Typology for the Radical Reformation


Common traits linking all those listed below:

  1. Belief in the church as having FALLEN at some point in early Christian history
  2. Belief that there can be NO universal territorial church
  3. Following upon 1 & 2 (above): rejection of the external earmark of the fallen territorial churches--no infant baptism
  4. Insistence on the power of the human will to choose or reject salvation
  

I. Anabaptists

Common traits:
  

A. Pacifists

B. Apocalyptic Activists

Model: New Testament ChurchModels: Old Testament Prophecy,
(segregation,persecution)New Testament Prophecy
 (New Israel/Heavenly Jerusalem)
  
Swiss Brethren:Thomas Müntzer (Germany)
(Grebel, Blaurock, Mantz, Sattler)J. Hut (Moravia)
  
Tyrolese Brethren:Melchior Hoffman
(J. Hutter)(Low Countries)
Hutterites
  
Dutch BrethrenMünsterites
 (Germany, Low Countries)
  
Mennonites
(Menno Simons)
  

C. Moderates

Moravian Brethren
(Balthasar Hubmaier)

  
  

II. Spiritualists

Common traits:
Model: None aside from the individual

John Denck
Sebastian Franck
Sebastian Castellio
Caspar Schwenckfeld
Dirk Coornherts
  
  

III. Anti-Trinitarians

Common traits:
Model: Jesus as the supreme paradigm to be followed

Michael Servetus (France & Italy)
Fausto and Lelio Sozzini/ Socinianism (Italy & Poland)
  
  

(Back to main Study Materials page)