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The Persistence of Anabaptism as Vision

2007; Volume: 81; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

0025-9373

Gerald Biesecker-Mast, Troy Osborne,

Biblical Studies and Interpretation

Anabaptist movements and their chroniclers have frequently used metaphors associated with vision to account for Anabaptist beginnings. Such an emphasis on sight and is one way Anabaptist historians have sought to explain spiritual dimension of Anabaptist social nonconformity. rise of polygenesis historiography in 1970's challenged spiritual of Anabaptism, seeking instead to stress varied local conditions of Anabaptist emergence, as well as diversity of convictions associated with Anabaptism. In recent years, however, numerous scholars have sought to exceed polygenesis paradigms by identifying common convictions held by different Anabaptist groups, highlighting differences and commonalities with Catholic and Protestant theology, critiquing ideological assumptions of polygenesis historians and analyzing rhetorical conventions that shaped Anabaptist argument. essay concludes that Anabaptist movements were shaped by spiritually guided practices of persuasion and that those who seek to understand Anabaptism should give attention to visions seen and articulated in such practices. ANABAPTISM AS NEW LIGHT From very beginning Anabaptism was experienced as an invasion of perception, whether as a shadow that provoked fear or a that brought freedom. An event that reordered known world, both visible and invisible, for those who embraced it Anabaptism burst onto social landscape of early sixteenth-century continental Europe as dawning of a new day, rising of the morning star and a leaving of the shadows of this world. (1) Children of light called themselves, when gathered at Schleitheim to forge a Brotherly Union that witnessed to of Spirit these Swiss brothers and sisters had discovered among themselves. The almighty eternal and merciful affirmed, has made His wonderful break forth into this world ... in this dangerous time ... whereby we have been called into his fellowship. (2) What exactly Anabaptist communities did see, in breaking forth of light, remains question for us, whether we are historians seeking understanding of past, or spiritual descendants seeking renewal by that same light, or both. earliest accounts of Christendom-shattering believers baptisms on January 21, 1525, establish landscape of early Anabaptist sight. account in Chronicle of Hutterian Brethren maintains that because God wanted one united people, separated from all other peoples, he brought forth Morning Star, of his to shine with all of its radiance in present age of this world so that his could be recognized by everyone. (3) Among those who recognized this work, according to that account, were a small circle of seekers that included Huldrych Zwingli, Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz and George Blaurock. In a process of discussion and disagreement, which included estrangement between Zwingli and other members of circle, this gathering of inquirers came to unity about questions of faith. Specifically, they agreed that from God's Word one must first learn true faith, expressed in deeds of love, and on confession of faith receive true Christian baptism as a covenant of a good conscience with God, serving him from then on with a Christian life and remaining steadfast to end, even in times of tribulation. (4) Accounts such as this one stress extent to which Anabaptism was a restoration of sight--a revealing of the foundation of divine truth, an awakening and an occasion to make God's holy work recognizable. (5) This restoration is narrated as a recovery from blindness, present since church imposed with sword when Christianity became protected official religion of Roman empire. Here pestilence of deceit that stalks darkness swept in with force, abolished cross, and forged it onto sword. …