THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK
January 10, 2005
It was a tumultuous time, the years around 1527. The Lutheran reformation was in full swing but those in Zurich who felt those were only half way measures gathered around the leadership of Huldreich Zwingli. This reformation "had its sources in humanism, local self-government" and the ecclesiastical restraints of the Roman Church. Zwingli himself became convinced of "the sole authority of scripture, the death of Christ as the only price of forgiveness, and the worthlessness of indulgences." So he sought to go back to "the earlier sources of Christian belief. He never passed through the deep spiritual experience of sin and forgiveness that came to Luther. His religious attitude was always more intellectual and radical than that of (Luther)." But this did not prevent him from objecting to those called "Anabaptists" or rebaptizers as fiercely as the Romans and Lutherans had objected to him. The principal is called believers baptism and is a bedrock belief of Baptists today if always subject to questions such as when is a person old enough and mature enough to decide for himself the ultimate decision of commitment of all of his life to Jesus, the Messiah, as savior and Lord.
Heinrich Bullinger (the worthy and conciliatory successor of Zwingli after the latter's death in battle in 1531) describes the first martyrdom to these beliefs, that of Felix Manz, January 5, 1527, in his Reformation Chronicle in this way:
"Manz was taken out of the Wellenberg prison and led to the fish market there by the Limmat (river). There his death sentence was read. He was taken to the butcher shop, and then forced into a boat, in which the executioner and a pastor were standing.
It was while he was on this painful course that Felix Manz met his mother and his brother, who encouraged him to remain steadfast and faithful. Brought in the boat to this place where there was a small fishing hut located in the middle in the river, he was placed on the platform of the hut, where his hands were shackled and (while seated) pulled over his knees. Then a stick was inserted under his knees and over his arms so that he was even more securely bound. It was at this time he is said to have sung out with loud voice, in Latin 'Lord, into your hands I commend my spirit.'
Then using ropes the executioner pulled him off the platform of the fishing hut, down into the cold waters of the Limmat. (Some omissions because of space)"
I write in this way today because next summer in Zurich "An official ceremony of reconciliation between leaders of the Reform Church.and Anabaptist descendants will take place. At the same time in a special ceremony a memorial to Manz will be unveiled.
Why does it take us so long to recognize that no one has a monopoly on faith and commitment? That what speaks to one does not always speak to another. That God so loved the World. John 3:16
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