The Reformation and Friends: Thomas Müntzer

Stuart Masters, in the first of a three-part series, writes about early Quakers and some key figures in the Radical Reformation

by Stuart Masters 2nd February 2018

The early Quaker movement emerged out of the radical wing of the Reformation, and was influenced by the ideas of a range of radical religious groups and individuals. One such figure is Thomas Müntzer (1489-1525). He was a German theologian who became a rebel leader during the German Peasants’ War. Although initially a follower of Martin Luther, he believed that the questioning of traditional authority, promoted by the mainstream Reformers, should not be confined to the spiritual sphere, but should also be applied to politics and economics.