Balthasar Hubmaier's Understanding of Faith

Balthasar Hubmaier's Understanding of Faith brings together Balthasar Hubmaier's ideas on faith, since he never wrote a specific treatise on faith himself. This analysis of Hubmaier's views on faith shows that he saw two kinds of faith as necessary and operative in the whole restoration process of fallen human beings. The first kind of faith suggests an expression of belief out of pure human capacity and free will, while the second type regards faith as a gift from God, by which sinners are regenerated, made healthy, and stand justified before God. The author sorts out the complex issues Hubmaier's writing discusses, to come to the conclusion that initial belief and saving faith are made possible by a prior act of God's grace, which makes the whole process of restoration, regeneration, and reconciliation possible. Although this understanding of faith shares much with Anabaptism, it more strongly reflects medieval theological roots. However, many concepts of Hubmaier's theology appear in many later Anabaptist and Baptist groups.