Calvin and the Anabaptist Radicals

by Willem Balke, Adolf von Harnack

The book has many fine features..... Dr. Balke has done thorough research on his subject and presented its results in an excellent combination of chronological review and systematic analysis. The principal significance of this book, however, is that it vindicates and in a sense rehabilitates John Calvin over against the Anabaptists, and does so without perpetuating the unfair criticism of the Anabaptists which was prevalent for a long time. The treatment is fair, balanced, and firm, and of genuine historical value. John H. Kromminga, President, Calvin Theological Seminary

Genres: Theology

350 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1982

Reviews

[Joshua]

A comprehensive study of Calvin's contact with and responses to the anabaptist and radical groups of the 16th century. Allowing Calvin speak for himself, Balke mines various editions of the Institutes, along with Calvin's commentaries, treatises, sermons, and letters to reveal major differences between Calvin and the anabaptists, concerning not only the sacraments, but church order and discipline, state and society, hermeneutics, eschatology, and other theological issues.

Calvin's theology was articulated not only in response to Rome but also in response to these radical protestants, from whom Calvin and other reformers vocally and forcefully distanced themselves. Yet despite his sharp tone toward these groups, Calvin did distinguish between peaceful anabaptists and violent and subversive revolutionaries, and personally persuaded several in the former camp to join the reformed churches. He was even sympathetic to the anabaptist concern for moral purity and consistent discipline in the church, but considered their separatism and rigorism dangerous and foolishly ignorant of the nature of the church as a mixed body in this present age.

In his zeal to combat the radicals, Calvin also shows himself a man of his time, dishing out plenty of invective against his opponents. He also approved of violence to deal with the radicals at times, though when able to influence civil sanctions, he often recommended banishment (however, Calvin did not write the law code of cities like Geneva; in this era, it was common to treat theological deviancy as a social and civil threat).

Balke's work shows Calvin to be a remarkably consistent theologian over the years, a careful thinker who avoided reactionary and perfectionistic extremes (e.g. pacifism, anarchism, disciplinarianism, etc), a skilled rhetorician who eloquently defended the reformation cause, and above all a devout churchman who employed both polemics and persuasion in the service of the truth.

[Todd Bryant]

This is a book I wish I had read 25 years ago. I came from a faith tradition which unhesitatingly claimed to be direct descendants of the Anabaptists. In fact, they made Anabaptists to be no different from modern day Baptists. As per usual, history is not nearly so clean. The tradition I was brought up in also alleged that a major focus of Calvin was the persecution (and slaughter) of Anabaptists (again, supposedly Baptists). Again, historical proof is lacking—at least in the way I was taught.

Calvin did oppose the Anabaptists and certainly interacted with their doctrinal arguments. But—to even suggest that modern day Baptists are directly descended from Anabaptists is to lump ourselves in with a group that had significant doctrinal deviations. It should be noted that not all Anabaptists were the same—there was wide variance between different groups. The radicals in Münster were on the other end of the spectrum from the pacifism that so dominated the movement. But the Anabaptists were so opposed to government, that most would not allow a government official to be a member of their church.

Other theological issues widely accepted among Anabaptists range from a belief in perfectionism to soul sleep to a misunderstanding of the humanity of Jesus. And it was along these lines (and others) that Calvin wrote so strongly against the sect.

I found myself agreeing with Calvin oftentimes in this book as he critiqued the Anabaptist movement. However, I sided with the Anabaptists on believers baptism and the new covenant making the old covenant obsolete. Calvin obviously opposed those positions as well.

This book is worthwhile—particularly if you believe (or at least were taught) that Anabaptist = Baptist. That is simply an untenable position in light of their own writings.

[Derek Kempa]

Uma pesquisa histórica profunda. Por vezes repetitiva, devido a metodologia do trabalho e as muitas citações.