Finding the Middle Way: The Utraquists' Liberal Challenge to Rome and Luther. By Zdenek V Dav... more Finding the Middle Way: The Utraquists' Liberal Challenge to Rome and Luther. By Zdenek V David. (Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press. Order from The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 2003. Pp. xxiii, 579. $65.00.) Hussite religion (1500-1621) has often been ignored. This book changes that. Ten years of dedicated research have yielded this impressive study adding considerably to knowledge of Central European religious history. The achievements of Bohemian Christianity are vigorously underscored. Utilizing the comparative paradigm of the post-Reformation Church of England, a thorough revisionist study emerges. Attempting to forge a path between Roman and Reformation Churches, David argues that Jan Hus and Hussitism were not Protestant. The corollary-Hussite religion eventually became Roman Catholic-is likewise challenged. I find those arguments refreshing. The book expertly charts the unique development of Utraquist Christianity. Some assertions are problematic. Claiming virtually all Bohemia was Hussite is exaggeration. Distinctions between Taborites as heretics and "Utraquists" (David's term of choice) as mere schismatics is artificial. I do not accept that the term"Hussite" is improper. Jan Hus was a heretic. It is misleading to suggest that Paul De Vooght virtually vindicated Hus. Whatever De Vooght's conclusions entailed, he regarded Hus as heretical. Francis Oakley's suggestion that Hus was almost orthodox is meaningless. A theological hair's breadth separated Francis of Assisi and Valdes, yet the former is a saint, the latter an arch-heretic. Being a little heretical is like being a little pregnant. John Paul II did not recently-and rightly so-lift the stigma of heresy from Hus. David seems undisturbed that his select group of Hussites desired episcopal consecration for their priests but only from bishops in communion with Rome despite the fact that the Roman Church considered Hussites heretical and the Hussite movement going back to Jakoubek of Stribro regarded Rome similarly. Bishops ordaining Hussites were themselves suspect. David suggests the ambiguity is not problematic. Considerable space is devoted to Luther without any clear understanding of what Luther meant by faith (sola fide) either on the part of the Utraquist theologians David champions or of David himself. The same might be said for the red herring of sola scriptura. In my opinion, the theological acumen of BUejovský and Bydzovský, David's heros, put together would scarcely fill a cup when set next to Martin Luther. David argues that papal judgment cannot be admitted in governance while papal sacerdotal power remained indispensable. While theologically popes were necessary, they could not be trusted with administrative and judicial powers. This does not prevent the conclusion that Utraquists needed no authentication from Rome. Curiously, they sought it diligently nonetheless. This clashes with David's repeated declarations that Utraquists were secure in their own identity. …
... indigenous perspectives Munsee Social Networking and Political Encounters with the Moravian C... more ... indigenous perspectives Munsee Social Networking and Political Encounters with the Moravian Church Siegrun Kaiser 145 The Gender Frontier Revisited: Native American Women in the Age of Revolution Jane T. Merritt 165 Debating Missionary Presence at Buffalo Creek ...
We have arrived at the penultimate volume of this excellent encylopaedia. The states here are Wal... more We have arrived at the penultimate volume of this excellent encylopaedia. The states here are Wales (Denzil Morgan) and the West Indies; of the old German states we have West and East Prussia, hence coming oddly under West ; and Westphalia together with a separate article on the Treaty of 1648 for which see also the article on international law (Völkerrecht). In missionary history there is Viet-Nam. Of individuals the English evangelists Wesley and Whitefield (both by W. R. Ward) come out best. The biblical critics from Wettstein onward are well represented, and Westcott is among them though one wonders whether his work had the weight of the others. The only 'denomination ' treated is the Waldensian (Euan Cameron). On key subjects one may select Christmas and its sermons (Weihnacht and Weihnachtspredigt) and pilgrimage (wallfahrt) and the ethics of resistance including tyrannicide (Widerstand), important for the history of the Reformation. Except for the critics there is no dominance by Protestants. Vitoria for the founder of later Spanish scholasticism, Vives for the Catholic Renaissance, Vincent de Paul for the French Church at its best. In view of the weight which the idea of a ' People's Church ' (Volkskirche) carried in Nazi Germany (but not only there) it would have been helpful to have had a rather fuller treatment of the theme. Of all the articles on the German nineteenth century the most interesting to some English readers will be the long article on Wessenberg and his efforts for a reformed Catholicism. In each volume there is a pleasant piece of historical liturgy, and here it is the history of incense (Weihrauch) where the information will surprise some readers.
One of the more intriguing types of eighteenth-century Moravian art were small devotional cards. ... more One of the more intriguing types of eighteenth-century Moravian art were small devotional cards. These side-hole cards (Seitenhöhlchenkarten) offer a distinctly Moravian reworking of a medieval iconographic tradition. Most of these cards have verses about the side wound of Jesus written in beautiful calligraphy, sometimes in red and green ink. The most intriguing cards have images of the side wound, sometimes with scenes painted into the wound. Aaron Fogleman offered these pictures as evidence for his thesis that the Moravians viewed Jesus as female and considers them as part of their eroticized devotion to Christ. The author of this essay argues that this is a misinterpretation. These cards were probably used by both children and adults in private devotions and are hardly erotic. Rather, they are visual representations of key elements of Moravian wounds mysticism, especially the concept that all aspects of daily life, even eating and sleeping, should be done in the awareness that o...
... Anna Nitschmann, one of the Moravian refugees, was the head of the “Single Sisters” of the wo... more ... Anna Nitschmann, one of the Moravian refugees, was the head of the “Single Sisters” of the worldwide Brüdergemeine until her death in 1760. One of Zinzendorf's most provocative ideas relating to gender was that the Holy ...
Jan Comenius, best known as an educational theorist, was also a theologian, bishop, and social re... more Jan Comenius, best known as an educational theorist, was also a theologian, bishop, and social reformer. Born Jan Amos Komensky in Moravia, he was raised in the Unitas Fratrum, a small but influential Hussite church. He was orphaned at a young age, but his intellectual gifts were noticed by the church, and he was sent to Herborn Academy in the Netherlands. There he studied with the luminaries Althusius, Piscator, and Alstead. He also attended the University of Heidelberg and there established a lasting friendship with Johan Valentin Andreas, who probably wrote the famous Rosicrucian Manifestos. During those formative years, Comenius was persuaded that reform of ecclesiastical, pedagogical, scientific, and political organizations could usher in the millennial age. He later called this vision of universal reform “pansophy,” or universal wisdom. Keywords: Comenius, Jan Amos (1592–1670); educational theorist, also a theologian, bishop; ordained as a deacon, in the unitas fratrum; Comenius' living in the shadow of war and exile; masterpieces of western literature; The labyrinth of the world and the paradise of the heart; dystopia, harmony and truthfulness, illusions; pansophic reform in podromous pansophia; realizing his “school of play”
Oxidative modifications are a hallmark of oxidative imbalance in the brains of individuals with A... more Oxidative modifications are a hallmark of oxidative imbalance in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and prion diseases and their respective animal models. While the causes of oxidative stress are relatively well-documented, the effects of chronically reducing oxidative stress on cognition, pathology and biochemistry require further clarification. To address this, young and aged control and amyloid-β protein precursor-over-expressing mice were fed a diet with added Ralpha lipoic acid for 10 months to determine the effect of chronic antioxidant administration on the cognition and neuropathology and biochemistry of the brain. Both wild type and transgenic mice treated with R-alpha lipoic acid displayed significant reductions in markers of oxidative modifications. On the other hand, R-alpha lipoic acid had little effect on Y-maze performance throughout the study and did not decrease end-point amyloid-β load. These results suggest that, despite the clear role of oxidative stress in mediating amyloid pathology and cognitive decline in ageing and AβPP-transgenic mice, long-term antioxidant therapy, at levels within tolerable nutritional guidelines and which reduce oxidative modifications, have limited benefit.
... The transformation of Moravian Bethlehem: From communal mission to family economy. Post a Com... more ... The transformation of Moravian Bethlehem: From communal mission to family economy. Post a Comment. CONTRIBUTORS: Author: Smaby, Beverly Prior. PUBLISHER: University of Pennsylvania Press (Philadelphia). SERIES TITLE: YEAR: 1988. ...
The rivalry between two centers of German Pietism, Halle and Herrnhut, shaped the development of ... more The rivalry between two centers of German Pietism, Halle and Herrnhut, shaped the development of both the Lutheran Church and the Moravian Church in America. The conflict began in Germany, but Pennsylvania became a major battleground in the 1740s. After years of sometimes violent controversy, the Moravians and Lutherans eventually developed as separate denominations. The most famous episode was the encounter on December 30, 1742, between Zinzendorf and Henry Melchior Mühlenberg, but that was just the first skirmish. Mühlenberg continued to oppose the Moravians after Zinzendorf's departure for Europe. In Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Tulpehocken Mühlenberg fought publicly with the Moravians over who would supervise Lutheran ministry in America. Mühlenberg intervened in several Lutheran congregations that had pastors friendly to the Moravians and asserted his own authority over them. Both sides used law courts and the press to assert their claim to be considered true Lutherans and ...
The smallest, but in some ways the most influential, church to emerge from the Hussite Reformatio... more The smallest, but in some ways the most influential, church to emerge from the Hussite Reformation was the Unity of the Brethren founded by Gregory the Patriarch in 1457. The Unity was a voluntary church that separated entirely from the established churches, and chose its own priests, published the first Protestant hymnal and catechism, and operated several schools. Soon after Martin Luther broke with Rome, the Brethren established cordial relations with Wittenberg and introduced their irenic and ecumenical theology to the Protestant Reformation. Over time, they gravitated more toward the Reformed tradition, and influenced Martin Bucer’s views on confirmation, church discipline, and the Eucharist. In many ways, the pacifist Brethren offered a middle way between the Magisterial Reformation and the Radical Reformation. Study of the Brethren complicates and enhances our understanding of the Protestant Reformation and the rise of religious toleration in Europe.
Nikolaus von Zinzendorf’s ecumenical vision extended beyond the churches of Western Europe to inc... more Nikolaus von Zinzendorf’s ecumenical vision extended beyond the churches of Western Europe to include the ancient churches of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and Ethiopia. In the 1740s and ’50s he sent representatives to establish relationships with the patriarchs of churches in the Ottoman Empire. These were some of the earliest encounters between European Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches and add to our understanding of East-West relations, but these Moravian efforts have received little attention by scholars in the past. Arthur Manukyan investigated Greek and Egyptian sources as well as Moravian records. In addition to studying the official letters and reports, he examined how Moravians translated Zinzendorf’s writings into Arabic. Like most Europeans in the eighteenth century, the Moravians knew little about the history of the Middle East or the political situation of Christian minorities under Ottoman rule. Manukyan examines several instances of Moravian misunderstanding, and he shows that Moravian ecumenism did not include appreciation for the rituals of the
This article examines how Moravians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries interpreted the (B... more This article examines how Moravians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries interpreted the (Bohemian) Unity of the Brethren and the relationship of that church to the Moravian Church, founded in Herrnhut, Germany, in the eighteenth century. Zinzendorf and his contemporaries used the Unity of the Brethren to legitimate the discipline, ministerial orders, and ecumenical endeavors of the Moravian Church. After a brief look at German-Moravian historiography in the nineteenth century, particularly the development of the myth of the "Hidden Seed," we will examine in detail how Moravians in England and North America used the concept of the Ancient Unity to create an American Moravian Church independent of German control. Church historians like Edmund de Schweinitz tried to look past Herrnhut to claim the identity of the Bohemian Brethren as the true identity of the Unitas Fratrum. Ironically, English and American Moravians adopted very little of the doctrine and practice of the Unity of the Brethren even as they claimed the history of that church. In fact, by the time of de Schweinitz the Moravians had abandoned controversial aspects of the church that most clearly connected the Bohemian Brethren to the renewed church, such as pacifism and the refusal to swear oaths.
Finding the Middle Way: The Utraquists' Liberal Challenge to Rome and Luther. By Zdenek V Dav... more Finding the Middle Way: The Utraquists' Liberal Challenge to Rome and Luther. By Zdenek V David. (Washington, D.C.: Woodrow Wilson Center Press. Order from The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore. 2003. Pp. xxiii, 579. $65.00.) Hussite religion (1500-1621) has often been ignored. This book changes that. Ten years of dedicated research have yielded this impressive study adding considerably to knowledge of Central European religious history. The achievements of Bohemian Christianity are vigorously underscored. Utilizing the comparative paradigm of the post-Reformation Church of England, a thorough revisionist study emerges. Attempting to forge a path between Roman and Reformation Churches, David argues that Jan Hus and Hussitism were not Protestant. The corollary-Hussite religion eventually became Roman Catholic-is likewise challenged. I find those arguments refreshing. The book expertly charts the unique development of Utraquist Christianity. Some assertions are problematic. Claiming virtually all Bohemia was Hussite is exaggeration. Distinctions between Taborites as heretics and "Utraquists" (David's term of choice) as mere schismatics is artificial. I do not accept that the term"Hussite" is improper. Jan Hus was a heretic. It is misleading to suggest that Paul De Vooght virtually vindicated Hus. Whatever De Vooght's conclusions entailed, he regarded Hus as heretical. Francis Oakley's suggestion that Hus was almost orthodox is meaningless. A theological hair's breadth separated Francis of Assisi and Valdes, yet the former is a saint, the latter an arch-heretic. Being a little heretical is like being a little pregnant. John Paul II did not recently-and rightly so-lift the stigma of heresy from Hus. David seems undisturbed that his select group of Hussites desired episcopal consecration for their priests but only from bishops in communion with Rome despite the fact that the Roman Church considered Hussites heretical and the Hussite movement going back to Jakoubek of Stribro regarded Rome similarly. Bishops ordaining Hussites were themselves suspect. David suggests the ambiguity is not problematic. Considerable space is devoted to Luther without any clear understanding of what Luther meant by faith (sola fide) either on the part of the Utraquist theologians David champions or of David himself. The same might be said for the red herring of sola scriptura. In my opinion, the theological acumen of BUejovský and Bydzovský, David's heros, put together would scarcely fill a cup when set next to Martin Luther. David argues that papal judgment cannot be admitted in governance while papal sacerdotal power remained indispensable. While theologically popes were necessary, they could not be trusted with administrative and judicial powers. This does not prevent the conclusion that Utraquists needed no authentication from Rome. Curiously, they sought it diligently nonetheless. This clashes with David's repeated declarations that Utraquists were secure in their own identity. …
... indigenous perspectives Munsee Social Networking and Political Encounters with the Moravian C... more ... indigenous perspectives Munsee Social Networking and Political Encounters with the Moravian Church Siegrun Kaiser 145 The Gender Frontier Revisited: Native American Women in the Age of Revolution Jane T. Merritt 165 Debating Missionary Presence at Buffalo Creek ...
We have arrived at the penultimate volume of this excellent encylopaedia. The states here are Wal... more We have arrived at the penultimate volume of this excellent encylopaedia. The states here are Wales (Denzil Morgan) and the West Indies; of the old German states we have West and East Prussia, hence coming oddly under West ; and Westphalia together with a separate article on the Treaty of 1648 for which see also the article on international law (Völkerrecht). In missionary history there is Viet-Nam. Of individuals the English evangelists Wesley and Whitefield (both by W. R. Ward) come out best. The biblical critics from Wettstein onward are well represented, and Westcott is among them though one wonders whether his work had the weight of the others. The only 'denomination ' treated is the Waldensian (Euan Cameron). On key subjects one may select Christmas and its sermons (Weihnacht and Weihnachtspredigt) and pilgrimage (wallfahrt) and the ethics of resistance including tyrannicide (Widerstand), important for the history of the Reformation. Except for the critics there is no dominance by Protestants. Vitoria for the founder of later Spanish scholasticism, Vives for the Catholic Renaissance, Vincent de Paul for the French Church at its best. In view of the weight which the idea of a ' People's Church ' (Volkskirche) carried in Nazi Germany (but not only there) it would have been helpful to have had a rather fuller treatment of the theme. Of all the articles on the German nineteenth century the most interesting to some English readers will be the long article on Wessenberg and his efforts for a reformed Catholicism. In each volume there is a pleasant piece of historical liturgy, and here it is the history of incense (Weihrauch) where the information will surprise some readers.
One of the more intriguing types of eighteenth-century Moravian art were small devotional cards. ... more One of the more intriguing types of eighteenth-century Moravian art were small devotional cards. These side-hole cards (Seitenhöhlchenkarten) offer a distinctly Moravian reworking of a medieval iconographic tradition. Most of these cards have verses about the side wound of Jesus written in beautiful calligraphy, sometimes in red and green ink. The most intriguing cards have images of the side wound, sometimes with scenes painted into the wound. Aaron Fogleman offered these pictures as evidence for his thesis that the Moravians viewed Jesus as female and considers them as part of their eroticized devotion to Christ. The author of this essay argues that this is a misinterpretation. These cards were probably used by both children and adults in private devotions and are hardly erotic. Rather, they are visual representations of key elements of Moravian wounds mysticism, especially the concept that all aspects of daily life, even eating and sleeping, should be done in the awareness that o...
... Anna Nitschmann, one of the Moravian refugees, was the head of the “Single Sisters” of the wo... more ... Anna Nitschmann, one of the Moravian refugees, was the head of the “Single Sisters” of the worldwide Brüdergemeine until her death in 1760. One of Zinzendorf's most provocative ideas relating to gender was that the Holy ...
Jan Comenius, best known as an educational theorist, was also a theologian, bishop, and social re... more Jan Comenius, best known as an educational theorist, was also a theologian, bishop, and social reformer. Born Jan Amos Komensky in Moravia, he was raised in the Unitas Fratrum, a small but influential Hussite church. He was orphaned at a young age, but his intellectual gifts were noticed by the church, and he was sent to Herborn Academy in the Netherlands. There he studied with the luminaries Althusius, Piscator, and Alstead. He also attended the University of Heidelberg and there established a lasting friendship with Johan Valentin Andreas, who probably wrote the famous Rosicrucian Manifestos. During those formative years, Comenius was persuaded that reform of ecclesiastical, pedagogical, scientific, and political organizations could usher in the millennial age. He later called this vision of universal reform “pansophy,” or universal wisdom. Keywords: Comenius, Jan Amos (1592–1670); educational theorist, also a theologian, bishop; ordained as a deacon, in the unitas fratrum; Comenius' living in the shadow of war and exile; masterpieces of western literature; The labyrinth of the world and the paradise of the heart; dystopia, harmony and truthfulness, illusions; pansophic reform in podromous pansophia; realizing his “school of play”
Oxidative modifications are a hallmark of oxidative imbalance in the brains of individuals with A... more Oxidative modifications are a hallmark of oxidative imbalance in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and prion diseases and their respective animal models. While the causes of oxidative stress are relatively well-documented, the effects of chronically reducing oxidative stress on cognition, pathology and biochemistry require further clarification. To address this, young and aged control and amyloid-β protein precursor-over-expressing mice were fed a diet with added Ralpha lipoic acid for 10 months to determine the effect of chronic antioxidant administration on the cognition and neuropathology and biochemistry of the brain. Both wild type and transgenic mice treated with R-alpha lipoic acid displayed significant reductions in markers of oxidative modifications. On the other hand, R-alpha lipoic acid had little effect on Y-maze performance throughout the study and did not decrease end-point amyloid-β load. These results suggest that, despite the clear role of oxidative stress in mediating amyloid pathology and cognitive decline in ageing and AβPP-transgenic mice, long-term antioxidant therapy, at levels within tolerable nutritional guidelines and which reduce oxidative modifications, have limited benefit.
... The transformation of Moravian Bethlehem: From communal mission to family economy. Post a Com... more ... The transformation of Moravian Bethlehem: From communal mission to family economy. Post a Comment. CONTRIBUTORS: Author: Smaby, Beverly Prior. PUBLISHER: University of Pennsylvania Press (Philadelphia). SERIES TITLE: YEAR: 1988. ...
The rivalry between two centers of German Pietism, Halle and Herrnhut, shaped the development of ... more The rivalry between two centers of German Pietism, Halle and Herrnhut, shaped the development of both the Lutheran Church and the Moravian Church in America. The conflict began in Germany, but Pennsylvania became a major battleground in the 1740s. After years of sometimes violent controversy, the Moravians and Lutherans eventually developed as separate denominations. The most famous episode was the encounter on December 30, 1742, between Zinzendorf and Henry Melchior Mühlenberg, but that was just the first skirmish. Mühlenberg continued to oppose the Moravians after Zinzendorf's departure for Europe. In Philadelphia, Lancaster, and Tulpehocken Mühlenberg fought publicly with the Moravians over who would supervise Lutheran ministry in America. Mühlenberg intervened in several Lutheran congregations that had pastors friendly to the Moravians and asserted his own authority over them. Both sides used law courts and the press to assert their claim to be considered true Lutherans and ...
The smallest, but in some ways the most influential, church to emerge from the Hussite Reformatio... more The smallest, but in some ways the most influential, church to emerge from the Hussite Reformation was the Unity of the Brethren founded by Gregory the Patriarch in 1457. The Unity was a voluntary church that separated entirely from the established churches, and chose its own priests, published the first Protestant hymnal and catechism, and operated several schools. Soon after Martin Luther broke with Rome, the Brethren established cordial relations with Wittenberg and introduced their irenic and ecumenical theology to the Protestant Reformation. Over time, they gravitated more toward the Reformed tradition, and influenced Martin Bucer’s views on confirmation, church discipline, and the Eucharist. In many ways, the pacifist Brethren offered a middle way between the Magisterial Reformation and the Radical Reformation. Study of the Brethren complicates and enhances our understanding of the Protestant Reformation and the rise of religious toleration in Europe.
Nikolaus von Zinzendorf’s ecumenical vision extended beyond the churches of Western Europe to inc... more Nikolaus von Zinzendorf’s ecumenical vision extended beyond the churches of Western Europe to include the ancient churches of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and Ethiopia. In the 1740s and ’50s he sent representatives to establish relationships with the patriarchs of churches in the Ottoman Empire. These were some of the earliest encounters between European Protestant and Eastern Orthodox churches and add to our understanding of East-West relations, but these Moravian efforts have received little attention by scholars in the past. Arthur Manukyan investigated Greek and Egyptian sources as well as Moravian records. In addition to studying the official letters and reports, he examined how Moravians translated Zinzendorf’s writings into Arabic. Like most Europeans in the eighteenth century, the Moravians knew little about the history of the Middle East or the political situation of Christian minorities under Ottoman rule. Manukyan examines several instances of Moravian misunderstanding, and he shows that Moravian ecumenism did not include appreciation for the rituals of the
This article examines how Moravians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries interpreted the (B... more This article examines how Moravians in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries interpreted the (Bohemian) Unity of the Brethren and the relationship of that church to the Moravian Church, founded in Herrnhut, Germany, in the eighteenth century. Zinzendorf and his contemporaries used the Unity of the Brethren to legitimate the discipline, ministerial orders, and ecumenical endeavors of the Moravian Church. After a brief look at German-Moravian historiography in the nineteenth century, particularly the development of the myth of the "Hidden Seed," we will examine in detail how Moravians in England and North America used the concept of the Ancient Unity to create an American Moravian Church independent of German control. Church historians like Edmund de Schweinitz tried to look past Herrnhut to claim the identity of the Bohemian Brethren as the true identity of the Unitas Fratrum. Ironically, English and American Moravians adopted very little of the doctrine and practice of the Unity of the Brethren even as they claimed the history of that church. In fact, by the time of de Schweinitz the Moravians had abandoned controversial aspects of the church that most clearly connected the Bohemian Brethren to the renewed church, such as pacifism and the refusal to swear oaths.
Uploads
Papers by Craig Atwood