The Anabaptists

by Hans Jürgen-Goertz

The Anabaptists were at the radical, utopian edge of the Reformation, ruthlessly repressed by Catholic, Lutheran and secular authorities alike. Hans-Jurgen Goertz gives a comprehensive account of their political and religious significance, their views, and their social setting within the wider context of the Reformation. Particular attention is paid to the role and experience of women and of 'ordinary' Anabaptists in addition to those of the educated elite. Whilst the focus of the book is on Germany, extensive coverage is also given to Anabaptism in England, Switzerland, the Netherlands and elsewhere.
This English edition includes a new introduction which considers the historiographical context of the book. The opening chapter has also been expanded to include a section on the emergence of Anabaptism in England.
The Anabaptists has been fully revised since its publication in German, and takes account of the most recent historiography on the subject. It also includes a selection of primary sources together with a full listing of important Anabaptist works.

Genres: History

215 pages, Hardcover

First published November 8, 1996

Reviews

[Daniel Crouch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Goertz's project can be difficult for those most familiar with the work of Estep or otherwise convinced of the Anabaptists' nobility in martyrdom, but his analysis of the early years of the movement is convincing and strong.

[Daniel Rempel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job displaying the plurality of Anabaptist voices in the early years of the Radical Reformation. A must read for any student of early Anabaptism.