The Birth of Anabaptism: The Controversies between Zwingli's Students and Their Teacher — an Anabaptist Discourse

The Birth of Anabaptism: The Controversies between Zwingli's Students and Their Teacher — an Anabaptist Discourse

Vincent CP LAU

In the evening of January 21, 1525, less than eight years after the Reformation in 1517, a group of around a dozen male Christians in Zurich, Switzerland, who were mostly disciples of Ulrich Zwingli, the leader of Zurich Reformation, gathered in a house by the Lake Zurich. After praying altogether, they were touched by the Holy Spirit and they restored the practice of adult believer's baptism, which had disappeared for a thousand years. This is the birth of Anabaptism.

The purpose of this essay is to reconstruct the events (controversies) of the period from 1522 to early 1525 that led to the occurrence of the dialogues between Zwingli and his followers, namely, the struggle between the master and his radical disciples. As a matter of fact, these events were the underlying causes for the chasm between the two parties.

This essay is a historical and theological analysis which is divided into four parts: Firstly, the concept of Anabaptist is defined. Secondly, the personal information of Zwingli and the background of the Zurich Reformation are briefly introduced. Thirdly, the details and discrepancies of the controversies are discussed. Finally, the theological significance of the insistence of the radical disciples on the issues of church-state relations is analyzed.