Weaverzercher wellconceived, wellwritten, and wellresearched, martyrs mirror is a terrific book and an absolute pleasure to read. They live on as those who have been resurrected and are part of the contemporary cloud of witnesses in the fellowship of the church today. Jan luyken, the martyrs mirror, and the iconography of suffering sarah covington abstract. First published in holland in 1660, it documents the stories and testimonies of christian martyrs, especially anabaptist. The first scholarly history of the iconic anabaptist text. For more than 200 years, martyrs mirror published in 1660 was the primary source for information about the martyrs of the 16thcentury anabaptist movement.
When the name jan luiken is mentioned in anabaptist circles, most think of his brilliant etchings in the martyrs mirror. In some conservative and old order households, it provides a beloved. Hans hut is said to have brought more people into early anabaptism than all the other anabaptist evangelists of his time put together. In its first generation, converts submitted to a second baptism, which was a crime punishable by death under the legal codes of the time. Two of the young men in zwinglis bible study group were conrad grebel, whose father was a member of zurichs great council, and felix manz, a bright young greek scholar. It may be recalled here that it was comparatively easy for the catchpolls to ascertain who was and who was not an anabaptist.
Mennonite library and archives martyrs mirror images. The story of hans brael, anabaptist martyr hans brael is one of the great anabaptist martyrs of the 16th century. The immediate issue creating the anabaptist movement was not just baptism, however, but also civil government. The full title of the book is the bloody theater or martyrs mirror of. Translated into german in 174849 at ephrata, pennsylvania, it contained a massive 1,512 pages.
The seventeenth century book martyrs mirror told the gripping story of anabaptist persecution in europe. Pdf martyrs mirror ebooks includes pdf, epub and kindle. Just as some ministers recommend that van braghts text grace every household, martyrs mirror. Martyrs mirror, originally written in 1660, is a very old and significant book for anabaptist christians this book was an attempt to collect together all faithful and holy christian martyrs who have died for christian faith and ideals throughout 17 centuries, their names and what has remained of their lifestories and views and teachings. In its first generation, converts submitted to a second baptism. Martyrs mirrors lancaster mennonite historical society. This book tells both about the illustrator of martyr s mirror and a number of the martyrs featured in the larger text. Martyrs mirror, originally written in 1660, is a very old and significant book for anabaptist christians. Bluffton university will host grace to you and peace. Since its publication more than three centuries ago, the martyrs mirror has been a steady source of inspiration and renewal among many anabaptist mennonite groups, especially those in the swiss and south german tradition. Jan 25, 2018 although he is known predominantly in todays anabaptist communities for his iconic etchings in the martyrs mirror by thieleman j. Approximately 2,500 anabaptists were martyred in sixteenth and early seventeenthcentury europe. Jan luyken, the martyrs mirror, and the iconography of suffering.
The martyrs mirror is still a beloved book among amish and mennonites. Handbook of denominations in the united states by frank s. Hans brael is one of the great anabaptist martyrs of the 16th century. However, there may have been confusion about what his baptism at least some of the times it was done by making the sign of the tau on the forehead may have meant to the recipient. Braght and accused him of omitting a large number of anabaptists who were. Voices of the martyrs, by wendy chappelldick and the anabaptist singers at 4 p. Book 2 focuses on anabaptist martyrs, but book 1 is just as shocking and details the martyrdoms of christians from the first century all the way up into the middle ages.
Anabaptist women as martyrs, models of courage, and. This 1748 edition of the martyrs mirror was printed at the. Anabaptist martyrs in europe ecumenics and quakers. With jakobs entrance into ministry, anabaptist groups in tyrol found a leader to galvanize them in the face of growing persecution. Four hundred seventy years ago the anabaptist movement was launched with the inauguration of believers baptism and the formation of the first congregation of the. Excerpts from the book, mennonites in europe by john horsch note. The anabaptist and calvinist martyrbooks together list 110 victims.
Stories of courage, inspiringly retold, of 16th century anabaptists who gave their lives for their faith robert s. On the same day manz was martyred, blaurock was mercilessly beaten in zurich and expelled from that city. Gutjahr, indiana university, author of the book of mormon. While book 1 documents martyrdoms that predate the founding of anabaptism, the martyrs it covers are thought to have had beliefs similar to anabaptists. Just as the founders of the mennonite faith used wellknown secular tunes to share. So that future generations of anabaptists, as well as all christians, would not forget these martyrs, van braght preserved many of their stories in the martyrs mirror, including two that will be summarized here. This book tells both about the illustrator of martyrs mirror and a number of the martyrs featured in the larger text. The martyrs mirror differs from foxes book of martyrs in that it only includes those martyrs which were considered nonresistant, while foxes book does not include many anabaptist martyrs. His depiction of the martyr dirk willems may be the most famous, appearing on book covers, adapted artwork, and even secular psychology textbooks. Containing writings from the most important contributors to anabaptist and mennonite thought, including john howard yoder, harold s. Concerning john foxes book of martyrs of 1559, see john foxe.
Weaverzerchers new social history of the martyrs mirror addresses the production and reception history of this martyrology among anabaptist groups from the early modern period to the twentyfirst century. In 1562 a collection of anabaptist martyr songs was published, entitled, a songbook of sacrifices for the lord. This book was an attempt to collect together all faithful and holy christian martyrs who have died for christian faith and ideals throughout 17 centuries, their names and what has remained of their lifestories and views and teachings. Martyrs mirror has shaped the anabaptist tradition more powerfully than any book besides the bible. Since the late 19th century, however, researchers have spent a lot of time digging through the archives of europe and uncovering new information. Martyrs mirror remains a tool of revival, offering new life to the communities and people who read it by revitalizing anabaptist ideals and values.
A common way of executing the anabaptists was to throw them in the river thereby drowning them in the same rivers in which they had been baptized. Krauss recognizes that a focus on anabaptist persecution can encourage attitudes of selfrighteousness among contemporary mennonites and may seem to be at odds with his commitment to ecumenical dialogue. Weaverzerchers masterful new history of thieleman j. A biography an ambitious and unprecedented undertaking, this book brings together an accessible summary of scholarship about the martyrs mirror with fresh interviews and comments from diverse anabaptist groups. Anabaptist women as martyrs, models of courage, and tools. These arent intended to be high enough quality for print or other reproduction. The first anabaptistmennonite martyr book is the important dutch. Anabaptist and mennonite studies collection 16 vols. The movements most distinctive tenet was adult baptism. Anabaptist martyrs in italy italy sixteenthcentury sources contain many references to anabaptism in italy, and later observers, among them karl benrath,have assumed an organic connection between swiss or german taufer and italian congregations. Spanish inquisition pictures and explanations, engravings of torture and executions under spanish occupation of holland and belgium in the century, from martyrs mirror. The complex legacy of the martyrs mirror among mennonites. This is intended as a reference set of the jan luiken 16491712 etchings in the martyrs mirror. As luxenbergs work has only recently been published we must await its scholarly assessment before we can pass any judgements.
Weaverzercher has a knack for highlighting conflicts and dramas associated with the texts history. Martyrs mirror holds a diverse legacy among presentday anabaptists. The martyr tradition of anabaptism influences the way that amish and other descendants view their place in the world today. The book shines a mirror on ordinary people who experienced a spiritual reality that few today can even imagine. The first story is about hans bret, a young baker, who was the sole support of his widowed mother, also an anabaptist, in antwerp in the netherlands. Anabaptist, from greek ana, again member of a fringe, or radical, movement of the protestant reformation and spiritual ancestor of modern baptists, mennonites, and quakers. A social history belongs in the repertoire of all historically minded anabaptists, a mirror from our troubled past onto this uncertain present. These stories, including those of michael sattler, elizabeth dirks, and dirk willems, reflect a crosssection of the thousands of men and women who lost their lives because of their faith during the 16th century. Martyrs mirror, the classic 1660 dutch religious history, memorializes the godly lives and glorious deaths of thousands of early christians, especially european anabaptist martyrs between 1524 and 1660. Martyrs mirror or the bloody theater, first published in holland in 1660 in dutch by thieleman j. Meticulously researched and illustrated with sketches from early publications of martyrs mirror, weaverzerchers ambitious history weaves together the existing scholarship on this iconic text in.
With the exception of antwerp no other city in belgium had as long a list of anabaptist martyrs as ghent. If youre involved in the study of anabaptist and mennonite history, theology, or identity, the anabaptist and mennonite studies collection will bring you a wealth of useful scholarly resources. A social history young center books in anabaptist and pietist studies david l. We find such an account in foxes book of martyrs regarding the terrorism of the inquisition in ireland. Widely read, often the most valued book beside the bible in the households of english puritans, it helped shape popular opinion about roman. Stories of 16thcentury anabaptists may seem like ancient history to mennonites in north america. What follows below is not the complete original book. Most of martyrs mirror describes the persecution and execution of thousands of anabaptists in the low countries between 1524 and 1660 plus germans, swiss, austrians and other europeans. The anabaptist martyrs are not our martyrs, krauss insists.
Today his book is a traditional mennonite or amish wedding gift. These stories, including those of michael sattler, elizabeth dirks, and dirk willems, reflect a crosssection of the thousands of men and women who. The full title of the book is the bloody theater or martyrs mirror of the. John foxes book of martyrs published believing the bible to be authoritative, menno developed the reputation as an evangelical preacher. Weaverzercher has a knack for highlighting conflicts and dramas. Martyr s mirror is one of the central texts for amish and other anabaptist communities. Martyrs mirror johns hopkins university press books. The concert will present the direct words and hymns of anabaptist martyrs through contemporary song settings. An ambitious and unprecedented undertaking, this book brings together an accessible summary of scholarship about the martyrs mirror with fresh interviews and comments from diverse anabaptist groups.
The complex legacy of the martyrs mirror among mennonites in north america john d. Martyrs mirror is about christians who discovered god wanted more for his people than they had. Unfortunately there is not a lot of material that can be found on george wagner other than what was recorded in the martyrs mirror. The bloody waters of baptismal persecution victory. Ive added this story as one of the first because i love it so much. It is an account of the numerous anabaptists, spiritual predecessors of the amish, who perished. The anabaptist martyrs mirror in the past and for today presented at the 47th international ecumenical seminar, institute for ecumenical research strasbourg, france, 8 july 20 dr. The martyr tradition of anabaptism influences the way that amish and other descendants view their place in. A prized possession, anabaptist immigrants to pennsylvania often brought along copies of the book on their ocean voyages to america. Jan luykens illustrations in the martyrs mirror were a singular contribution to mennonite history and identity, but they also belonged to a larger context of early modern printed images that portrayed martyrdom in distinctly. The term anabaptist was used to describe and define certain christians during the reformation era.
True faith the anabaptist martyrs george wagner, a. In order to read online or download martyrs mirror ebooks in pdf, epub, tuebl and mobi format, you need to create a free account. Although he is known predominantly in todays anabaptist communities for his iconic etchings in the martyrs mirror by thieleman j. Oct 04, 2017 bluffton university will host grace to you and peace. In october of 1523, in the second of two disputations in zurich between leaders of the reformed movement and the roman church, zwingli chose. The 1,100page martyrs mirror continues to undergird amish and mennonite values today. Like others before and after him, he was bound and then thrust into the fire. It was the largest book printed in america before the revolutionary war. Anabaptist leaders and teachers were often burned at the stake, though sometimes after being strangled first.
To be baptized was a civil issue, and to refuse it tore a. Burning of maria and ursula van beckum, deventer, 1544. The martyrs mirror is a collection that chronicles hundreds of stories of. But if his analysis is correct then suicide bombers, or rather prospective martyrs, would do well to abandon their culture of death, and instead concentrate on getting laid 72 times in this world, unless of course they would really prefer chilled or white raisins. The full title of the book is the bloody theater or martyrs mirror of the defenseless christians who baptized only upon confession of faith, and who suffered and died for the testimony of jesus, their. This book is like a second bible to the amish and is read and discussed often as a way of remembering the sufferings of their martyred ancestors. John foxe, english puritan preacher and author of the book of martyrs, a graphic and polemic account of those who suffered for the cause of protestantism. Dave jackson and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Martyrs mirror young center books in anabaptist and pietist. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Feb 27, 2017 weaverzerchers book is the invaluable latest entry in this ongoing and highly contested debate. Stories of anabaptist martyrs retold from martyrs mirror by neta jackson.
He was executed by drowning on january 5, 1527 in icy waters of the limmat river in zurich. But he is equally clear that forgiveness does not imply forgetting. From the commencement of christianity, to the latest periods of pagan and popish persecution. His leadership and his emphasis on the communal nature of the church began to unite the growing movement. Most of martyrs mirror describes the persecution and execution of thousands of anabaptists in the low countries between 1524 and 1660. Intellectually rigorous and engagingly written, this new book is a valuable contribution to the field of anabaptist studies. In 1570 they were printed together with prose texts about the martyrs. We cannot guarantee that martyrs mirror book is in the library, but if you are still not sure with the service, you can choose free trial service. Continuing persecution in europe was largely responsible for the mass emigrations to north america by amish, hutterites, and mennonites. The anabaptist martyrs mirror in the past and for today. The stories of 15 anabaptist martyrs are retold by dave and neta jackson from martyrs mirror. It is not my goal to give a thorough history of the anabaptist martyrs here, because you can read it for yourself in the pages of the bloody theater. Dreadful torture and death symbolized by a thing of beautylike the big book itself. The complex legacy of the martyrs mirror among mennonites in.