Munster Uprising

End of semester news round-up

~ Richard Goode ~ 3 Comments

The sun is at last shining. Most of the undergraduates have dispersed leaving the library and atrium feeling strangely empty and rather lonely. However, the campus is far from quiet. Major building work is underway; buildings are cordoned off, the chapel stands gutted and open to the elements, and the sound of heavy plant machinery fills the hot summer air. All this tells us that the spring/summer semester has now drawn to a close and this affords me a brief respite in time to give you a round up of news about the centre for the year so far – and a very busy year it has been!

Atrium Starbucks
Newman Atrium Starbucks

In case you missed anything, here is the centre’s news of 2016 (to date)… Continue reading →

Lloyd Pietersen on the lessons from Münster (1534)

~ Richard Goode ~ 1 Comment

It was wonderful to have Lloyd Pietersen with us for a couple of days last week. Lloyd thumbnailWhile he was here, he took a couple of sessions with our undergraduates discussing Anabaptist hermeneutics and the Schleitheim Confession (1527). On Monday evening he presented an illustrated paper on the lessons that can be learnt from Münster 1534-1535.  In it, he explored how a marginal group, who espoused pacifism, could give rise to an event that ended in so much bloodshed and violence… and what might its lessons be for us today?

Anabaptist Apocalypticism, Sex and Violence:          Lessons from Münster

Dr. Lloyd Pietersen

Newman Research Centre for the Bible and its Reception
25th April 2016

(Full text of paper available to download below)
Deutschlands letztere drei Jahrhunderte, oder: des deutschen Volkes Gedenk-Buch an seiner Väter Schicksale und Leiden seit drei Jahrhunderten, etc, by LUBOJATZKY, Franz. Original held and digitised by the British Library
By Franz Lubojatzky. Original held and digitised by the British Library

In this lecture I shall briefly rehearse the origins of sixteenth century Anabaptism before turning to a summary of the events leading up to Münster. After describing the events at Münster between 1534-1535 I shall examine the role of apocalypticism on the movement and finally reflect on some more contemporary examples of apocalypticism, sex and violence and ending with some cautionary comments on Donald Trump.

Continue reading →

New date – Lloyd Pietersen: Anabaptist Apocalypticism, Sex and Violence: Lessons from Münster

~ Richard Goode ~ 1 Comment

We are really pleased to announce that we have a new date for Lloyd’s public lecture that, unfortunately, had to be cancelled in March.

 

One of the most demanding and perplexing questions that we face today is why a group or community can begin to adopt certain actions and behaviours that appear to diametrically oppose their core values? How can some religious groups commit acts of atrocities whilst apparently advocating a theology based upon love and peace?

This is not a new phenomenon and important lessons that could guide us to possible answers can be found in studying examples from history.

PUBLIC LECTURE

Anabaptist Apocalypticism, Sex and Violence: Lessons from Münster

Dr Lloyd Pietersen

Monday 25th April

17.00 – 18.00

Room – CH116

We are delighted to have with us at Newman Dr Lloyd Pietersen (Visiting Research Fellow and specialist in Anabaptist Studies) who will be giving an open lecture on the time of the ‘New Jerusalem’ established in Münster, 1534, and discussing the lessons that can be learned from this dark period.

Deutschlands letztere drei Jahrhunderte, oder: des deutschen Volkes Gedenk-Buch an seiner Väter Schicksale und Leiden seit drei Jahrhunderten, etc, by LUBOJATZKY, Franz. Original held and digitised by the British Library
Original held and digitised by the British Library

“In the election for city councillors in February 1534, Anabaptists gained control of the city of Münster. Shortly afterwards the city was declared ‘the New Jerusalem’ and Christ’s second coming was expected by Easter 1534. The city was besieged by the local prince-bishop for 16 months and eventually fell in June 1535. During this 16 month period Münster was ruled by a new ‘King David’ and polygamy was instituted. Resistance to his rule was violently crushed. This lecture examines the role of apocalypticism in transforming peaceful Anabaptism into the violence of Münster and reflects briefly on apocalypticism and violence today.”

Everyone is welcome to attend.

For more details please contact: r.goode@staff.newman.ac.uk
or Lee Lawrence: L.Lawrence@staff.newman.ac.uk

Continue reading →