The Radical Reformation

by Michael G. Baylor (Editor)

This book is a collection of writings by early Reformation radicals that illustrates both the diversity and the areas of agreement in their political thinking. The texts are drawn from the period 1521-1527 and center on the major upheaval of those years for German society, the Peasants' War of 1524-1526.

The thinkers represented—Muntzer, Karlstadt, Grebel, Hut, Denck, and others—differed on important theological issues. Yet the radicals all rejected the Reformation of the magisterial reformers as serving the interests of society's elites. They advocated a strategy of Reformation through direct action from below, a sweeping transformation of society to the benefit of the lay commoner and the local community.

With the start of the Peasants' War, radicals divided over the issue of the legitimacy of force. This division shaped the ways in which they confronted the failure of the Peasants' War as well as the new strategies for survival which they developed in its aftermath.

Appended to the texts are a number of political programs of the Peasants' War. These documents illustrate ways in which the radicals contributed to the revolution, and how the uprising itself led to greater clarity in the political theory of the radical Reformation.

Genres: History, Religion, Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy

338 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1991

Reviews

[Micah]

The book contains excellent selections from the radicals prior to the actual emergence of distinct movements within the radical fringe (Spiritualists, Anabaptists, etc., though the inclusion of the Schleitheim Articles near the end could be marked as the essential emergence of Anabaptism as a movement). It is a fantastic method for gaining insight into the divisions that were rocking the radicals in the decade after the Protestant Reformation began. Interestingly, the selections also show the authors over time become more pronounced in their differences and more radical in their visions, so that by the time one arrives at Hans Hergot's piece at the very end, it is difficult not to be astounded with the breathtaking detail and stridency with which he predicts the "third age" of the Holy Spirit.

[Jeremy]

Read selections for my Luther class at Baylor with Dr. Whitford (Spring 2014).

Thomas Müntzer's Sermon to the Princes
15: fools (also pp. 20, 25?, 26)
17: resistance? (also pp. 28, 30-31)

Andreas Karlstadt's Letter from the Community of Orlamünde to the People of Allstedt
33: no violence against people, but violence against images
34-35: Israelites fled, but they also slaughtered

Andreas Karlstadt's Whether One Should Proceed Slowly
64-65: fools
65: did Martin Luther use this analogy? (a crazy mother lets her children go their own way—straight to the gallows)
66: Luther called Emser a goat
70: violet imagery (not like Müntzer though)

Thomas Müntzer's A Highly Provoked Defense
75: calls Luther a fool; "Doctor Liar" (pun on Luther's name)
78: foolish
80: resistance theory (also p. 93)
91: Reynard (cf. Aesop)
92: fools
94: Saul (Luther) vs. David (Müntzer)

Hans Denck's On the Law of God

Hans Hut's On the Mystery of Baptism

Michael Sattler's The Schleitheim Articles

Balthasar Hubmaier's On the Sword

[Brian]

This book brings together an excellent collection of reformers writings from the period of religious reformation where politics and religion were synonymous with each other. The topics are wide ranging from Muntzer to those who organized the peasants' revolt. Baylor provides a good introduction for each and in parts where the text are difficult adequate foot noting is provided. If you are looking for a good start to the primary sources of the Reformation you cannot do any better. This is a great classic also for those who are studying the early methods of political thought before it was easily defined liberalism under Hobbes and Locke.

[Jeremiah Gumm]

A valuable collection of writings from those "on the fringe" during the Reformation era in Europe. The writings demonstrate how wide and varied the social viewpoints and theological beliefs were of those lumped into "The Radical Reformation". A worthwhile companion for those studying the Reformation era.

[Louis Hensler]

In my opinion, an indispensable companion to the study of Luther's pamphlets concerning the Peasant Wars.