Who were the early Anabaptists? Were they schwärmer, a German word meaning “enthusiasts” or “extremists,” calling to mind a swarm of irritating insects? Were they sainted men and women willing to follow Christ even to the death—even for the sake of their enemies?
Many early Anabaptists really were radical, even in ways that today we would reject. And many early Anabaptists did live exemplary lives, even giving those lives for the sake of the gospel and their pursuers. However, most Anabaptists were simply normal Christians who were trying to follow Christ as best as they could. Most were people like Katharina Purst Hutter.
In 1532, Katharina Purst was a maid to Paul and Justina Gall, who were part of the Anabaptist community in Tyrol in modern-day western Austria and northern Italy. The Galls hosted Anabaptist leaders and meetings, and Purst joined Justina in bringing much-needed food to people hiding in the forests from the authorities—an act that put the women at risk as well.
Jakob Hutter, an early Anabaptist convert, was the leader of the Anabaptist community in this region. He was a charismatic leader who formed Anabaptist congregations and baptized new believers. When Purst made her confession of faith in 1532, it was Hutter who baptized her.
Unfortunately, Anabaptist hunters found out about these meetings and arrested the Galls and Purst in 1533. After torture—a government source advised that “they should be beaten on the appropriate parts of their bodies”—Purst recanted and was forced to deny her Anabaptist beliefs for three consecutive Sundays in the local Roman Catholic church.
In this, Purst was much like other Anabaptists of the time. While many freely gave their lives for the sake of the gospel, others, when faced with death, chose to do what they could to stay alive. As historian Brad Gregory writes, “Anabaptist men and women were devout human beings, not automatons marching en masse to their death.”
Purst fled to Moravia in central Europe, where she soon married Hutter. Despite the risk to their lives, they continued to minister to people, traveling from town to town preaching the gospel message and making converts to Anabaptist beliefs. However, just months after their marriage—and while she was pregnant—they were captured. Jakob Hutter was subjected to torture and was burned at the stake in February 1536.
Katharina Hutter, perhaps because of her pregnancy, was spared such harsh treatment, and the Roman Catholic authorities held out hope that she could be convinced to recant once again. This time, however, was different. The church building, she said, was nothing but a “pile of stones”—the true church was the people of God following him in community. Infant baptism, she boldly proclaimed, was nothing more than “a bath in dirty water.” As another government source put it, “The wife of Jakob Hutter … persists in her stubborn opinion.”
She eventually escaped, perhaps with the aid of one of her guards, and lived in freedom for two years. In 1538, she was arrested again, and this time, she was executed immediately.
Hutter was most likely just over 30 when she died and enjoyed only a year of marriage. Much of her time was spent on the run. She was unable to raise a family. Her life was full of danger and insecurity. And yet, she put her life at risk so that many others might know the gospel. Though she recanted, given another grim opportunity to do so, she held firm to her beliefs. She persisted in her stubborn opinion in following Christ, even to death.
Tony Petersen is pastor at Mountain View Clovis in Clovis, California, and adjunct history professor at Fresno State. He and his wife, Roxanna, have four children.
