I Wish I'd Been There . . .

MHB readers respond to the question: What is the one event in Anabaptist-Mennonite history you wish you could have witnessed -- and Why?

Hübmaier v. Zwingli

by Arnold W. Cressman

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I wish I could have seen the face of Zwingli at the Fraumünster back there in 1525. It was December the 29th, on a Friday, which was a regular congregational meeting. The town was abuzz with the word that the great Dr. Balthasar Hübmaier was to read a recantation of his views, in favor of the views that Zwingli promoted on infant baptism.

We need a little background. Balthasar Hübmaier had probably been a peasant boy who discovered rather late in life that he had great academic gifts. Lacking finances, his education started late. When he did get into the academic circle, he advanced rapidly. He studied under the great Dr. John Eck, a noted Catholic theologian. Balthasar Hübmaier rapidly made his way through the university, met all his requirements in a very short period of time, got his doctor's degree, and was invited to become the main preacher at the noted Catholic cathedral in Regensburg. There he became the congregation's beloved preacher. He had many friends and hardly any enemies. He was noted also for setting up in Regensburg a sort of cathedral to which people would come to be healed, and many miracles were purported to have been performed. In his heyday, after only a few years, Hübmaier suddenly left town. He became a popular preacher at a little church in Waldshut, just north of Zürich. People poured in from some distance to hear him preach. Waldshut, however, was in the Austrian Empire.

During this time he did what Menno Simons had done: he began to study the New Testament. He studied particularly the epistles of Paul. And like Menno, he discovered that he had been misled. The Bible did not say what the Catholic church said it did. He became disillusioned, and tried even harder to discover the truth, especially on the matter of infant baptism. He discovered that there was not a word of affirmation for this Catholic doctrine. So he began rejecting it.

After King Ferdinand, the head of the Austrian Empire, had put down the Peasants' Revolts in 1525, he was then free to concentrate on cleaning up the "heresy" in his kingdom. Dr. Balthasar Hübmaier was obviously a threat. Hübmaier had been re-baptized as an adult by William Reublin, who was one of the earliest Anabaptists. Hübmaier, in turn, baptized 300 people from the congregation at Waldshut and then 60 more a little later. These inroads of the "heretical" religion had to be stopped, as far as Ferdinand was concerned. Waldshut was the place he intended to start. He descended with his army on the town.

Hübmaier had so little time to leave that he had no organized plans. He and his wife made their way to Zürich, no safe place, but at least he avoided the war which followed. Waldshut was totally defeated. Within a few days it was discovered that Hübmaier was in the city of Zürich. Thus Zwingli's mortal enemy, right under his feet, was found, incarcerated and punished. Hübmaier requested a disputation on the question of infant baptism versus adult baptism. Surprisingly, this was granted.

Zwingli debated Hübmaier but he was surprised by the fact that Hübmaier took an unusual approach to the debate. He had done his homework well. He noted the times, places and the exact content of what Zwingli had said earlier on the subject of adult baptism. In earlier times Zwingli was in favor of adult baptism. Now he had compromised simply to satisfy the city council. It is certain that people with some intellectual savvy would have noticed that Zwingli was totally discomfited in this theological duel. In any case, the town council, as expected, declared Zwingli the winner. And Hübmaier was asked to write a statement of recantation and to sign it. He was also to promise to read it before the city council, and before the congregation at the Fraumünster church, and later he was to read it to the congregation at Grüningen. All this Hübmaier agreed to do, because he had tendencies toward depression and discouragement. Now he felt totally devastated.

So the day was set--January 29. The congregation had been informed that the great Dr. Hübmaier would be reading a recantation statement. This would prove that Zwingli had been right all along. It should be noted in terms of theological excellence, Hübmaier was equal to Luther, and had far more finesse. This Nab was the Anabaptists' theological Goliath. And here he was asked to read a recantation. Hübmaier himself admitted that one of his weaknesses was the fear of bodily pain.

So the moment arrived. Zwingli stood in the main pulpit. Hübmaier was brought to stand behind a smaller podium. Certainly one could see on the face of Zwingli the gloating of success that an athlete demonstrates just when he knows that he is about to win a match. Instead, something altogether different happened. Hübmaier laid aside his prepared recantation, and recanted the recantation. He spoke ad lib with deep emotion, saying, "Oh, what anguish and travail I have suffered this night over the statements which I myself have made. So I say here and now, I can't and will not recant." He then proceeded to defend believers' baptism.

Zwingli, totally discombobulated, his face red from embarrassment and anger, tried his best to quell the uproar. Balthasar Hübmaier was hustled off to the Wellenberg prison. He was kept in prison for some time. His torture included the rack. For some reason he was released. Hübmaier and his wife traveled east to Moravia, which was about the only oasis of tolerance still left in the persecuting world at that time.

But how I wish I could have seen Zwingli's face, when after setting up everything for his own purposes and glory, he was discomfited by a theologian greater than himself.

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Mennonite Historical Bulletin, July, 1997