The Radical Reformation refers to a 16th-century Christian movement that occurred simultaneously, or shortly after the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, led by people who rejected both the Roman Catholic tradition and the Protestant alternatives to it. As a consequence, they were persecuted by Catholics and Protestants alike. The Protestant reformers worked in cooperation with European governments, while the Radical reformers believed in a separation of church and state, creating what became known as the Anabaptist movement, which gave birth to the Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites, among others. Some church historians consider the Radical Reformation to be an offshoot of the Protestant Reformation, while others consider it to be a separate movement.
Recommended Resources
Baptist Theology: The Radical Reformation
Featured is a thorough review of “The Radical Reformation,” 3rd Edition, by George Hunston Williams, and published in 1992, which provides a history of the Radical Reformation that brought about the Anabaptists, is presented.
http://www.baptisttheology.org/book-reviews/the-radical-reformation/
Issue 5: Radical Reformation: The Anabaptists
The text of issue five of the Christian History Institute magazine is published here in its entirety. The issue focuses on the Anabaptists, offering several articles on the history of the Anabaptists and the Radical Reformation. Individual articles may be viewed online or the entire issue may be downloaded in PDF format.
https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/issue/radical-reformation-the-anabaptists/
Mennonite Origins and the Mennonites of Europe
Written by Harold S.Bender and published on Bible Views, the article offers a detailed history of the beginnings and growth of the Anabaptist movement and the Swiss Brethren, including biographies of people who played a significant role in the Radical Reformation.
http://www.bibleviews.com/menno-heritage.html
Michael Sattler was the most prominent leader of the Swiss Brethren after the deaths of Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, until he was captured by Roman Catholic authorities and martyred in 1527. His history and a list of the charges that were brought against him are discussed.
http://www.anabaptists.org/history/michael-sattler.html
As a part of a World News history series published on November 1, 2010, the story of the Radical Reformation and the history of the Anabaptist movement is told in video format. Videos on later Anabaptist history are also available.
http://wn.com/radical_reformation
The Anabaptists and the Radical Reformation
Describing the Radical Reformation as an early offshoot of the Protestant Reformation, the site offers a history of the movement, discusses the issues that brought it about, and the people who were its important figures.
http://www.christian-history.org/anabaptists.html
The Anabaptists and the Reformation
The origins of the Anabaptists and other radicals are put forward, along with an overview of the early years of the movement, its expansion and persecution, splits in the church, and a doctrinal critique.
http://www.rbc.org.nz/library/anabap.htm
Christian Heritage Fellowship offers a profile of the Radical Reformation, also known as the Left Wing of the Reformation or the Third Reformation, along with information about the people and terms that are connected with it.
http://christianheritagefellowship.com/the-radical-reformation/
The Radical Reformation: Resources
The site offers a large number of links to information relating to the Radical Reformation and the early history of Anabaptism, including online and published resources, biographical links, and related data.
http://www.eldrbarry.net/heidel/anabrsc.htm
