Anabaptists and the Sword. by James M. StayerReview by: Robert G. ClouseThe Sixteenth Century Journal, Vol. 5, No. 2 (Oct., 1974), p. 124Published by: The Sixteenth Century JournalStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2539828 .

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124 The Sixteenth Century Journal

Anabaptists and the Sword. James M. Stayer. Lawrence, Kansas: Coronado Press, 1972. 375 pp. $10.00.

The Reformation radicals, the Anabaptists, have frequently puzzled his- torians by their oscillation between revolution and pacifism. Professor Stayer deals with this problem and in the course of his treatment provides scholars with a new and useful history of Anabaptism from 1525 to 1570. His credentials for this task are impressive since in addition to academic preparation he has had a life-long acquaintance with the Mennonites and Church of the Brethren. Al- though not accepting much of the Peace Church historiography he is still kind to the movement in his interpretations.

The book begins with an analysis of early Protestant teaching concerning the use of coercion by the state. Three positions, including the moderate apoliticism of Luther, the realpolitical outlook of Zwingli, and the apocalyptic crusade of Thomas Muntzer, are delineated. As he turns to the Anabaptists, Stayer reminds his readers that aside from sharing a few basic ideas and martyrs, the movement was far from unitary. To give coherence to the account, he discusses in turn the Swiss, the Upper German, and the Melchiorite groups.

The Swiss Brethren, especially under the leadership of Michael Sattler, evolved a radical apolitical pacifism which received a classic formulation in the Schleitheim Confession. However, Balthasar Hubmaier who was involved in the movement in South and Central Germany and Austria rejected this outlook and accepted a realpolitical use of the sword. His outlook did not continue, though, and the Anabaptists in this area such as the Hutterites accepted the nonresistant position. I

Anabaptism was carried to Northwest Germany and the Netherlands by Melchior Hoffman. A believer in an apoliticism that was similar to Luther's, he was a chiliastic zealot who preached with such enthusiasm that he aroused intense feelings among his persecuted followers. When Hoffman was imprisoned in Strassburg his movement came under the leadership of the unstable fanatic, Jan Matthijs. The Melchiorites came to power in Miinster and their revolutionary regime led to the famous seige of the city (1534-1535). Although the ideal of an apocalyptic crusade lived on among some Melchiorites, most northern Ana- baptists turned to David Joris or to Menno Simons for leadership. These men led them to a gradual acceptance of the nonresistant position.

Stayer concludes that "the essential qualities of the early Anabaptist teaching on the Sword were apoliticism and radicalism." He also adds that violence and nonresistance are not as unrelated as one might think, since both approaches share an illegitimate and radical outlook. Anabaptists and the Sword is a fine, scholarly work which deserves the attention of all those interested in the Protestant Reformation.

Robert G. Clouse Indiana State University

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