Sermon to the Princes

by Thomas Müntzer, Wu Ming (Editor)

Thomas Müntzer was a radical pastor frustrated by the Reformation. He believed that Martin Luther’s stand against the Church did not go far enough and demanded the realization of the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. To that end, in 1524 he lead the Peasants’ War in Germany, an insurrection that culminated in his brutal execution. Gathered here, along with Müntzer’s final confession, are some of his key rousing sermons attacking the princes and preaching an early form of communism.

Wu Ming, the Italian authors’ collective, brought the Radical Reformation to life in their bestselling novel Q (written under the pseudonym Luther Blissett). In an introduction, they examine how Müntzer has continued to inspire visionaries and radicals for the last 500 years.

Genres: Religion, History, Politics, Nonfiction, Christianity, Theology

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 13, 1524

About the author

Thomas Müntzer (ca. 1489 – 27 May 1525) was a German preacher and theologian of the early Reformation whose opposition to both Luther and the established Catholic church led to his open defiance of late-feudal authority in central Germany. Müntzer was foremost amongst those reformers who took issue with Luther’s compromises with feudal authority. He became a leader of the German peasant and plebeian uprising of 1525, was captured after the battle of Frankenhausen, and was tortured and executed.
Few other figures of the German Reformation have raised so much controversy, which continues to this day, as Müntzer. A complex and unique figure in history, he is now regarded as a highly significant player in the early years of the German Reformation and also in the history of European revolutionaries. Almost all modern studies of Müntzer stress the necessity of understanding his revolutionary actions as a consequence of his theology: Müntzer believed that the end of the world was imminent and that it was the task of the true believers to aid God in ushering in a new era of history. Within the history of the Reformation, his contribution – especially in liturgy and Biblical exegesis – was of substance, but remains undervalued.

Reviews

[Philemon Schott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bewertung gilt nur für die Fürstenpredigt. Münzer gibt sich hier als zweiter Daniel, der die Fürsten dazu aufruft, gewaltvoll die Gottlosen abzuschlachten, womit er andere Fürsten und Geistliche meint. Ich hab noch keine Sekundärliteratur dazu gelesen, muss ich dazu sagen. Das einzige Positive hieran sind einzelne Stellen, wo er sich auf die Armen bezieht und ihnen Deutungsmacht zuschreibt. Letztlich ist es aber ein Aufruf und eine biblische Rechtfertigung zur Gewalt. Wilder Read, weils erst nur um Danielauslegung und Träume ging und dann diesen krassen Turn gemacht hat.

[Scriptor Ignotus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reformers were never ones to mince words. Luther is well known for the abrasiveness of his writings, but the sermons of Thomas Muntzer are every bit his match in harshness, and he directed them at Luther himself as well as at the clerical hierarchy of the church. On page 2 of this compendium, he is referring to the "donkey-cunt doctor[s] of theology" who fail to appreciate the way in which the Holy Spirit speaks to all of the elect, rather than only to trained authorities on the scriptures. He denounces the worldliness of the church and the moderate reformers, portraying their attachment to earthly goods and property as a form of idolatry; one that separates them from the full spiritual power of the Gospel.

He writes of Luther on pg. 78-79:

"Luther, the poor flatterer, wants to conceal himself beneath a false kindness of Christ that is contrary to the text of Paul, 1 Timothy 1. He says in his booklet on commerce that the princes should make common cause with thieves and robbers. But in this same writing he is silent about the source of all theft. He is a herald who wants to earn thanks through the shedding of the people's blood for the sake of temporal goods - which God has certainly not intended. Behold, the basic source of usury, theft, and robbery is our lords and princes, who take all creatures for their private property. The fish in the water, the birds in the air, the animals of the earth must all be their property, Isaiah 5. And then they let God's commandment go forth among the poor and they say, 'God has commanded, "Thou shalt not steal."' But this commandment does not apply to them since they oppress all men - the poor peasant, the artisan, and all who live are flayed and sheared, Micah 3. But, as soon as anyone steals the smallest thing, he must hang. And to this Doctor Liar says, 'Amen.'"

This is really extraordinary primary source material on the radical reformation. I thought the introduction by Wu Ming was kind of silly and pretentious, to be honest, but when Muntzer himself is allowed to speak, we are given a fascinating glimpse of a world most people nowadays know nothing about. Too often today, religion is painted as an ideology of backwardness and oppression by its critics, and a source of infinite truth and light by its apologists. These are mere cliches. Religion is an entire world, a universe of its own, where revolutionaries and reactionaries alike have played intricate games of theological language.

Anyone who thinks flag-draped American evangelicalism is a good representation of what Christianity has been throughout western history would have their perspective radically altered by reading the likes of Muntzer. This is like a bucket of ice water to dump on Michelle Bachmann's head.

[6655321 · Rating 4 out of 5]

ok, so like, i get that there is a lot of differing interpretations of Muntzer especially re: what sort of historical category of revolution his peasant uprising should be placed in; but like, the most interesting part of the book is Toscano's description of Muntzer, most of Muntzer's writing really requires you to have a reference bible (because he tends to like a lot of Ministers repeatedly cite scripture by book chapter:verse but assume that one knows what he is talking about) and he also espouses some deeply xenophobic & religiously intolerant beliefs. So like, my "4 stars" are mostly for this being a well put together volume with some context given to the writing, its like a less monotonous version of "the cheese and the worms" by Carlo Ginzberg & such. If yr like, really into Engel's writing on peasant wars or something this is probably like, a book you have to have cause it gives i guess some primary documents to what Engel's is describing or w/e but like, mostly its a curiosity for those who are really into millenarian religious movements and anabaptist movements?

[Shulamith Farhi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Müntzer is a tricky one. I will first criticize his theology and then comment on what, if anything, can be salvaged from his politics.

Müntzer is an entirely mediocre theologian. He is an unashamed antisemite. His extreme skepticism towards natural reason is risible; you know that scientists don't need revelation to prove stuff, right? He believes that it is necessary to suffer and detach oneself from the world in order to be virtuous; you know that the hypertrophy of your inner life isn't something to brag about, right? He thinks spirit is only felt directly and discounts all mediation; you know that you can't be a Christian unless you think humanity needed a mediator, right? His interpretations of Daniel, Zacharias and Mary are mildly interesting but definitively lacking in originality. Fans of apocalyptic theology would be better served reading Joachim of Fiore.

His politics are historically significant, though I confess I am largely unimpressed by Marxist attempts to portray him as a precursor to communism. 'Omnia sunt communis' is not a socialist slogan, it is the basic principle children learn at kindergarten. Sorry Engels/Kautsky/Bloch, but reducing communism to "sharing is caring" is embarrassing for everyone involved. The rubric of 'utopian socialism' is too vague to be useful if we simply appeal to Engels' original formulation. If your politics amounts to affirming plebs against elites you are a populist, not a socialist. Nonetheless, we shouldn't sneer at utopian populists; they can't teach us anything of substance but they are undeniably skilled at rhetoric. From Müntzer, we learn that unnecessary subtlety is a strictly dominated strategy. The masses like scatological playground insults, and we can't be afraid of vulgarity if we want our ideas (which hopefully aren't just an artfully arranged pile of quotations of biblical prophecy) to be warmly received. Come for the poop jokes, stay for the materialist dialectics.

[Brumaire Bodbyl-Mast · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, more poetic translation of a few of Müntzer’s writings, which are absolutely a delight to read. His righteous and unforgiving style boils the blood in one’s veins, and really does not have any comparable modern counterpart.

[Bevan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably about a 3.5 but gets bumped up because of the insults and creative theology. The passages on identifying God-given visions are very interesting.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Particularly enjoyed the intro by Wu Ming (AKA Luther Blissett). Would recommend this text to all wannabe anabaptists.

[June · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part of the Verso "Revolutions" series...I like a good series...(you can order them all as a set from Amazon for about $50)From the series intro: This essential new series features classic texts by key figures that took center stage during a period of insurrection. Each boook is introduced by a major contemporary radical writer who shows how these incendiary words still have the power to inspire, to provoke and maybe to ignite new revolutions..." Well, the speeches of Muntzer might inspire me to be more charitable, but the speeches chosen for this book mostly inspire me to hate Jews and "Turks" and quote a lot of scripture to support whatever paranoid tanget I'm espousing...According to the intro, Muntzer preached "an early form of communism," but I think they picked the wrong speeches...

[Rui Coelho · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad as theology or politics, but it pales in comparisson to the radical sermons of Hus.

[Dusan · Rating 5 out of 5]

exceptional introduction from Wu Ming collective on how to be a vanguard of social change. this is important book pointing where the Reformation might have gone. good accompanying text to Luther Blisset Q.