Dutch Anabaptism Origin, Spread, Life and Thought (14501600) [Paperback]

I. The Low Countries During the Middle Ages.- 1. The Geographic and Ethnic Background.- 2. The Political Constellations.- 3. The Cultural Life.- 4. The Religious Life.- 5. Faith, Life, and Leaders.- 6. Asceticism and Monasticism.- 7. The Administration of the Church.- II. The Dawn of a New Day.- A. The Soil and the Seed.- 1. The Devotio Moderna.- 2. From Mysticism to Humanism.- 3. Desiderius Erasmus.- 4. The Role of Drama.- B. In the Embrace of a World Revolution (1517???1530).- 1. Channels of Communication.- 2. From Antwerp to Wassenberg.- 3. Cologne and M??nster.- 4. East Friesland.- 5. The Range of the Reformation.- III. The Evangelical Sacramentarian Reformation.- A. From Sacrament to Symbol.- 1. The Catholic Tradition.- 2. Christian Humanism.- 3. Wittenberg and Z??rich.- B. The Evangelical Movement.- 1. Faith and Witness.- 2. Literary Stimulation.- 3. Spread and Growth.- 4. Inquisition by Church and State.- IV. Melchior Hofmann: A Prophetic Layman.- A. From Wittenberg to Strassburg.- 1. Luther???s Messenger.- 2. Under Kings and Dukes.- 3. Strassburg: A Haven of Dissenters.- 4. A Champion of Anabaptism.- B. The Anabaptist Apostle to the North.- 1. The Sacramentarian Background.- 2. The Great Commission.- 3. The Sign of the Covenant.- 4. In the City Chosen by God.- 5. The Trial of the Prophet.- 6. Hofmann and the Melchiorites.- 7. Basic Views.- V. Anabaptism at the Crossroads.- A. In Search of the City of God.- 1. Centers of Melchioritism.- 2. The Spread of Melchioritism.- 3. Some Views of the Melchiorites.- 4. The Eschatological Hope and Persecution.- B. M??nster: The New Jerusalem.- 1. The City of God.- 2. Life in the New Jerusalem.- 3. M??nster and the Netherlands.- 4. Menno and M??nster.- 5. The Battle of the New Jerusalem.- 6. The Fall of the Kingdom.- VI. Gathering a Christian Fellowship.- A. Sifting and Gathering.- 1. Appraising Differences.- 2. A Leadership Emerges.- 3. A Refuge in East Friesland.- 4. A Lasco and the Anabaptists.- 5. In the Pincers of Chal