The Doukhobors

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The Doukhobors
Woodcock Avakumovic, The Doukhobors, (London
1968)
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The Doukhobors

• Doukhobor meaning Spirit Wrestlers
• The term was first used in 1785 in a derogatory
  manner.
• Fighting against the Holy Ghost.
• Changed its meaning to fighting with the spirit
  of God.

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Doukhobor Belief

• Complete rejection of the priesthood.
• No churches.
• No liturgy.
• No festivals.
• No sacraments.
• No Bible.

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Persecution

• 1779 First major investigation of the Doukhobors.
• Under Alexander I the Doukhobors were sent to
  Taurida known as the Milky Waters, on the
  northern shore of the Black Sea.

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Tsar Nicholas II

• After 1826
• Sent to the Caucasus 1828-9, where it was
  thought they would have to defend their lives and
  property, arms in hand, against the mountain
  tribes and thus be weaned of their pacifistic
  inclinations.
• Doukhobar teaching and preaching was forbidden.

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Peter the Lordly Verigin

• Leader who while in exile studied the doctrines
  of Tolstoy.
• Began to withhold taxes.
• Refused to participate in government schemes.
• Ban in drinking, smoking, meat-eating.
• Refused to take oaths.

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Peter Verigin

• 1895 Under Verginis instructions, 11 Dukhobors
  refused military service while serving in their
  battalion.
• Ceremonial burning of the arms across several
  settlements.
• When attacked they huddled together in circles.

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Why the hostility?

• Russia was an autocratic state
• Isolation
• Direct challenge of authority
• Fear of the unknown
• Social status
• Religious belief

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The Waldensians

• Movement originates in Lyon from the teachings of
  Pierre Valdes, a wealthy merchant who, in 1170,
  gave all his material wealth to the poor and
  persuaded others to do the same
• In rejecting this wealth, Valdes wanted to
  colaborate to the renovation of the Church, by
  following the apostles example
• The Church goes back to Christs teachings, which
  should be considered literally- as well as giving
  up wealth, we should give up political power and
  the use of force

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Persecution

• During the Counter reformation, the Waldensians,
  as other non conformist religious groups, were
  persecuted
• In 1655, a community of Waldensians was
  massacred, in an event that they still remember
  as the Piedmont Easter
• As a result of the 1685 revocation of the Edict
  of Nantes, Waldensian worship was forbidden

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Reactions

• On March 6, the Waldensians defied the order and,
  on the basis of Acts 419 (it is better to obey
  God than man), resumed worship services.
• Following another massacre of the Waldensians,
  and their exile to Northern Germany, they
  eventually returned to Piedmont in 1689, a moment
  which was defined as the Glorious Return.

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Legalisation

• In 1848, by the Edict of Emancipation established
  by Carlo Alberto, King of Piedmont-Sardinia, the
  Waldensians were granted political and social
  rights.
• Today, Waldensian presence is mostly concentrated
  around the Alpine region of Piedmont, Switzerland
  and France, although significant communities also
  exist in the USA.

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Why persecution?

• Challenge to the mainstream institutions of
  Church and State
• - rejected all killing, including capital
  punishment and warfare
• -refused military service
• -believed in a humble Church, countering the
  enormous riches of the Catholic Church
• - challenged the connection between Church and
  State

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The Taborites

• Founded in Bohemian city of Tabor in eC15- part
  of the Hussite movement- followers of Jan Hus, a
  priest burned at the stake for heresy.
• Rejected militarism and capital punishment and
  believed that a better world was inevitable
• However, some followers grew frustrated with
  simply waiting for the second coming- advocated
  violent revolution

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A Non-Violent Movement?

• Advocates of violent revolution
• Many believed that it was their duty to slay
  heretics
• Part of armies that defended Bohemia
• BUT Some generals were known to show clemency to
  their opponents when they defeated them in battle
• Petr Chelcicky- A non-violent warrior?

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Persecution Legacy

• Represented a radical departure from the strict
  structures of the medieval church
• Challenged orthodoxy with its passive attitude
  towards the second coming of Christ.
• Fought for a prot0-communist form of society-
  challenged existing structures
• Its power waned significantly by middle of the
  century, but many ideas adopted by the Unity of
  the Brethren, now the Moravian Church

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The Cathars

• Began in the Languedoc region in the South of
  France in C11, Flourished in C1213
• Given name Cathars, members preffered to be
  called Bons Hommes et Bonnes Femmes

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Beginnings of Conflict

• Purpose of man's life on Earth was to transcend
  matter
• Put them at odds with Catholics material is
  evil, for example significance of cross
• Opposed Catholics as they saw them causing moral,
  spiritual and political corruption of the Church

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Non Violence

• Saw non violence as key to returning to a pure,
  uncorrupted form of life.
• War and capital punishment were condemned an
  abnormality in the medieval age.

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Violence!!!!!

• The cathars unique attitude towards violence,
  religious and social issues upset the dominant
  Catholics
• Pope Innocent III ordered the crusade of
  Saint-Nicolas-lès-Cîteaux  and approx 20,000
  people were killed. When he was warned there was
  no way of discerning between Catholics and
  Cathars he said, Kill them all, the Lord will
  recognise His own

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The End!

• Cathars were persecuted and crusaded against
  until basically annihilated. They survived in
  remote areas in C14 and C15 though their
  influences and views can be seen in movements
  such as the Waldensians which later were
  absorbed into Hussites, Lollards and the Moravian
  Church.

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General Conclusions

• Institutional Effects
• Challenges the state and established Church
• Goes against war debatable?
• Social Effects
• Challenges social orders
• Fear of the unknown

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The Anabaptists
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Origins

• Emerged around 1500
• Became important players in the Reformation
• Broke with the Reformation in 1525
• Movement Spread to Germany, Austria, Switzerland,
  Tirol.
• By C17 to Holland and East Poland

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Persecution

• Secret Executions (in the early years)
• Made a capital crime. Aiding Anabaptists was also
  made a crime
• Burnt at the stake (Catholic countries).
• Drowned or Hung (Lutheran or Zwinglian countries)
• Armed executioners and soldiers sent in companies
  throughout the land to kill Anabaptists.
• Between 1525 and 1800 more than 200 decrees were
  issued by European governments denouncing
  Anabaptists.

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Individual Cases

• First persecution occurred in Zurich Brethren
  imprisoned and executed (Felix Manz).
• 1527 the duke of Bavaria ordered Anabaptists to
  be burned at the stake.
• 1551 the Reichstag ordered all judges with
  scruples of sentencing Anabaptists to be removed
  from office.
• Companies of executioners
• 1528 commissioned by King Ferdinand of Austria
• 1528 four hundred mounted soldiers
• The number of Anabaptist martyrs in the Tyrol and
  Görz was estimated at one thousand about the end
  of the year 1531.

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Reasons for Persecution

• Refusal to bare arms (unpatriotic)
• Refused to swear oaths (oathswarrior code)
• Did not fight the Turks in Hapsburg lands
• A threat to other religious orders

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Mennonites
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Origins

• Emerged during Hollands war of Independence
• Followers of Simon Menno
• Non-Violent?
• Offered to help William of Orange with
  non-military tasks.
• Taxed in order to avoid military service
• Served in non-combatant roles

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Persecution

• Both Dutch and Swiss Mennonites either fled or
  were exiled West to escape persecution.
• Mennonites found solace in Penns holy experiment
• Penns experiment soon collapsed due to pressures
  of public opinion

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Reasons for Persecution

• Did not want to fight in the war (unpatriotic)
• Mennonites reject the authoritative rule of the
  government as people should be ruled by the love
  of Jesus
• Chelcicky says that government is needed to rule
  those not living under the love of Jesus. To
  forgive them would lead to power disappearing.
  Because of this fact the Mennonites become
  marginalized and persecuted.