A Sattler Reading Guide

One of the disadvantages of being outside of an academic institution for the time being is not having a guide to comb through the literature on a particular subject. In the case of my recent reading of the comments made on Snyder’s biography, it is important to read certain items in a certain order. Sometimes this is chronological so that the student can see the development of the scholarship, but at other times this is best done thematically, moving from the broader subject to finer details and with an emphasis on dealing with the primary sources sooner rather than later.

So, if anyone has a care to read up on Michael Sattler fairly extensively, I submit an annotated bibliography that should serve as a guide. The first list goes from general introduction to primary sources to the development of later biography, with contingent issues. I advise reading those item in the order they are presented. The second list contains work of lesser immediate value and works outside of English. This bibliography is almost exhaustive, but there are likely other little biographies, essay sections, book chapters or even whole works of which I may be unaware. I will update this post as I find them. I also left out the many republications of Schleitheim because it is everywhere. Seriously.

Haas, Martin. “Michael Sattler: On the Way to Anabaptist Separation.” In Profiles of Radical Reformers, ed. Hans-Jürgen Görtz 132-143. Kitchener, Ontario: Herald, 1982.

Bossert, Gustav, Jr., Harold Stauffer Bender and C. Arnold Snyder. “Sattler, Michael (d. 1527).” Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 5, ed. Cornelius John Dyck. Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald, 1989.

        These two items will provide enough of a biography to provide a framework for placing the writings into context.

Williams, George H. and Angel M. Mergal, eds. “The Trial and Martyrdom of Michael Sattler.” In Spiritual and Anabaptist Writers, 136-144. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1957.

Bossert, Gustav, Jr. “Michael Sattler’s Trial and Martyrdom in 1527.” MQR 25, no. 3 (July 1951): 201-218.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “Rottenberg Revisited: New Evidence Concerning the Trial of Michael Sattler.” MQR 54, no. 3    (Jul. 1980): 208-228.

        The trial of Sattler is prominent in the early Anabaptist narrative. It will introduce the primary source documents to follow.

Sattler, Michael. “Early Anabaptist Tract on Hermeneutics.” Ed. J. C Wenger. MQR 42, no. 1 (Jan. 1968): 26-44.

Yoder, John Howard. The Legacy of Michael Sattler. Classics of the Radical Reformation, Vol. 1. Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald, 1973.

        Yoder mixes primary texts with biographical annotations. That biography acted as a foil to Snyder’s later work.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “Life of Michael Sattler Reconsidered.” MQR 52, no. 4 (Oct. 1978): 328-332.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “Revolution and the Swiss Brethren: The Case of Michael Sattler.” Church History 50, no. 3 (Sum. 1981): 276-287.

        Snyder would become the most prolific author on Sattler. These works set the way for his challenge to Yoder’s interpretation. The latter distilled the arguments from his dissertation of the same year.

Snyder, C. Arnold. The Life and Thought of Michael Sattler. Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History, no. 27. Scottsdale, Pennsylvania: Herald, 1984.

        Snyder’s biography essentially attempts to demonstrate the influence of Sattler’s Benedictine past on his later Anabaptist theology, especially as revealed in Schleitheim.

Martin, Dennis D. “Monks, Mendicants and Anabaptists: Michael Sattler and the Benedictines Reconsidered.” MQR 60, no. 2 (Apr. 1986): 139-164.

Arnold, C. Arnold. “Michael Sattler, Benedictine: Dennis Martin’s Objections Reconsidered.” MQR 61, no. 3 (July 1987): 262-279.

Fast, Heinhold. “Michael Sattler’s Baptism: Some Comments.” MQR 30, no. 3 (July, 1986): 364-373.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “Michael Sattler’s Baptism: Some Comments in Reply to Heinhold Fast.” MQR 62, no. 4 (Oct. 1988): 496-506.

        Two challenges came from Snyder’s biography. Fast rejected the extent of a  connection that Sattler had that may have localized Sattler’s Anabaptist identity. Martin saw many of Snyder’s claims as too circumstantial. Snyder responded to both in defense of his original claims.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “The Influence of the Schleitheim Articles on the Anabaptist Movement.” MQR 63, no. 4 (Oct. 1989): 323-344.

        While not directly about Sattler, this article attempts to show that the Benedictine influence on Sattler was mediated to the rest of Anabaptism via Schleitheim.

Here are the rest of the works on Sattler that I have in my bibliography:

Augsburger, Myron S. “Michael Sattler (d 1527): Theologian of the Swiss Brethren Movement.” Th.D. diss., Richmond, Virginia, Union Theological Seminary, 1965.

_________. “Michael Sattler (d 1527): Theologian of the Swiss Brethren Movement.” MQR 40, no. 3 (July 1966): 238-239

        Simply a report on the findings of Augsburger’s dissertation.

Baecher, Claude. L'Affair Sattler. Editions Sator-Mennonites, 1990.

Depperman, Klaus. "Michael Sattler: Radikaler Reformator, Pazifest, Märtyrer." Mennonitisches Geschichtesblätter 47/48 (1990/1991): 8-23.

Estep, William Roscoe, Jr., “A Superlative Witness.” In The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism, 3^rd ed., 57-75. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1996.

Haas, Martin. “Michael Sattler: Auf dem Weg in die Täuferische Absonderung.” In Radikale Reformatoren, 115-124. Munich: Beck, 1978.

        The German original from which the previously mention Haas item was translated.

Köhler, Walther ed. Brüderliche Vereinigung etzlicher Kinder Gottessieben Artikel betreffend, Item ein Sendbrief Michael Sattlers an eine Gemeine Gottes samt seinem Martyrium. In “Flugschriften aus den ersten Jahren der Reformation.” Leipzig, 1909.

Moore, John Allen. Anabaptist Portraits. Scottdale, Pennsylvania: Herald, 1984.

        There is a chapter in here on Sattler, but the book is not in my possession; so, I don’t know what the page numbers are.

Mühleisen, Hans-Otto. “Michael Sattler (ca. 1490-1527): Leben aus den Quellen–Treue zu sich Selbst.” Mennonitisches Geschichtesblätter 61 (2004): 31-48.

Seguy, Jean. “Sattler et Loyola: Ou Deux Formes de Radicalisme Religieux au XVI° Siécle.” In The Origins and Characteristics of Anabaptism, ed. Marc Leinhard, 105-125. The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, 1977.

Snyder, C. Arnold. “The Life and Though of Michael Sattler, Anabaptist.” Ph.D. diss., McMaster University, 1981.

        The dissertation that was later revised and published as The Life and Thought of Michael Sattler.

Spitta, Friedrich. “Michael Sattler als Dichter.” Zeitschrift für Kirchengeschichte 35 (1914): 393-402.

Stricker, Hans. “Michael Sattler als Verfasser der Schleitheimer Artikel.” Mennonitische Geschichtsblätter 21 (1964): 15-18.

Veesenmeyer, Gustav. “Von Michael Sattler.” Staudlin und Vater’s Kirchenhistorische Archiv (1826): 476.