Complete Writings of Alexander Mack

by William Eberly (Editor)

For the first time, all the writings of Alexander Mack Sr., the founder of the Brethren movement in Germany in 1708, are available in a single publication. These include the two largest books, Basic Questions (1715) and Rights and Ordinances (1715), which are well known and have been reprinted, but they have not been available for many years. Also included are a short tract or letter issued by the Brethren in 1708 and Mack's letter to Count Charles August in 1711. Two translations of Mack's hymn, Count the Cost (13 verses), are included, as well as a modem musical setting of the hymn. Some manuscript notes on blank pages of his personal Bible complete the collection of all known writings of Mack. A short biography of Mack is included, as well as a comprehensive bibliography of all known writings about Mack's works.

120 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 1991

Reviews

[Ruthie Oberg]

Alexander Mack is my grandfather - a few generations back. I bought this for my son so he could have the advice from an ancestor from the 17th century.

[Spencer]

Alexander Mack was a later baptist leader in the "new baptists" or "Schwarzenau brethren" after the so-named "Anabaptist" movements in Europe and the General and Particular baptists in England. Mack is an interesting figure. This small volume speaks of the interesting nature of this other baptist movement:

(1) Practical over theological: These baptists were not particularly theological. They were trinitarian and christological, but their doctrines were primarily expressed in the practices they reflected on: baptism, the ban, communion, marriage, etc. His primary concern is baptism, which is offers the longest treatise on. Mack is a full fledged immersion baptist in a way that previous anabaptists were not.
(2) Marriage: one will immediately note the bizarre convictions on marriage these baptist told. The seemed highly experimental and were willing to admit to that.
(3) Inward/Outward: Mack is similar to many anabaptists where he is skeptical of ritualism and sacramentalism. There is an inner heart change that God mysteriously endows that is not necessarily attached to outward actions. It is only from the inward that the outward is meaningful. He recommends Scripture be read in a complementary fashion between outward letter and inner spirit.
(4) Purity: their regard for correct practice comes from a deep seated concern for separateness. I do not share their enthusiasm for the ban or separating the love feast from communion. I think Scripture and early Christianity sees the love feast as the Lord's Supper (as an open meal of the Christian community with sinners where the last supper events were recited, prefigured with Christ religiously feasting with sinners).
(5) Ecumenism: The more novel and experimental interpretations of this community led it to an interesting ecumenical humility. Their were not interested in being "the true church" merely one community trying to live a best as possible in a Christ-like way. They recognized the possibility of inherent diversity within Christianity.
(6) Ultimate redemption: Mack had no qualms saying that he how intentionally rejects Christ will be "eternally separated" from God, yet there seems to be the notion that all will be saved. In two small paragraphs he seems to suggest that the passages that indicate being punished "for ever and ever" are conditional possibilities or warnings rather than strict predictions. At any rate, he only say such discussion on universal redemption as profitable for the spiritually mature, thus, practically, did not see any use in teaching universalism.

[Denise Kettering]

This book provides the limited writings of Alexander Mack, the founder of the Brethren movement. There is a helpful introduction to the material and to Mack himself. The writings shed light on the earliest concerns of the Brethren and what sorts of things people understood correctly or incorrectly about the early Brethren. The introduction comes directly from "The Brethren Encyclopedia," but does provide a brief biographical note about Mack's early life, the influence of radical Pietists on Mack's thinking, his study of the Bible, his decision to be baptized, leadership of the early Brethren movement, and the migration to America. The actual documents varied in form and intent. The first is an open letter written to other Pietists about the Schwarzenau group's decision to baptize by immersion. The second document is a letter by Mack in an attempt to intercede fro a widow and her daughter. The third and fourth documents are treatises explaining beliefs and practices of the early Brethren. The final document is the hymn "Count the Cost." There are slight differences in translation from some other versions, but overall this is a solid collection.