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Reformation Radicals: The Anabaptists...Continued from page 1

Ken Curtis, Ph.D.

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Sattler moved on to take up pastoral duties at Horb, an area under the Austrian control of Ferdinand, an aggressive Catholic persecutor of alleged heretics. Michael, his wife, and others were arrested and kept in jail for nearly twelve weeks. He was brought to trial and his calm, reasoned, and brilliant defense of his now fervently held Anabaptist convictions failed to move his accusers. Awaiting death, he wrote to his flock: " In such dangers I have surrendered myself entirely to the will of the Lord and am, with all my brothers, my wife, and some other sisters, prepared for witness to him even unto death." On May 20, 1527, his tongue was cut out, he was tortured, and then burned alive. As the flames consumed him, he held up his forefingers as a prearranged sign to his fellow believers, verifying that God would give the strength to endure faithful to the end. A few days later, after refusing a final opportunity to recant, Margaretha followed her husband in martyrdom and was drowned.

The Sattlers were only two of scores of Anabaptists who remained faithful unto death. Their stories would under gird the Anabaptists for generations as they were scorned, exiled, ridiculed, and persecuted by governments, Catholics, and Protestants alike. Anabaptist descendants today can be found in the Mennonites, Amish, Hutterites, Brethren in Christ, and other groups.

The Schleitheim Confession
Originally called The Brotherly Union of Some Children of God, "The Schleitheim Confession" was a kind of an Anabaptist Manifesto bringing the fledgling movement together. The Anabaptists affirmed the central historic doctrines of the faith. But in this confession they were dealing with problem areas - what to them were the hot issues on which they had to clarify their positions. They covered seven points.

  1. Baptism. Not for infants, but for those instructed in the faith who were ready to follow new life in Christ.
  2. Excommunication, or the "ban." This was included to provide a method for dealing with members of their fellowship who became unfaithful in their Christian walk. First there was to be personal admonition, then private discipline, and then, if necessary, discipline openly before the congregation according to Matthew 18.
  3. The Lord's Supper. This was reserved for those who were baptized (per #1 above) confessing Christians.
  4. Separation From the World. Believers were to live apart and not fellowship with those living in contradiction to Scriptures.
  5. Pastors. Biblical standards for pastors set forth.
  6. Use of the Sword (violence). While it was acknowledged that civil magistrates might use force to restrain evil, physical violence was not permitted for Christians, nor the church, whose weapons were "spiritual."
  7. Oaths. Believers were not to swear oaths but to let their "yea be yea," and "nay be nay" according to Matthew 5:34, 37.

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