Abstract
Abstract In the second half of the sixteenth century, the Hutterian Brethren of Moravia were a thriving religious movement, described by numerous visitors as an ideal of a sacred Christian congregation. The Hutterites themselves promoted a similar self-portrait, seeing their community as the embodiment of the apostolic Church described in the Acts of the Apostles, and of the Old Testament’s Chosen People. This image was challenged by another Reform Church, the Polish Brethren, or the Arians. Focusing on the example of those two communities, this essay discusses the process of Radical Reform identity formation. It examines the creation of the Moravian myth of a sacred community and the rebuttal of this myth produced in the milieu of the Polish Brethren. Different social makeup and political context of the Arians shaped their hermeneutics of the same sacred texts that served the Moravians and resulted in construing an alternative myth of a sacred community. The essay concludes that the latter narrative was instrumental for the Polish Brethren to establish their own, separate Christian identity.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.