of God” written about 1526.
Ludwig Hetzer, also one of Zwingli’s most enthusiastic followers, became an anti-pedobaptist about 1525, but he lacked the courage of his convictions and was often found trying to re-establish his relations with Zwingli and Oecolampadius, yet he was also closely associated with Denck and the early speculative theologies of other mystical anti-pedobaptists like Jakob Kautz and the more radical Johann Bünderlin of Linz, Austria.
5. Vignettes of the Reaction Against Partial Reform:
To provide a more balanced approach to this theme, of a "remnant mindset." I have decided to use a series of short studies or vignettes.
THESE BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHIES SEEK TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE "KEY" OR specific "Anabaptists" ROLE-PLAYERS. I BELIEVE THESE MEN AND THEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN ARE good historic examples of Christians acting with a "remnant mindset."
THESE CHARACTER STUDIES HOPEFULLY REVEAL A true commitment to God, NOT AS MEN HAVE MADE HIM BUT JUST as He has revealed Himself in the Bible.
THESE VignetteS PROVIDE A focus ON Anabaptism'S VIEWS OF SCRIPTURE, Personal Salvation, CONGREGATIONALISM, INDIVIDUAL “Soul Competency,” AND MUCH MORE.
Andreas Rudolph Bodenstein von Karlstadt (1486 – 1541) a theologian and chancellor of Wittenberg University was one key influence on Luther. Karlstad’s earlier years had included a belief in a modified form of scholasticism but he moved quickly toward reformational thinking of a “broad sort” by 1510. He was a major early influence on Martin Luther and by 1516 Karlstad’s “151 Theses, which clearly questioned the excesses of the Catholic Church, would have a direct influence on Luther’s own early thinking. On the other hand, one should remember that Luther’s “95 Thesis” (posted in 1517) focused more on the issue of indulgences. The infamous Johann Eck would debate both Karlstad and Luther and later both were excommunicated from the Roman Church.
The Middle or 'Royal Way,' also was influenced by Karlstadt and eventually more so by a rather independent form of Lutheran, Kasper Schwenckfeld. This "Middle Way," (between a form of literal Swiss Biblicism and Reformed traditional “blindness” to sacramentalism) existed best without any formal denominational or even congregational organization. Some would attend the existing churches (Roman Catholic and Lutheran), while other met in their private homes for worship or informal Bible study or would visit any churches where pastors were willing to honor Schwenckfeld or his writings.
A Short-lived Radical Lutheran Reform. Some of the strongest reform leadership to be found in the early Lutheran Reformation came as as early as 1521 when ...“Karstad performed the first reformed communion service. He did not elevate the elements of communion, wore secular clothing during the service, and purged all references to sacrifice from the traditional mass. He shouted rather than whispered the words of institution ("This is my body....", etc.) in German instead of Latin, rejected confession as a prerequisite for communion, and let the communicants take both bread and wine on their own” ... during the Lord Supper or Communion.
The Karlstadt Reforms. Luther parted from his own relationship with Karlstadt due to Karlstad supposed "mystical teachings" and similar thought to Kasper Schwenchfeld regarding the Lord’s Supper. By 1523 the church of Orlamünde called Karlstad as pastor and this church became the “testing ground” or model for the modified “Anabaptist” version of the Reformation. The link with Schwenchfeld’s teaching became more than clear at this stage as Karlstad rejected any type of “physical presence in the Eucharist,” preferring to advance the idea of a “spiritual presence in the Worship of Communion.”
6. The Magisterial reformation forms:
A Short-List of Famous Magisterial "Key" Reformers
1484 Ulrich Zwingli (Swiss Reformer)
1491 Martin Bucer (Strasbourg Reformer)
1497 Philip Melanchthon (German Reformer)
1483 Martin Luther (German Reformer)
1509 John Calvin
1514 John Knox (Scotch Reformer)
1519 Theodore Beza (Successor to Calvin. Geneva)
By early 1524, Luther openly separated from Karlstad and called upon the Saxon Princes to assist his opposition of Karlstad and the other’s like him that were moving toward ana-baptism’s theological and Scriptural positions. Luther, then, wrote against both Schwenckfeld and Karlstadt. Karlstad, along with thousands who would follow created a “wave of Protestant rebellion against images or iconoclasm by 1566.
Karlstadt's Influence from Switzerland. He self-exiled himself to serve out his life as a minister in Switzerland in Altstaetten, Zurich and Basel. He died in 1541. During Karlstadt’s life he practically - though indirectly - led in much of the theological thought and development found among the Swiss Anabaptists. The Swiss Brethren of Zürich; specifically, Felix Mantz, Andreas Castelberg, and Gerhard Westerburg of Cologne, Melchior Hoffman in Northern Germany and on the many spokesmen of South German Anabaptists all came under his influence. Karlstad and Schwenckfeld played a positive though often indirect role in the future thinking of modern Baptists.
Casper (Kasper) Schwenckfeld, another anti-pedobaptist and speculative theologian should be included in our studies.’ He was born in 1490 a Silesian nobleman. In his earlier years he was a follower of the Hussites and became an ardent student of mysticism. He determined that Luther had fallen short on issues such as baptism, the Lord’s Supper / Communion and a number of other areas. He was eventually driven from Silesia in 1529 and moved to Strasburg but he could not find peace with the Anabaptists of that city.
He wrote numerous articles that traditional Lutherans' would consider to be mystical articles since they focused more on the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Christian's life. His emphasis on the need for being “spiritually enlightened” and upon “Inner transformation” often confused those accepting a traditional approach to the issues of regeneration and sanctification. He is considered by many to be a spiritualist or possibly due to his being influenced by earlier mystical writers - he was considered in error on issues such as the humanity of Christ “today.” Kasper sought to emphasize the absolute spiritual nature of “our God and Lord” and draw implications from this variance to other theological realms. He simply struggled with all Catholic creedal theology and his research into these issues made him suspect.
Valentin Crautwald (1465–1545). Crautwald, as a teacher of a contemporary for of humanist philosophy, like Karlstad and of course, Schwenchfeld, they advanced various degrees of their “Royal way” - especially regarding these unique views on the sacraments. The, much misunderstood, view known as "the Heavenly Flesh" doctrine - was also developed in close association with Schwenchfeld’s friend and close advisor, Valentin. Though Schwenchfeld’s followers would be viewed as a sect, these “Middle Way” ideas would influenced Anabaptism, Puritanism, Non-conformism, and especially the various forms of pietism to be found through-out Europe over the following centuries.
7. The Middle-WAY or'Royal Way' would be viewed - in time - more as the personal teaching of Kasper Schwenckfeld. In reality, there was a need to reframe or re-interpretation the Reformation with a more legitimate doctrine (Biblically based truth). Their teaching on the Spirit would in reality be a shared influence that should be credited to Karstad and Schwenchfelder together. Though some would disagree with me, I would link many independent Baptists' who accept a more 'dynamic' role for the Holy Spirit today, with this "Royal" or "Middle Way."
‘These Biblical Anabaptists and even those of the "Middle Way" were soundly Biblical . I have focused-on and described Christian men who, though not free from all error in doctrine or practice, nonetheless made every effort to follow the Scriptures using the New Testament and its Gospel message as the basis for their interpretation of the Bible as a whole. These men truly believed in the sufficiency of Scripture as their rule for faith and practice. They use reasonably sound methods of Biblical interpretation (a literal hermeneutic) and they rejected the fanaticism of the Chiliasts and the radical mystics. These Biblical Anabaptists were genuinely evangelical and truly committed to sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
8. SWISS ANABAPTISTS: Many Independent Baptists today look for their historical links in either the older Waldensians (or before); or the clearly non-Calvinistic styled Spiritual Focused Middle-way; or some, like myself, linked somehow to the Biblical preoccupation found in the Swiss Anabaptists. Swiss Anabaptists were known as “Soundly Biblical Anabaptists” according to historians like A.H. Newman, a renown Baptist historian, who points out this important distinction between or among Anabaptists. As a student of history,
I tend to identify my own faith with the historic Swiss Anabaptist movement especially due to their submission to the Scriptures as their only authority for faith and practice. The Swiss were also fully committed to a literal (or to the most obvious) interpretation of the Scriptures. There were subject areas like End-Times, that still confused these early Anabaptists. it was a matter of time before the literalism in their apporach to Biblical Interpretation finally ledfuture Brethren and Baptists to a clearer view of a Pre-tribulational, Pre-millennial Return of Christ to establish His literal 1000 year Kingdom on Earth.
So few understand or choose to remember (the reality) that both Luther and Zwingli were virtually Anabaptists themselves at their very beginnings. They had originally adopted the most radical and revolutionary – anti-Roman principles, that the Scriptures should be the sole rule of faith and practice and that whatever the Scriptures did not teach must be rejected. Both Luther and Zwingli struggled to go on fully and consistently on the basis of the logic of this radical principle of the Scriptures being literally interpreted rather than using the more common figurative approach of the Church Fathers.
Ulrich Zwingli though still a Roman Catholic, at this stage, insisted on teaching through the Bible! Teaching the Bible was not accepted in those days or in his Romanish circles! Zwingli’s developing Reformationist thinking would have profound implications on Zürich, Just the idea that the Scriptures alone could be the only rule for faith and practice - “Solo Scriptura” was still a struggle for many. These Reformers were also in the bondage to the power of civil authorities and the concept of a City Magistrate or a State Church was complicating their choices and decisions.
By 1523 the famous Reformer, Zwingli had lost his most trusted Zürich "lieutenants" and they left him to become the early Swiss Biblical Anabaptists! These key men were: The Swiss Anabaptists: Conrad Grebal (Zürich), Blaurock (Basel), Felix Manz(Zürich), Simon Stumpf (Zürich), Balthasar Hubmaier(Zürich). Conrad Grebel like most in his time learned of the Anabaptist doctrines and views on local church polity from people and groups that existed before the Reformation.
Grebel and his co-workers were strongly committed and concerned with “putting away all modes of worship that were unknown to the church of the apostles.” Grebel and the others were clearly influenced by the Waldensians and Petrobrusian predecessors of the Reformation and any further patience with Zwingli was simply not possible for them.
Some Christian leaders had lost any further patience with Zwingli and His ambivalence was simply not possible for them to accept The issues were not new! We should also mention many many others, some examples are men such as St. Gaul’s Uolimann, Hockrűtiner, Roggenacher, Eberle; and Schaffhausen’s Wilhem Reublin, Doctor Hofmeister and Hans Brötli (from Zillion).
There were a number who would linger for a year or so since before leaving Zwingli altogether. Those who waited wanted to honour Zwingli’s call for patience while he tried to resolve his position on the issue of infant / pedobaptism. Zwingli wrestled with many additional issues that were related to the authority of the Scriptures. Zwungli was opposed to the many Roman Catholic departures of the faith, and matter such as the mass, fasts, invocation of saints and other popish abominations were rejected, but for Zwingli it was a slow process but this was not true for many others: the anabaptist, for example..
Many Baptist historians apply these lessons of history to our understanding of some modern independent and other Baptists. Clearly a good number of the Spurgeon-sent pastors and missionaries who came to South Africa between 1880 to 1920 were influenced by these principles. We will see later in this study that most of the American "Church-Planters" and Missionaries who came between 1970 and today were also under this Anabaptist influence.
In may seem strange to some today, but it is a fact and a matter we must understand that these independent Christians have chosen to identify themselves with men who long-ago broke away from the Reformer's partial Reforms. Just as the Anabaptists rejected the Reformers' ambivalence or compromise toward erroneous Catholic theology, we remind ourselves of the many different types of Baptists today who think and act with much of the same set of dynamic thought processes.
Most of the English Baptist Unions and the American and Southerh Baptist Conventions, General (Swedish) or other Baptist denominational types tend to align their histories with an idea of their origins only linked to the Baptists and Free and Independent Church Movements of Seventeenth Century English church history. Some choose to be linked to the General Baptists and some to the Particular Baptists depending on their degree of Calvinist theological persuasion.
Secular Government? Modern Christian Evangelicals generally do not accept all of the historic Anabaptist views or interpretations of the Scriptures in regard to political governance – “magistry.” The additional matters of oaths, warfare and capital punishment are also rarely appreciated or understood today. But, some aspects of the issue of the magistracy and the place or role of ecclesiastical relationships within “State Churches” continues to be debated in a number of circles, even in our modern times. One reason for the general failure to appreciate the historic Anabaptist positions on governance, etc. is related to modern Christianity’s having forgotten the suffering and oppression the Anabaptists experienced. Without understanding the issues around persecution any serious appreciation of their historic views – especially those related to political governance would naturally be lost.
One wonders how we would react today if we did understand the context and history of State Church oppression and martyrdom. In countries where the Roman Catholic’s have control or where a measure of Reformationist State Churches influence remains, these views may seem far more credible – even today! In the “last days” – or in any time period where Christian’s are persecuted by other religions, dictatorships or oppressive regimes the Anabaptists’ unique Anti-magisterial views may find some new degree of credibility.
The Anabaptist of Zürich became increasingly agitated and demanding of change. Many people were accepting Christ as their Saviour, others already believers were being re-baptised, Evangelical congregations were growing and many of their leaders were being imprisoned and fined. The lines of separation and division were being drawn! By early 1525 thousands were being “re-baptised” by these new Swiss Biblical Anabaptists. The Zürich City Council met and voted to support and defend Zwingli and his views.
The Anabaptists were to be banished, preaching by these radicals was prohibited and the remorseless crushing of the movement was now to be effected by force. By 1527 Manz was put to death by drowning, Blaurock (their “Second Paul”) was beaten in the streets and driven from Zürich. Grebel, the Swiss Anabaptist’s greatest preacher and leader died of the pestilence in 1526. The Increasing and persistent persecution in Switzerland drove many to Moravia and by 1529 only a few weak or scattered congregations remained in Switzerland.
9. MARTYRDOM: Michael Sattler (1495-1527). After the death of Conrad Grebel (1526) and Felix Manz (1527) Michael Sattler was the most noteworthy leader of the Swiss Brethren. His martyrdom took place only a few months after that of Manz. "Michael Sattler was born about 1495 at Staufen near Freiburg in Baden. Educated at the University of Freiburg, Sattler entered the cloister of St. Peter near Freiburg as a monk, advancing to the position of prior of the cloister. Through his studies of the scriptures and, no doubt, influenced by the new reformation theology in circulation, Sattler left the monastery in 1523 and was married.
Sattler joined with the Swiss Brethren in Zürich, but the city of Zurich banished him on November 18, 1525. He laboured in the faith in Horb and Rottenburg in Württemberg, later going to Strasburg in Alsace. Returning to Horb and Rottenburg. On February 24, 1527, Sattler presided over a conference of Swiss Brethren held at Schleitheim in Canton Schaffhausen.
Sattler presented the Swiss Brethren his Schleitheim Confession of faith which was approved and adopted without a dissenting voice, and was later printed under the title, “Bruderliche Vereinigung etlicher Kinder Gottes" (Brotherly Agreement of Some Children of God), as the confession of faith of the Swiss Brethren." The confession was considered important enough to be refuted by both Zwingli and Calvin in separate works.
I present the story of Michael Sattler to serve as one example of the thousands who were Martyred for their Biblical faith in Christ. Michael Sattler was captured by the Roman Catholic authorities in Horb, tried on May 17, 1527 at Rottenburg, and was martyred on May 21, 1527. "On the morning of that day this noble man of God, in sight of horrible torture, prayed for his judges and persecutors and admonished the people to repentance. He endured the inhuman torture stipulated in the sentence. Then his mangled body was tied to a ladder. He prayed again for his persecutors while the ladder was placed upon the stake.
Michael had promised his friends to give them a sign from the burning stake, to show that he remained steadfast to the end, enduring it all willingly for Christ. The fire having severed the cords wherewith he was bound, he lifted up his hand for a sign to them. Soon it was noticed that his spirit had taken its flight to be with Him whom he had steadfastly confessed under the most excruciating torture, a true hero of the faith."
Sattler's trial and execution, A. D. 1527 is also recorded as follows: “After a long trial on the day of his departure from this world, the articles being many, Michael Sattler requested that they would be read to him again and that he should have another hearing. This the bailiff, as the governor of his lord, opposed and would not consent to it. Sattler then requested permission to speak.
After a consultation, the judges returned as their answer, that if his opponents would allow it, they (the judges) would consent. Thereupon the town clerk of Ensisheim, as the attorney of said Governor spoke thus: "Prudent, honourable and wise Sirs, He has boasted of the Holy Ghost. Now, if his boast is true, it seems to me, it is unnecessary to grant him this; for if he has the Holy Ghost, as he boasts, the same will tell him what has been done here."
To this Michael Sattler replied: "Ye servants of God, I hope my request will not be denied; for said articles are as yet unknown to me." The town clerk responded: "Prudent, honourable and wise Sirs, Though we are not bound to do this, yet in order to give satisfaction, we will grant him his request that it may not be thought that injustice is done him in his heresy, or that we desire to wrong him; hence let the articles be read to him."
CONGREGATIONALISM: Whenever Anabaptists were given a degree of freedom they would follow the earlier examples of the Waldensians and Bohemian Brethren and developor "planted" local congregations that were independent of one another and these were congregational in governance – this they believed was a return to the Scriptures own teaching and example. Their views on immersion versus pouring stayed confused around seasonal (winter versus summer) and a general lack of concern, by some. The Swiss Anabaptist’s were driven from city after city and after much persecution they migrated to Moravia – under Balthasar Hubmaier's leadership.
Balthasar Hubmaier arrived at Nickolsburg and was immediately greeted by the nobles of that city and region – especially by Leonard and Hans Liechtenstein, and then was soon accepted as the spokesman or natural leader by the Moravian Anabaptists Hans Spitalmaier, Oswald Glaidt, Martin Göschel. Hubmaier was more like modern Baptists in that he took a milder view or approach to the Magisterial question, oaths, owning property, and warfare, etc..
Though Hand Hut and Jacob Wiedemann clearly disagreed. But on 10 March 1528 the Austrian authorities burned Balthasar Hubmaier at the stake. Peter Riedemann, Leonard Schiemer (Martyred - 1528), George Zaunring (Martyred - 1529), Jakob Huter (Martyred - 1535), Hans Mändli led the Moravian and Tyrol Anabaptists admirably until his death in 1556.
-------------------------------------------------
