Baptist Successionism and the Waldenses

Robert Cosby

CH602

Dr. James Renihan

04/03/07

 

Where was your church before Luther? This was the question directed at the Reformers by the Catholic Church.  The promises of Christ indicated that there would always be a true church of Christ.  The problem was that the reformers had denied the validity of the Roman Church and were faced with the prospect of having to say that for many years there had not been a true church, or true Christians.  Then came the Waldenses.  The Waldenses became the way the new church could establish a connection with the past, and so histories were written to link the Waldenses with the reformers.

Then in the early 19^th century, several Baptist historians began to formulate what would come to be known as Landmarkism, our Baptist successionism.  Baptists took these Protestant writings and theories about the Waldenses and changed them to represent a continual line of succession for Baptist.  Perhaps the most famous account of this position is seen in the pamphlet The Trail of Blood. [1]   This pamphlet though not the first to espouse these ideas because of itÕs size and ease of reading has spread throughout Baptist circles.

            This trend of claiming the Waldenses in a succesionist scheme would not end with the Baptists though.  Early in the 20^th century others were claiming them as well.  Ellen G. White of the Seventh day Adventists argued that the Waldenses were in fact their ancestors, and that the Waldenses original break with Rome was over the Sabbath.  She wrote:

Among the leading causes that had led to the separation of the true church from Rome was the hatred of the latter toward the Bible Sabbath. As foretold by prophecy, the papal power cast down the truth to the ground. The law of God was trampled in the dust, while the traditions and customs of men were exalted. The churches that were under the rule of the papacy were early compelled to honor the Sunday as a holy day. Amid the prevailing error and superstition, many, even of the true people of God, became so bewildered that while they observed the Sabbath, they refrained from labor also on the Sunday. But this did not satisfy the papal leaders. They demanded not only that Sunday be hallowed, but that the Sabbath be profaned; and they denounced in the strongest language those who dared to show it honor. [2]

 

Then E. H. Broadbent, the Plymouth Brethren historian, would claim them as well in his Church history The Pilgrim Church. [3]   From these examples it can be seen that the Waldenses are important in church history but what they believed is not always agreed upon.

            So what were the Waldenses? Were they Baptists? Were they proto-Reformed? Were they Seventh Day Adventists or Bretheren?  This paper will not spend time looking at the claims of the latter groups, but instead will look at the Waldenses organically.  They then will be compared with Baptist doctrine. [4]   This paper will argue that in fact none of these groups can claim a direct lineage to them, but instead the Waldenses were during the medieval period in doctrine, nothing more than pious Roman Catholics that and were never baptistic in their doctrine.

           

Their Origins

            The origins of the Waldenses is debated.  Many authors try to date them as an ancient sect possibly starting as early as the 2^nd century.  This is the position held by Peter Allix who argues that the Waldenses came out of the Paterines. He wrote:

After all that I have before observed concerning the Paterines, of their spreading of their disciples throughout several countries of Europe, it appears very evident, that the keeping of the truth in the diocese of Italy, and particularly in the diocese of Turin, and in the valleys thereabout was the work of these Paterines and the Subalpini, and that we cannot with any shew of Justice, attribute the same to Peter Waldo. [5]

Later he says ÒWhereas I affirm, that we are wholly beholden for this notion [Peter Waldo being the originator of the Waldenses] to the papists.Ó [6] And if there was any doubt as to his position he says:

Wherefore, that I may once for all clear this matter, I say, first that it is absolutely false, that these Churches were ever founded by Peter Waldo.  Let them shew us any author of that time who asserts, that Peter Waldo ever preached in the diocese of Italy, or that he founded any Church there.  Let them produce any sure tradition of that people referring the original of their Churches to Peter Waldo.  Those who wrote at the time do not tell us any thing like this, no more than they who lived after.  Wherefore, we must needs conclude it a pure forgery to look upon Waldo as the person who first brought the reformation into Italy we now find there. [7]  

 

This theory is based upon two faulty sources.  First of all there is the Book of the Elect.  This dates to c.1368 and recounts a legend that when Pope Sylvester was given the Constantine Donation, a sect broke off and continued on the true church.  There are several problems with this document. First, it states that there is no documentation supporting this theory and that it is strictly oral legend.  Second, it discusses ÔPetrus WaldisÕ as not the founder but a great leader.  The problem with their discussion of him is that almost all of the facts they give about him are refuted conclusively by other sources placing more doubt upon the document.  Over all, this document even by the authorÕs admission is nothing more than oral tradition and is contradicted by all of the evidence of their origin and the Italian Church. [8]

            The second source in question is more of a collection assembled by Samuel Moreland.  This collection contains large selection of Scripture and a confession of faith all dated to 1120. [9]    If these articles are real and the date is correct, then it solidifies the successionist position that the Waldenses existed before Valdesius and that they were at least very reformed in their beliefs.  The Confession specifically excludes all sacraments, except Baptism and the Lords Supper, and has a very reformed view of justification.  The later should cause some surprise, as it would be the only pre-Reformation statement with this kind of language.  Even those that would be considered the best from the pre-Reformation era of the Church, like Augustine and Wycliffe, did not have nearly this well-rounded a doctrine of justification. History though, does not support these documents.  McGoldrick comments on them:

Those who attempt to establish a pedigree for the Waldenses anterior to Waldo himself often refer to the work of Sir Samuel Morland, a 17th-century English author and diplomat who claimed to have found evidence that verifies the great antiquity of the sect.  Morland reproduced documents supposedly from the year 1120, which, he said, show that the Waldenses (French, -Vaudois-) had the scriptures for about forty years prior to the translation that Waldo obtained. The documents in question, however, show the Bible divided into chapters, and such divisions did not appear before about 1250 or later. The confession of faith produced by Morland makes it appear that the Waldenses held to a strongly Protestant-evangelical theology centuries before Luther. It is now known that this document originated in the 16th century. It contains teachings of Martin Bucer, reformer of Strasbourg, copied almost verbatim. [10]

 

Euan Cameron also contradicts MorlandÕs dates as well.  ÒWith lack of precision (or scruple) Morland arbitrarily dated many of the dialect tracts (now known to be of the early 16^th century in the surviving copies) to 1120, a date antecedent even to Valdesius himself.Ó  He then footnotes the preceding with the following.  ÒFor example, a confession of faith, which Perrin [a contemporary historian Jean-Paul Perrin] had concocted out of two of the early sixteenth-century manuscripts now in Dublin, was long assigned a date of 1120 in MorlandÕs work, which long became quite accepted as fact.Ó [11]   The successionist position is all but destroyed without these two ÒproofsÓ.

In contrast, most modern scholars hold that the Waldenses were founded by a man named Valdesius.  His name is also commonly referred to as Waldo, along with some other less common spellings.  This position is even held the by The Waldenses themselves in You Are My Witnesses is a history compilation by Giogio Tourn a Waldenses minister and historian and some other of his Associates. [12]   Cameron in contrast to Allix shows writings from the period, that in fact do point to Valdesius as the originator.  He says;

The overwhelming weight of modern opinion follows that of the medieval Catholic chroniclers.  These ascribe the origin of the ÔWaldensesÕ to a citizen of Lyon called Valdesius, who lived in the late twelfth century, and after whom the movement was named.  Two chronicles, the Universal Chronicle of the Laon Anonymous and the Life of Pope Alexander III of Richard of Poitiers offer overlapping accounts of the course of events which led Valdesius, the rich citizen of Lyon into his extraordinary Religious Career. [13]  

 

While Allix argued that there was not any proof of Waldo as the founder, the Laon Anonymous gives much proof of this origin. It records that a man named Waldes of Lyon who had amassed great wealth through usury as the founder. [14]   

Early Beliefs

Along with the debate over their origins there is much debate over what the Waldenses believed in the early days.  Those who take the successionist view take the so called Confession of 1120 to try and establish them as Baptists.  An example of this is from John Christian:

The confession of faith of the Waldenses indicates that they did not practice infant baptism.  There is a confession of faith which was published by Perrin, Geneva 1619, the date of which is placed by Sir Samuel Moreland, A. D. 1120.  That date is probably too early; but the document itself is conclusive.  The twelfth article is as follows:

 

He then quotes the twelfth article of this confession:

 

We consider the Sacraments as signs of holy things, or as the visible emblems of invisible blessings. We regard it as proper and even necessary that believers use these symbols or visible forms when it can be done. Notwithstanding which, we maintain that believers may be saved without these signs, when they have neither place nor opportunity of observing them. [15]

 

While he does recognize that the date of 1120 is probably wrong, he still assume that this document represents Waldenses belief for all time.  In actuality, their doctrine never represented anything like this until at least the 1530Õs.  Also, he says that this proves that they were against infant baptism yet it says nothing of the sort and in fact the author as noted above was Bucer, a staunch Paedobaptist. 

In contrast to this idea that this confession represented their early beliefs, we have ValdesiusÕ confession, which is extremely Catholic.  Wakefield and Evans record that this confession of Valdesius was made before Henry of Marcy a newly appointed Cardinal or Legate to France, and several other Clerics and Dignitaries. [16] In it he confesses clear Catholic doctrine.  There is much emphasis on the deity of Christ and of the Trinity.  This is probably in an attempt to distance himself from the Cathar/Albigenses Heresies that were spreading all over at that time. [17]   In opposition to Baptist doctrine, he affirmed the perpetual Virginity of Mary and accepted all of the sacraments of Rome.  He also confessed to believing in Transubstantiation and a sacerdotal view of Baptism.  He went on to state that he believed in doing things to benefit the dead.  Valdesius also made it quite clear that he believed that the Roman Church was the only true church and not dependent upon the spiritual state of its various priests.  Finally, he states that his only difference with the Church at large is his belief in the ascetic lifestyle as the best way of salvation. [18]

            With this confession in view, the early years of the Waldenses would probably be best referred to as pious Roman Catholics.  Their doctrine differed little and their desire was to be accepted by Rome.  Their soteriology was very much a form of cooperation with grace.  They believed that salvation was accomplished through their lives of sacrifice.

            McGoldrick aptly sums up their positions at this time.  He says Òmedieval Waldenses were quite similar to the Catholic Franciscans.Ó [19]   In reality St. Francis would lead a life almost identical in belief to Valdesius starting just about 30 years later.  Ironically, the Franciscans would gain acceptance where the Waldenses did not.   Had Rome accepted their preaching, they probably would have continued on in this manner and today, along with the Fransicans and the Dominicans, there would be the Order of the Waldenses.  Cameron comments, ÒWhatever the reason, this decision to drive Valdesius and his followers from the fold ensured that their name would thereafter be associated with heresy, while that of Francis was associated with a religious order.Ó [20]  

Instead of acceptance though, on 4 November 1184, Pope Lucius III and the council of Verona issued a decree Ad Abolendam.  This decree lumped the Waldenses together with the Cathars and Paterenes and anathematized them.  The theories given for why this happened are varied, Cameron holds that it likely was the result of the new archbishop Jean Bellesmains being a secular priest. Bellesmains probably did not like the ascetic lifestyle he was being confronted with, and therefore pushed for their exclusion. [21]   Whatever the reason, by putting them out of the fold, it put them in a position to branch out in their theological beliefs and begin to establish other disagreements with Rome.

The Middle Period

            Calling this next section the Òmiddle periodÓ is based upon a time frame from The Waldenses founding to their joining the reformation.

            After the separation from Rome they continued preaching.  The problem for Rome in the 13^th century was communication.  They had condemned the Waldenses, but the common people did not get the message.  This resulted in the common people thinking that the Waldenses were official ministers and they continued to be taught by them.  There are a handful of references from this period that attest to this.  Found primarily in the various inquisition records.

Also during this time the group scattered across Europe.  They continued on in France and Italy, but also went to Germany, Eastern Europe and the Alps.  As they would become established in a specific area they often would end up with their own peculiar beliefs. This made it difficult to pinpoint an over all set of beliefs.

One of the difficulties in establishing their beliefs from this period is that the primary extant records are from the inquisitors.  This raises questions of accuracy.  There are usually two parts to these records.  The first would be the confessions of the people, and the second would be the summation of belief by the inquisitor.  The latter is very suspicious and often what is attributed to them by the inquisitor is never substantiated anywhere else.  There are though several things that are verified by several sources in several places.  First, in the early days, they had many women that preached as well, in time this was forbidden and only men were allowed.  The men also lived celibate lives throughout.  Cameron recounts the other main things that kept creeping up:

Most sources from this period concur in identifying three or four areas of consistent disagreement with orthodoxy.  First, the Waldenses, like the Cathars discouraged their followers from swearing under any circumstances, as the Cathars did. [22]   Second they taught that to sentence someone to death and to execute them was sinful and forbidden: É. Third a female follower admitted to inquisitors in the 1230Õs that she had heard the Ô pestiferous adviceÕ against belief in purgatory, and prayers for the dead.  Two preachers seized in the Diocese of Carpentras around 1240 likewise denied the that purgatory existed, or that the prayers for the dead served any purpose. [23]

 

These issues are a mixed bag for Baptists.  On the one hand, denial of purgatory and prayers for the dead shows a step forward and a difference with the beliefs of Valdesius and the early Waldenses.  On the other hand, the denial of oaths and capital punishment are a step backward.  Ultimately, none of this makes them Baptist.

            One issue that took place that is in direct contradiction with both Baptist and Reformed theology, was the hearing of confession and giving of penance.  Cameron notes that around 1300 there were many accounts of people going to the Waldenses preachers and confessing their sin and being assigned penance. [24]   This again shows that they were in reality still viewing thing in the Catholic manner and are definitely not Baptist.  This issue became one of the biggest points of debate.  Since the leaders of the Waldenses were hearing confessions, one of the Roman sacraments, but sending their people as well as going themselves to the Roman Churches to partake of the other sacraments.  This point was used against them often by the inquisitors resulting in hundreds of them recanting and returning to Rome.  Cameron comments on this phenomenon.

Had Waldensian heresy turned away from the assumptions from the ÔHoly ChurchÕ more consistently, as Protestant theologians would later do, his arguments might not have held water so effectively.  However, the Waldenses lived in the same world as the Catholics, characterized by ritual penance and mediated holiness.  When an unusually clear-sighted   and merciful opponent confronted their internal inconsistencies and offered them a way back to the church, very large numbers of them took it. [25]

 

This again downplays the successionist argument that they rejected all but two of the sacraments, and had reformed views of justification.  The fact is that right up to the Reformation they were still going to the priests for Baptism and the Eucharist.  This fact, coupled with the fact that there is no record of them even discussing the validity of infant baptism, shows that they continued to do so.

            To sum up the middle period for the Waldenses, we need to note several things.  First, the defining issue for the Waldenses is an ascetic lifestyle.  At no point has this been a defining characteristic for Baptists.  Secondly, their overall Doctrine mirrored that of Rome.  Thirdly, the few areas that they differed from Rome with the exception of their denial of purgatory and prayers for the dead, are actually farther from Baptist doctrine than Rome.  Finally, on the key doctrines for Baptists, they are completely lacking.  When it comes to baptism there is hardly any comment.  It is highly unlikely that if they were radically different from Rome on this issue that the inquisitors would not have addressed it.  The fact is that it does not come up in the records of the inquisition.  Even more important is their soteriology.  Again, the inquisitors do not question their views of salvation, showing likely agreement with Rome.  This is born out in almost every testimony that we have from the Waldenses as they continually state that they are living their ascetic lifestyle in order to be saved.  This leaves us with this conclusion that they did not believe in justification by faith alone and there is no evidence that they ceased having their infants baptized.

The Waldenses and the Reformation

            The next step will be a look at their relationship to the Reformers.  As has been shown above, they were definitely not Baptists for their first several centuries.  This fact alone severely cripples, if not destroys, the successionist argument.  One final reason reason for the successionist argument is the merger of the Waldenses with the reformers in the 16^th century.

            By the time of the reformation the Waldenses had ceased to exist almost everywhere except the Alps.  Their antagonism with Rome had also grown by this time.  They had experienced severe persecution and war.  They had also come to question much of RomeÕs teaching.  While a lot of the areas that they were questioning were good, they were, in reality, peripheral issues.  They were questioning Transubstantiation, veneration of Saints, and some of the other extreme Catholic Superstitions.  Strangely though, they were still going to Rome to receive the Sacraments and still had a form of works Salvation. [26]   These points were driven home when starting in 1530 they began to have contacts with Reformed leaders.  These meetings were primarily instigated by Goerges Morel and Pierre Masson who met first with Joannes Oecolampadius and then Martin Bucer.  These meeting were met with mixed success.  In time, most of the remaining Waldenses would convert to Protestantism.  Their change would not be immediate.  Their differences were so great that the initial critiques were met with great resistance.  Cameron translates a letter from one of the meetings:

É..The two religious also said: Ôyou are more concerned and restricted by your ceremonies and external works than those of the roman churchÕ, as though meaning that it is a waste of time and useless burden to bother with such works, and God took no pleasure in them, because [doing] that stopped one taking care of worldly worksÉ..They were also scandalized because the said religious told them that there is no need of divine service save with the heart, and not with external gestures, because God in no way asks for these. [27]

 

He would go on to say that they were also criticized by the reformers for refusing to marry.  This shows that even on the eve of their adopting reformed theology they were still more Catholic than anything else.  The fallout of this was that many of the Waldensian leaders would leave the group and very few became pastors in the Reformed churches.

Summary

McGoldrick sums it up, ÒAlthough successionists have hailed them as Baptists, medieval Waldenses were quite similar to the Catholic Franciscans, those of the Reformation were akin to Presbyterians, and those of today have become Methodists.Ó [28]   As has been shown while the Waldenses were outside of Rome and were persecuted, the fact is they never resembled Baptists in any important area.  Claiming them as Baptist ancestors, or for that matter ancestors of any Protestant group, ignores the facts.  I am not prepared to say that none of them where Christians any more than I am prepared to say that about all of those that remained in the Roman Church; However their views of salvation were very much in contradiction to the doctrines of the reformation, and subsequently all Baptist.   This fact must be kept in mind when viewing their relationship to those who came after.  The Waldenses did see through a lot of abuses of the church but often their cure was no better than the disease.