Ein sendbrieff Hans Huthe(n) etwa ains furnemen Vorsteers im widertauffer ordenn. Verantwort durch Urbanum Rhegium.
Augsburg: Alexander Weyssenhorn, 1528.
Price: $8,500.00
Quarto: 18 x 14.8 cm. [38] pp. Collation: A-D4, E3 (lacking blank E4)
SOLE EDITION.
Bound in modern wrappers. Top margin of title cut close but not affecting the woodcut border. Several underscores in red pencil, tiny wormhole in blank lower margin. The book is extremely rare. No copies traced in North America.
Urbanus Rhegius’ point-by-point refutation of an unpublished pastoral letter by the radical Anabaptist preacher Hans Hut, a follower and successor of Thomas Müntzer (whom he joined in the Peasants’ Revolt), who represented a particularly apocalyptic strain of early Anabaptism.
Rhegius was a Lutheran theologian, whom Luther referred to as the “Bishop of Lower Saxony”. His critique of Hut reflects the tensions between the Anabaptists and leaders of the Reformation in Augsburg. In his “Sendbrief”, Rhegius devised a polemical-theological framework that simultaneously documented and critiqued Hut’s letter. The text is broken into sections, with excerpts from Hut followed by Rhegius’ commentary, giving the text the appearance of a debate.
Hans Hut and Anabaptist Theology
A former bookbinder and follower of Thomas Müntzer, Hut was baptized by Hans Denck during Pentecost in 1526 and quickly became the most successful Anabaptist missionary in southern German territories. Historical sources suggest he may have baptized several thousand people during his brief career. Hut's theology combined several distinctive Anabaptist emphases with his own apocalyptic urgency:
Like all Anabaptists, Hut rejected infant baptism, insisting that baptism should follow conscious faith and repentance. This wasn't merely a ritual disagreement but reflected a fundamentally different ecclesiology—the church should consist only of committed believers who voluntarily choose to follow Christ, not an inclusive territorial church encompassing all residents from birth.
He emphasized the “Imitation of Christ”(Nachfolge Christi), particularly with respect to suffering. He taught that true Christians must expect persecution and tribulation, following Christ's path of suffering before glory. This "theology of the cross" was more radical than Luther's—it was not just a question of recognizing human sinfulness but about actively embracing suffering as the mark of authentic faith.
Hut developed an elaborate apocalyptic timetable, predicting Christ's return around 1528, following a period of tribulation. He taught that the elect would participate in the final judgment, helping to separate the righteous from the wicked. This millennial expectation gave urgency to his missionary work—the gospel must be preached quickly before the end.
Influenced by mystical traditions, Hut emphasized direct spiritual illumination and the "inner word" of God speaking to believers. While not rejecting Scripture, he taught that the Spirit must make the written word living and active in the believer's heart.
VD16 H6220