MennoNet.com

ohio jones wrote:

Heirbyadoption wrote:Have any of you on here ever delivered or participated in delivering a church history lecture (preferably somewhat Anabaptist focused)?

Mine have been mostly individual presentations on biography (Marpeck is a favorite, naturally), genealogy, or specific assigned subjects, rather than a comprehensive overview.

lesterb wrote:Unfortunately a lot of Mennonite people feel that he is the greatest thing since the invention of devilled eggs.

That's unfortunate; I would expect them to exorcise better judgment (or maybe they already have).

OhioJ, ever done a biography on Hubmaier or even Karlstadt?

Heirbyadoption wrote:OhioJ, ever done a biography on Hubmaier or even Karlstadt?

I've haven't, but probably could, do Hubmaier, though I prefer to give more exposure to those I have broader agreement with. Karlstadt would require more research, but he's an interesting guy in terms of the influence he had on a variety of branches of the reformation.

And how about old Uncle Erasmus?

Heirbyadoption wrote:

ohio jones wrote:

Heirbyadoption wrote:Have any of you on here ever delivered or participated in delivering a church history lecture (preferably somewhat Anabaptist focused)?

Mine have been mostly individual presentations on biography (Marpeck is a favorite, naturally), genealogy, or specific assigned subjects, rather than a comprehensive overview.

lesterb wrote:Unfortunately a lot of Mennonite people feel that he is the greatest thing since the invention of devilled eggs.

That's unfortunate; I would expect them to exorcise better judgment (or maybe they already have).

OhioJ, ever done a biography on Hubmaier or even Karlstadt?

Many many years ago I led a one evening study on Hubmaier. Probably the first public history talk I ever did.

Appleman-
How would you briefly define Hubmaier's theology and effect upon anabaptism?

Very briefly, his biggest contribution to Anabaptism was his teachings and writings on believer's baptism.

Many Anabaptists do not accept him totally as one of us today because he never came over to our way of thinking on non resistance and such. I tend to be a bit more charitable in that I tend to think that had he lived a few more years he may very well have seen the light on that as well.

When you think about how fast things were happening at the time, how big the changes were that were taking place at the time and how much those changes affected a man of his stature I am not at all surprised that he was not able to get every single detail right immediately.

Think about it this way. How accepted would a leader of his stature be accepted today that would proceed to make radical steps of that nature in that short a time? He certainly was not a peasant and I think we sometimes forget how much he gave up and needed to give up to make the changes he did.

Ultimately I like to remember him by the quote he made where he admitted that he as a man could error since he was just a man but that the Word of God was truth and always would remain so. As I stated, with that philosophy I like to think he would of got "Kingdom Christianity" right with time as well.

ohio jones wrote:

Heirbyadoption wrote:OhioJ, ever done a biography on Hubmaier or even Karlstadt?

I've haven't, but probably could, do Hubmaier, though I prefer to give more exposure to those I have broader agreement with. Karlstadt would require more research, but he's an interesting guy in terms of the influence he had on a variety of branches of the reformation.

Ohio, I wonder if I could ask you the same as I did Appleman, but in regards to Marpeck.

How would you briefly define Marpeck's theology and effect upon Anabaptism?

Heirbyadoption wrote:How would you briefly define Marpeck's theology and effect upon Anabaptism?

I see him as the servant leader of a maturing Anabaptist movement. After the dust settled from the martyrdom of the early founders, a steady hand was needed to guide the newly formed churches through the maze of theological options and opinions.

In relation to the Reformed, Lutheran, and Catholic theologians, he defended the Anabaptist views of baptism, communion, and church-state relations and distinguished them from other streams of thought.

In relation to other Anabaptists, he avoided the excesses of apocalypticism and mystical pietism, defining a responsible, pacifist, evangelical Anabaptism while working for unity among various groups.

In relation to Menno, he avoided the strange Christology and overly strict discipline that tarnish his otherwise exemplary work.

… all the while living in and working for city-states that regarded his views heretical but needed his engineering expertise.

… all the while living in and working for city-states that regarded his views heretical but needed his engineering expertise.

I always got a kick out of this.

ohio jones wrote:

Heirbyadoption wrote:How would you briefly define Marpeck's theology and effect upon Anabaptism?

I see him as the servant leader of a maturing Anabaptist movement. After the dust settled from the martyrdom of the early founders, a steady hand was needed to guide the newly formed churches through the maze of theological options and opinions.

In relation to the Reformed, Lutheran, and Catholic theologians, he defended the Anabaptist views of baptism, communion, and church-state relations and distinguished them from other streams of thought.

In relation to other Anabaptists, he avoided the excesses of apocalypticism and mystical pietism, defining a responsible, pacifist, evangelical Anabaptism while working for unity among various groups.

In relation to Menno, he avoided the strange Christology and overly strict discipline that tarnish his otherwise exemplary work.

… all the while living in and working for city-states that regarded his views heretical but needed his engineering expertise.

Good summary.

I agree that Anabaptism owns Marpeck a great debt. He has always been one of my primary Anabaptist heroes.