Origins of Reformation 179 nodieval in nature, Succeeded to a great extent against Protestantism. nOSsible to evict the Lutherans from Spain and Italy. The Hress was a favourable medium for the printing spread.of Protestantism. The Pope Alexander VI thought that the printing press was both a and an oil. Good and bad books are good coming out of it. In 1559 the Paul V set up the Index which Pope contairned a list of and The books the prohibited authors books. Popes disliked were immediately prohibited. The Counter Reformation established its control not only over books but also over paintings and music. The culture which the Catholic church was allowed to flourish. approved Spain inspired many Catholic countries to follow the policy of Counter Reformation. Reforms were felt to be necessary to keep the Catholic church intact. Ignatius Lyola established the Society of Jesus which the Pope recognised. This society was preaching the Catholic doctrine and. supported the authority of the Roman church. An of Divine Oratory Love came to be established at Rome. In the matter of the fighting Protestants the Catholic church was united. But the moment the Spanish king Philip II tried to extend his influence over southern Italy he was opposed by the Pope Paul V. The Renaissance was Italy secular in outlook which was disturbed by the conflict between Spain and France over supremacy in Italy. Inquisition was established in these states. Spain took the lead in attacking the protestants of northern European countries. Austria and southern German states were trying to find solutions to their religious questions by military and political means. The conflict between the Catholics and Protestants led to the outbreak of Thirty Years' War. The church militant under the leadership of the Pope was bent on crushing the Protestants. 9.5 Anabaptism Anabaptism is a radical movement that grew out of the Retormation controversies. The Anabaptists took scripture as a guiding principle for ordering human life. Anabaptism arose in Zurich among members of Zwingli's circle. The Anabaptist protested his gradualism and demanded à complete and immediate break with all anti-scriptural ceremonies and doctrines. lt crystallized as a distinct variety of Protestantism when the layman Conrad Grebel rebaptised a former priest who in turn rebaptised ner men and women. Anabaptists initially called thermselves Brethren. heir enemies called them Anabaptist or rebaptist. They rejected infant aptism as meaningless and called for adult baptism. lts first important 180 An Introduction to Early Modern Europe 1400-1789 doctrinal statement was the Schleitheim Confession two decades of (1527), Afta persecution and excesses the sect er about Menno Simons was (1496-1561). Later a Mennonite reorganizod movement grew up. faction within The the Anabaptists have been called the It step-children of has also been called the the fourth or It was Reformation the formation. certainly medieval in spirit as it was Co-Reformation linked up mysticism. Hans de Reis and T.J. with mediounl Van Braght wrote the which remains one of Martyrs' the most moving and Miror of the important works for understanding outlook and spirit of the an Anabaptists. The leaders sixteenth of this were centur Munzer, Balthasar movement Conrad Grebel, Hubmaier, Manz and Blaurock. Thomas commandments They could follow the literally as Christ called them not swear upon to do so. as it was forbidden by Mathew. They would isolated Their refusal to them in a which take oath society was accustomed to it. the idea that the In Paul they Christian should not to got and law go law, so they avoided courts. They believed that the lawyers in early Christians held all common. So they put emphasis property on community of and strict religious discipline. The centres of goods Anabaptist movement in Switzerland, the Tyrol, North Europe were Germany, Holland, Moravia and They put emphasis on two Hungary. aspects of Christian life-purity and They stood for an inward, martyrdom. but apostolic Biblicism claiming that they were carrying to its logical conclusion on Zwingli's own of reliance scripture. The main principle characteristics of the practice of Swiss movement were the believers' baptism, a of voluntary church, emphasis on the precepts the Sermon on the and Mount, the rejection of the oath, legal proceedings, and insistence war help. Some on far-reaching mutual maternd Anabaptists practised evangelical communism. Because advised them not to Chr resist evil were of they normally pacifists. In the persecution they were tac usually non-resistant. were aberrations but There sevela normally onest and they were peaceful, humble, patient, temperate. The o the lower followers of this movement were mostly orders. Luther called them me work-saints as they sought by faith but by hard work. salvatio A profound moralism was at the heart of cted one of Anabaptism.|They rej the cardinal principles of bondage of the will. Protestantism-predestinano The realm of civil was completely separate from that of government iv conscience. They rejected the idea or Origins of Reformation 181 magistrate. They denied that the civil authorities could legitimately interfere in matters of faith. Anabaptists withdrew from the world as were adult offectively as medieval monks had done. They in favour of creates a sect, of true believers. haptism which a voluntary congregation church and state were entities. Free chruch in a In their views separate was their policy. The Swiss Brethren, the Hutterites and the free state Mennonites were the three most important representatives of the movement. Early in the 1530s the Anabaptists gained control of Munster In 1534 and 1535 were attacked and in north-western Germany. they destroyed. The revolt of Munster opened the eyes of the European governments. The Roman Catholics and the Protestants made seríous attempts to stamp them out in the Swiss cantons, Moravia, Hungary, Germany and low countries. No fewer than thirty thousand Anabaptists Holland Friesland alone. No other movement were put to death in and for spiritual freedom in the history of the church has such an enormous martyrology. The Anabaptist vision included three major points of emphasis. First, a new conception of the essence of Christianity ; second, a new conception

a new ethic of love and non- of the church as a brotherhood; and third, resistance. They were enthusiasts, many of them were fanatics or driven into fanaticism. But most of them showed a deep moral earnestness. In the long run one of their greatest contributions to the modern world lay in their pleas for religious freedom. Hubmaier's tract 'Concerning heretics and those that Burn them is a forceful plea for toleration and freedom

were influenced conscience. Some of the religious sects of later times ofby their ideas. It was the church which would decide its membership. The CIvil authority had nothing to do with it. The people of the lower orders became associated with this movement. Most of them were peasants, artisans and miners. The peasants of Germany joined the Anabaptist most affected economic movement as it upheld their cause. The people by were led stress and social injustice were attracted to Anabaptism. They ucated middle class people who perceived that there was a close onnection between social unrest and religious disaffection. The religious The revolt (1524- rotestants were also a socially persecuted lot. peasant 25) and the Munster uprising swelled the followers of the movement. social change. But there y ailed to effect a religious and perceptible B much to be learned from the Anabaptists. Early modern Europe Very much influenced by this radical Protestant movement.