This week we focus on Dr. Balthasar Hubmaier, the only Anabaptist leader who had studied theology at the university level. Balthasar Hubmaier was born in Friedberg in the Bavarian region of Germany around 1480. He entered the University of Freiburg in May of 1503, but had to defer for a time due to lack of funds. He returned to the university in 1507 and received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees by 1511. After finishing, he left to study for his Doctorate degree at the University of Ingolstadt, where he met the famous defender of the Catholic faith, Johann Eck, and served at vice-rector. In 1516, Hubmaier took the pastorate position at the Catholic Church in Regensburg. He remained here for 5 years and became well-known for his skills as a preacher. Balthasar’s change from Catholic to Anabaptist began around 1522 when he became acquainted with such people as Erasmus and Heinrich Glarean (Conrad Grebel’s teacher). He had been chosen by the people of Waldshut to be their priest, but found small town life boring, leading him to correspond with the likes of these men. By the time he met Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich, he had taken the side of the reformers and stood for the sufficiency and authority of the Scriptures during the disputation held that October. When Hubmaier returned to Waldshut, his change in theology did not go unnoticed by the Catholic authorities who did not like his call for reform of the church. The city council defended Hubmaier and disregarded orders to surrender him to the Bishop of Constance. During this time Austria was at war with France (thus they did not have the resources to follow through on any threat made towards Waldshut), and the matter was dropped after the council wrote a letter insisting Hubmaier’s innocence. In 1524, Balthasar followed those in Zurich and called for a disputation in his city. This disputation differed from the ones in Zurich in that the pubic was not invited and there was no real debate. Instead, Hubmaier presented his Achtzehn Schlußreden (Eighteen Theses) which were not totally Anabaptist in doctrine, but pointed in that direction with the last thesis reading. “Just as every Christian believes and is baptized for himself, so should each one judge from Scripture whether he is being properly nourished by his pastor.” Overall these theses showed Hubmaier’s commitment to the Word, and “Faith Alone” theology. The Austrian government at Innsbrook ordered an attack on Waldshut in July of 1524. The attack was postponed due to the last of resources and Waldshut’s occupation of peasants ready to revolt against the oppressive monarchy; this was known as the Peasant’s War in which Hubmaier played an active role and is believed to have written many texts related to the conflict. Fearing that he had caused trouble for the people of Waldshut, Hubmaier left the city and fled to Schaffhausen in Switzerland. While here, he wrote “On Heretics and Those Who Burn Them” which he address to Brother Anthony, the vicar at Constance, and attacked the papacy, and pointing out the heresies of the Catholic system. It is important to note that Hubmaier acknowledged the existence of heretics but argued against persecuting them, using Matthew 13 (the parable of the wheat and the tares) as a model for action against heretics. At the end of October, Balthasar returned to Waldshut (after stopping in Zurich to speak with Zwingli) and the people celebrated with a parade and destroyed images, statues, and chalices from the churches to show their support of his calls for reform.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Jun 2013 15:10:23 +0000
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