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The Reformation

Beginnings in Switzerland

There are a few other places where one might begin, but Switzerland is perhaps the best choice. By 1524, the reformers in Zürich, followers of Ulrich Zwingli, were much concerned with the question of baptism. As Bible scholars, they could find no reference to infant baptism, and all they read pointed toward adult baptism after a spiritual conversion. For some, this accorded closely with their own experiences, but they had all grown up with the Catholic view and had been themselves baptized as infants, and there were a number of strong arguments in favor of infant baptism.

Some in 1524 began to refuse to have their children baptized. When the city council ordered it, they openly refused. In January 1525, the question was debated with Zwingli and others. The Anabaptists were led by Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and Wilhelm Reublin. Zwingli would not budge, adn the dissidents were again ordered to baptize their children or face banishment from the city.

A few days later, on 21 January 1525, Conrad Grebel baptized George Blaurock (an ex-priest), who in turn baptized fifteen others who were assembled in a private home. They then celebrated the Lord's Supper as a memorial service (the mass was still being celebrated in Zürich), and a new community of believers was formed.

This little break-away group began evangelizing in the surrounding villages after they had fled Zürich. The city tried to clamp down, but met with resistance in some of the villages. This was at a time that the Peasants Revolt was in full bloom in Germany, immediately to the north. Various leaders were imprisoned at times, some suffering torture and some staging daring escapes.

The city council in March 1526 ordered captured Anabaptists be drowned. In November of that year, the city went further, threatening with death those who even listened to Anabaptist preachers.

In January 1527, a number of Anabaptist leaders were captured. With Zwingli's full knowledge and approval, Manz was tied to a hurdle and thrown into the Limmat River. Blaurock was beaten through the streets and driven into exile. Many others fled or went into hiding. We hear little of Anabaptists after this date.

Blaurock went to the Tyrol, where he met with some success. He was captured and burned in 1529, but the Tyrol became an Anabaptist stronghold. Jakob Huter was Blaurock's successor. He fled to Moravia later, where he founded the Hutterites.