Free Radicals

After the debate doesn't go the way they hoped, the Bible study group switches to another location to discuss their way forward, and their lives and the Christian church would never be the same again.

This is a sermon episode. This sermon was preached at Trinity Mennonite Church on January 18, 2026. Building on creation texts of Genesis 1 & 2, Psalm 104, and Job 38-40, there are mentions of God's care and provision for wild donkeys. The Anabaptist story in Zurich and other places could not have happened without the role of wild donkeys.

Disssatisfied with the way things are going, a group of reform minded scholars in Zurich start studying without the main reforming priest in the city. They fight about new theological issues, welcome new members, and deal with new crises.

In this sermon, I go through the stories of Luke 9 (feeding the 5,000, Jesus asks his discples who the people say he is, Jesus' transfiguration) and connect them with the journey of the early Swiss Anabaptists deciding where they fit in the larger Reformation story.

The Reformation in Switzerland continues as Zwingli and a growing number of other local pastors start advocating for the removal of sacred images in churches, cathedrals, and monasteries. The city hosts another debate, but almost nobody is satisfied with the results.

The historical storytelling episodes will be back soon, but for now here is a sermon I preached on January 26, telling the story and connecting it with Acts 19.Faith, whether today in our personal lives or for the church over centuries, is a lot like a community crossword puzzle, where you show up ready to build on someone else's work, that is, until you find too many mistakes and you need to start fresh.

The story of the Anabaptists in Switzerland begins with a radical new priest who seems intent on stirring up controversy everywhere he goes. But ultimately, the city council sides with him on theological matters, even against representatives of Rome.

Season Two of this podcast will cover the events of the early Anabaptists in Zurich, Switzerland 500 years ago.This episode contains a recording of a sermon given by Will Loewen at Trinity Mennonite Church in Calgary, on January 19, 2025. It weaves together the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch with the stories of Balthasar Hübmaier and the Zurich group of Anabaptists.

In this wrap up of season one, I think through a variety of different approaches to historical storytelling.

Professor Gerald Mast of Bluffton University in Ohio joins us to talk about the connection between Menno Simons and the Münster story.

Geoffrey Dipple joins the podcast to explain community of goods as implemented during the Anabaptist Kingdom of Münster. Was it spiritual? Was it practical? Was it just greed? We discuss these questions and more.

Gareth Brandt is a professor and pastor from Abbotsford, British Columbia. In September we hosted a live event in Calgary, and this episode was a recording from that gathering.After a quick summary of the story, we discuss the religious and cultural undercurrents that made it possible, and we discuss some art and imagery around the story.

Professor Jim West is a scholar of, among other things, the life and work of Ulrich Zwingli. He shares some of his thoughts on the Anabaptist movement as a whole, and the events in Münster in particular.

In a conclusion to the story-telling part of this podcast, we look at a few ideas.A summary of the events | The power of the label Anabaptist | The Himmelsleiter art installation | The challenge of a critical historical reading of the Münster storyPlease note: there is a very brief description of the torture inflicted on the ringleaders.

Jan van Leiden takes over as head prophet in Münster after Jan Matthjs' death. It seems, for a little while at least, that he can do no wrong, but time would run out on Jan and their collectivist paradise.Note: There were technical issues in the recording process, so the sound quality is little lower than normal. Thank you for understanding.

We take a moment to focus on the women in the story, their contributions and the impact the various changes had on their lives.

After the baptisms in January, things escalate among the growing crowd of Anabaptists in Münster. Armies are assembled, real and imaginary, a siege is initiated, an election happens, and power shifts in dramatic ways.

Three groups within the civic and religious sphere in Münster jockey for position as the tension in the city mounts. The traditional catholic families and their money, the new evangelical Lutheran families with their newfound credibility, and the radical/Anabaptist group and their zeal make for a tumultuous time as the city grapples with religious changes within and without.

Bernhard Rothmann gets sent on a Reformation tour of interesting German cities and along the way he encounters influential voices in the various branches of the church reformation movement.

Within the new reality created by Martin Luther's reforms, new church movements spring up all over the place, but getting support and cooperation is much more elusive.

In 1525 there is a break-in at a convent in Münster. It's one of the first signs of unrest in the city. This break-in and the city's response to it, can all be traced back to a German monk with a theological problem.

An introduction to William Loewen, the host of the podcast, and the story he's going to tell.