Early Anababtists

by Eberhard Arnold, Hutterian Brethren Staff (Editor)

Unpretentious but pithy, this little volume places Anabaptism in its historical and spiritual context. In doing so, it sets forth an old but intriguing the true church has always existed somewhere, albeit driven underground at times, and not always identifiable. The main point of Arnold's address is not so much to support a theory of historical continuity, but to demonstrate that the spirit of the apostolic era has never completely disappeared.

59 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Eberhard was born in Königsberg, East Prussia into an academic family. He studied theology but, because of his views on infant baptism and his decision to leave the Lutheran church, he was refused his degree. He changed majors to philosophy. He married Emmy von Hollander and together they dedicated their lives in obedience to God’s will. This led to the beginning of community in 1920.

Eberhard was criticized for his uncompromising faith, which cost him many friends. Not wanting to form a separate sect, he always sought out others who felt as he did. This led to a year’s trip to North America (1930-31) to visit the Hutterites. He was accepted as a minister and the Bruderhof became part of the larger Hutterian movement.

When Hitler came to power in 1933 Eberhard spoke out clearly, recognizing early on the direction German politics were taking. He spent the last years of his life preparing the Brotherhood for possible persecution. Returning from a visit to government authorities in October 1933, he slipped and broke his leg—a complicated fracture which ultimately led to his death.

Reviews

[Denise Kettering · Rating 3 out of 5]

This brief volume gives an introduction to the medieval Waldensian movement as a forerunner to the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century, providing a way to connect the Anabaptists to earlier streams within Christianity. The focus is predominantly on the Zurich reform, including the relationship between key figures like Zwingli, Grebel, and Blaurock. This was originally given as a lecture and so it is quite short, but it can be a good starting place for those interested in learning more about Anabaptist origins as it can easily be read in an hour.