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Bell 8 HowaH Information and Learning 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 USA EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY MENNONITE CONFESSIONS OF FAITH: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANABAPTIST TRADITION by Karl Peter Koop A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Theology of the University of St. Michae18s College and the Department of Theology of the Toronto School of Theology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Theology awarded by the University of St. Michael's College Toronto 1999 OKarl Peter Koop National Library Bibliotheque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services sewices bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395. rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA OW Canada Canada Your hkt Volre mkrsnce Our rSlo Notre reterma The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accorde me licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pernettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliotheque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, preter, distribuer ou copies of thls thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette these sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format electronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriete du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protege cette these. thesis nor substantial extracts &om it Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels may be p~tedor otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent &re imprimes reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits saris son permission. autorisation. EMGY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY MENNONITE CONFESSIONS OF FAITH: THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN ANABAPTIST TRADITION Ph.D Thesis, 1999 by Karl Peter Koop submitted to the Faculty of Theology of the University of St. Michael's College and the Department of Theology of the Toronto School of Theology Dissertation Abstract Scholars have long agreed that in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries, Mennonites in the Netherlands produced a significant number of confessions of faith. Differences of opinion, however, have emerged on the question of the relationship between the confessions and their Anabaptist heritage. Some scholars have understood the adoption of confessional statements by Mennonites as a development inconsistent with Anabaptism, which, it has been argued, was more concerned with moral or social reform than doctrinal precision. Others have observed a degree of correspondence between the confessions and Anabaptism, noting, in particular, areas of doctrinal continuity. The present thesis--a historical-theological study--concedes that with the advent of fully developed confessions of faith, something essentially new in the Anabaptism tradition emerged. Further, it recognizes that the theological perspectives reflected in the confessions were not necessarily identical to Anabaptist views. Nevertheless, the central argument of the thesis is that the confessions of faith, as represented by the Short, Jan Cents and Dordrechtconfessions--confessions adopted by the largest Mennonite groups in the early seventeenth century--in the main, stand in historical and theological continuity with sixteenth century Anabaptism. The thesis does not disregard the moral and social dimensions of Anabaptism and Mennonitism. It brings into view, however, something that has often been overlooked; namely, that the Anabaptist and Mennonite concern for moral and social reform was in fact deeply rooted in a particular way of believing and thinking about God, Jesus Christ, salvation and the church. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS In gratitude to my parents, &CJ~ Henry Koop (1914-1982) and Hilda Lodde Koop (b. 1919) who first taught me the significance of tradition and to Katharina with Heidi, Noelle, Rebekah, and Mariette, who remind me of what is important in life This Thesis was prepared under the guidance of Professor A. James Reimer Gratitude is here expressed for his support direction and enthusiasm TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iii CONVENTIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS vi I MENNONITE CONFESSIONS OF FAITH RECONSIDERED 1. Confessions of Faith in the Christian Tradition 1 2 Mennonite Confessions of Faith and Scholarly Research 5 3. Thesis and Method 28 4 Further Presuppositions of the Study 35 I1 ANABAPTISM IN THE LOW COUNTRIES: AN ORIENTATION 40 1. Historical Background 40 2 Core Theological Suppositions 48 3. The Status and Function of Confessional Statements 80 I11 THE EARLY SEVENTEENTH CENTURY DUTCH CONTEXT 90 1 Political, Social and Economic Developments 2. Religious Developments 3. Responding to the Challenges IV A HISTORY OF THREE DUTCH CONFESSIONS OF FAITH 114 1. The Divisive Nature of Mennonitism 2 The First Confessions of Faith 3. The Short Confession 4. The Jan Cents and Dordrecht Confessions 5. The Status and Function of the Confessions 6. Emerging Questions V GENERAL TEXTUAL AND HERMENEUTICAL ANALYSIS OF THE SHORT, JAN CENTS AND DORDRECHT CONFESSIONS 145 1. Literary and Structural Characteristics 2. Mood 3. Scripture Use 4 . Hermeneutical Assumptions 5. Findings VI DOCTRINAL FOUNDATIONS 1. Theology (God) 2 . Anthropology 3 Christology 4. Soterioloqy 5 Summary VI I THE CONGREGATION OF SAINTS 1 The Nature of the Church 2 Leadership in the Church 3. Outer Ceremonies 4. Ethics and Discipline 5. Eschatology 6. Summary VIII THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRADITION 1. Mennonite Confession of Faith Revisited 2. The Question of Contemporary Applicability UPENDIX I Tables APPENDIX I1 Location of Scripture References in the Confessions BIBLIOGRAPHY CONVENTIONS Terminology The term pfAnabaptistlpis generally applied by scholars to adult baptizers or those who received adult baptism, from 1525 to approximately 1560, in Swiss, South German, Austrian lands, as well as in the north German-Dutch lowlands. After 1560, Anabaptists in the Netherlands referred to themselves primarily as vldoopsgezinden,pl("baptism-minded"), although the name "menisten" was also applied. Today Dutch Mennonites refer to themselves as vgDoopsgezinden,ppbut the term nMennonitelpis widely used in English speaking contexts. In this study, I have used the term vlMennonitelp as the only English alternative. Spelling In the German language where an Umlaut applies, I have inserted the letter "eIf following the vowel that normally would receive this accent. ABBREVIATIONS SC Short Confession of Faith JC The Confession of Jan Cents DC The Dordrecht Confession of Faith AC The Augsburg Confession BC The Belgic Confession CWMS The Complete Writings of Memo Simons WDP The Writings of Dirk Philips ARG Archiv fuer Reformationsgeschichte BRN Bibfiotheca Reformatoria Neerlandica CGR Conrad Grebe1 Review CH Church History DB Doopsgezinde Bijdragsn JR Journal of Religion JMS Journal of Mennonite Studies ME Mennonite Encyclopedia MGB Memonitische Geschichtsblaetter MQR Mennonite Quarterly Review SCJ Sixteenth Century Journal SR Sciences Religieuses/Studies in Religion TRE Theologische Reelenzyklopaedie I HENNONITE CONFESSIONS OF FAI!I!H RECONSIDERED 1. ~onfessionsof Faith in the Christian Tradition Confessions of faith are a constitutive dimension of religious expression. In the major religions of the world, such as in Buddhism, Islam, Judaism or Christianity, concise as well as lengthy formulations exist, summarizing the essential elements of the faithel In the Christian tradition statements summarizing the faith have existed from the beginning. Early ~hristiansstood in the tradition of the Jewish religion, where the focus was on the recognition and glorification of the one God. One of the oldest confessional statements of Israel is the schema, "Hear 0 Israel, the Lord our God is onefv(Deuteronomy 6:4). The first Christians knew this confession and accepted it as elemental to their faith? What differentiated them from Judaism was their additional confession concerning Jesus Christ as the one who was also to be identified with this lordship. In the Christian scriptures, no precisely defined confessions were authorized, but creed-like formulas exist, usually directing attention to Jesus Christ, his cross and resurrection. These Christological formulas range from charismatic cries, vfYouare the Christ, the Son of the living Godw (Matthew. 16:16), to carefuly formulated statements