Michael Sattler
Encyclopedia
Michael Sattler was a monk who left the Roman Catholic Church
during the Protestant Reformation
to become one of the early leaders of the Anabaptist
movement. He was particularly influential for his role in developing the Schleitheim Confession
.
Born in approximately 1490 in Staufen, Germany
. Sattler became a Benedictine
monk in the cloister of St. Peter and most likely became prior. He left St. Peter's probably in May 1525 when the monastery had been overcome by the troops from the Black Forest
fighting in the peasant's war. He later married a former Beguine named Margaretha.
When Sattler arrived in Zurich
is not known except that he was in town before being expelled from the city November 18, 1525 in a wave of expulsions of foreigners resulting from the November 6-8 disputation on baptism. Some believe that Sattler is to be identified as the "Brother Michael in the white coat," mentioned in a document dated March 25 of that year, thus placing Sattler in Zurich before Snyder's estimation of when he left St. Peter's. Snyder believed that Sattler possibly arrived in Zurich to attend that disputation.
He became associated with the Anabaptists and was probably rebaptised in the summer of 1526. He was involved in missionary activity around Horb
and Rottenburg
, and eventually traveled to Strasbourg
. In February 1527 he chaired a meeting of the Swiss Brethren
at Schleitheim
, at which time the Schleitheim Confession
was adopted.
In May 1527, Sattler was arrested by Count Joachim von Zollern, regent of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, along with his wife and several other Anabaptists. He was tried and sentenced to be executed as a heretic. The sentence to execution read, "Michael Sattler shall be committed to the executioner. The latter shall take him to the square and there first cut out his tongue, and then forge him fast to a wagon and there with glowing iron tongs twice tear pieces from his body, then on the way to the site of execution five times more as above and then burn his body to powder as an arch-heretic." The other men in the group were executed by sword, and the women, including Margaretha, were executed by drowning.
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
during the Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
to become one of the early leaders of the Anabaptist
Anabaptist
Anabaptists are Protestant Christians of the Radical Reformation of 16th-century Europe, and their direct descendants, particularly the Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites....
movement. He was particularly influential for his role in developing the Schleitheim Confession
Schleitheim Confession
The Schleitheim Confession was the most representative statement of Anabaptist principles, endorsed unanimously by a meeting of Swiss Anabaptists in 1527 in Schleitheim . The meeting was chaired by Michael Sattler. Michael Sattler was the leader of the Swiss and southern German Anabaptist movement...
.
Staufen, Germany
Staufen im Breisgau is a German town in the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district of Baden-Württemberg. It has a population of approximately 7700.-General:...
. Sattler became a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monk in the cloister of St. Peter and most likely became prior. He left St. Peter's probably in May 1525 when the monastery had been overcome by the troops from the Black Forest
Black Forest
The Black Forest is a wooded mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, southwestern Germany. It is bordered by the Rhine valley to the west and south. The highest peak is the Feldberg with an elevation of 1,493 metres ....
fighting in the peasant's war. He later married a former Beguine named Margaretha.
When Sattler arrived in Zurich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
is not known except that he was in town before being expelled from the city November 18, 1525 in a wave of expulsions of foreigners resulting from the November 6-8 disputation on baptism. Some believe that Sattler is to be identified as the "Brother Michael in the white coat," mentioned in a document dated March 25 of that year, thus placing Sattler in Zurich before Snyder's estimation of when he left St. Peter's. Snyder believed that Sattler possibly arrived in Zurich to attend that disputation.
He became associated with the Anabaptists and was probably rebaptised in the summer of 1526. He was involved in missionary activity around Horb
Horb am Neckar
Horb am Neckar is a town in the southwest of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river, between Offenburg to the west and Tübingen to the east . It has around 25,000 inhabitants, of whom about 6,000 live in the main town of Horb, and the remainder in 18 associated...
and Rottenburg
Rottenburg am Neckar
Rottenburg am Neckar is a medium-sized town in the administrative district of Tübingen in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It rests about 50 km southwest of the provincial capital Stuttgart and about 12 km southwest of the district town Tübingen...
, and eventually traveled to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. In February 1527 he chaired a meeting of the Swiss Brethren
Swiss Brethren
The Swiss Brethren are a branch of Anabaptism that started in Zürich, spread to nearby cities and towns, and then was exported to neighboring countries...
at Schleitheim
Schleitheim
Schleitheim is a municipality in the canton of Schaffhausen in Switzerland.It is known as the location where the seven articles of the "Schleitheim Confession" were written by Michael Sattler in 1527.-Geography:...
, at which time the Schleitheim Confession
Schleitheim Confession
The Schleitheim Confession was the most representative statement of Anabaptist principles, endorsed unanimously by a meeting of Swiss Anabaptists in 1527 in Schleitheim . The meeting was chaired by Michael Sattler. Michael Sattler was the leader of the Swiss and southern German Anabaptist movement...
was adopted.
In May 1527, Sattler was arrested by Count Joachim von Zollern, regent of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria, along with his wife and several other Anabaptists. He was tried and sentenced to be executed as a heretic. The sentence to execution read, "Michael Sattler shall be committed to the executioner. The latter shall take him to the square and there first cut out his tongue, and then forge him fast to a wagon and there with glowing iron tongs twice tear pieces from his body, then on the way to the site of execution five times more as above and then burn his body to powder as an arch-heretic." The other men in the group were executed by sword, and the women, including Margaretha, were executed by drowning.
Works cited
- Gstohl, Mark (2004). "Michael Sattler". Retrieved May 25, 2006.
- Horsch, John. Mennonites In Europe. Rod and Staff Publishers, 1942, 1995, pp. 70-78. Cited at http://www.anabaptists.org/history/sattler.html
- Snyder, C. Arnold. The Life and Though of Michael Sattler. Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 1984. ISBN 0-8361-1264-4
- Kauffmann, Karl-Hermann Michael Sattler - ein Märtyrer der Täuferbewegung. Brosamen-Verlag Albstadt 2010 ISBN 978-3-00-0032755-1
- Yoder, John Howard. The Legacy of Michael Sattler. Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald, 1973.
External links
- Michael Sattler in Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
- Memorial stone at location of Michael Sattler's execution in Rottenburg, Germany, Sites of Memory webpage
- Theological Biography of Michael Sattler at BaptistTheology.org
- Two Kinds of Obedience Modern English version of tract usually attributed to Sattler