Schwenkfelder Church
The
Schwenkfelder Church is a small
American Christian body rooted in the
16th century reformation teachings of
Caspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig (1489-1561).
Though followers have held the teachings of Caspar Schwenkfeld since the
sixteenth century, the
Schwenkfelder Church did not come into existence until the
twentieth century, due in large part to Schwenkfeld's emphasis on inner spirituality over outward form. He also labored for a fellowship of all believers and one church. By the middle of the sixteenth century, there were thousands of followers of his "Reformation by the Middle Way". His ideas appear to be a middle ground between the ways of the Reformation of
Luther,
Calvin and
Zwingli, and the Radical Reformation of the
Anabaptists.
Originally calling themselves
Confessors of the Glory of Christ, Schwenkfeld's followers later became known as
Schwenkfelders. These Christians often suffered persecution like slavery, prison and fines at the hands of the government and state churches in
Europe. Most of them lived in southern Germany and lower Silesia.
By the beginning of the
eighteenth century, the remaining Schwenkfelders lived around
Harpersdorf. As the persecution intensified around 1719-1725, they were given refuge in
1726 by Count
Nicolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf of Saxony. When the ruler of Saxony died in
1733,
Jesuits sought the new ruler to return the Schwenkfelders to Harpersdorf. With their freedom in jeopardy, they decided to look to the
New World.
The immigrant members of the Schwenkfelder Church brought
saffron to the Americas; many Schwenkfelders had grown saffron in Europe.A group came to
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in
1731, and several migrations continued until
1737. The largest group, 180 Schwenkfelders, arrived in
1734. In
1782, the
Society of Schwenkfelders was formed, and in
1909 the
Schwenkfelder Church was organized.
They teach that the
Bible is the source of Christian theology, but also believe it is dead without the inner work of the
Holy Spirit. They also continue his belief that the divinity of
Jesus was progressive, and that the
Lord's supper is a
mystical spiritual partaking of the body of Christ in open communion. Adult
baptism and dedication of children is practiced. Their ecclesiastical tradition is congregational and ecumenical. The Schwenkfelder churches recognize the right of the individual in decisions such as public service, armed combat, etc.
The
Schwenkfelder Church has remained small:
as of 2003 there are six congregations with about 3,000 members in southeastern Pennsylvania. All of these bodies are within a fifty-mile radius of
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. The
General Conference of the Schwenkfelder Church meets annually.
*
Encyclopedia of American Religions, edited by J. Gordon Melton
*
Handbook of Denominations in the United States, by Frank S. Mead, Samuel S. Hill, and Craig D. Atwood
*
Profiles in Belief: the Religious Bodies of the United States and Canada, by Arthur Carl Piepkorn
* In 1541, Caspar Schwenkfeld published the
Great Confession on the Glory of Christ. Based on this book and his view of Christ, Schwenkfeld's followers called themselves
Confessors of the Glory of Christ.
* The six churches are located at Lansdale, Norristown, Palm, Philadelphia (2), and Worcester.
*
Entry for Schwenkfelder Church at
Adherents.com*
Schwenkfelder Library and Heritage Center*
Central Schwenkfelder Church* Martha B. Kriebel.
"The Schwenkfelders" in
Hidden Histories [of the
United Church of Christ].
