‘Truth is unkillable’: non-resistance, ‘the sword’ and magisterial authority in the theology of Balthasar Hubmaier 1523-1528

The German Anabaptist Balthasar Hubmaier (c.1480-1528) has long been neglected by historians due to his premature death and the constrictive pigeon-hole that previous historians have tried and failed to force him into. Unlike any other Anabaptist leader he believed that it was God’s will for society to work with and support its government and that the government ideally should be composed of Christian’s who would protect its citizens from those who would wish to do them harm. Using Hubmaier’s own writings, which include On Heretics and Those Who Burn Them (1524), Dialogue with Zwingli’s Baptism Book (1526) and On The Sword (1527); this thesis will build upon the work of the historian Kirk MacGregor (2006) and examine Hubmaier’s beliefs in the areas that MacGregor did not cover; such as his views on non-resistance, ‘the sword’ and magisterial authority. The thesis will determine that Hubmaier’s beliefs on these issues did indeed make him unique among the Anabaptists; and that historians need to redefine the term ‘Anabaptist’ so that there is room within the definition for a unique figure such as Hubmaier

The Financial Health of Philadelphia-Area Nonprofits

As nonprofit organizations in the five Pennsylvania counties of Greater Philadelphia (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia) emerge from the financial crisis of the last decade and head into a very different and hard-to-forecast political and economic environment in the future, financial discipline, smart growth and strong governance are more important than ever. Accordingly, many nonprofit executives and governing boards are asking new questions about the organizations they govern. What risks do we face?1 How risky are we in relation to our peers? Are we doing the right things to understand and mitigate our risks? How should we balance financial risk against programmatic reward? What should we do to reduce the potential hardships from financial distress