View source for Heppe, Heinrich Ludwig Julius (1820-1879)

Heinrich Ludwig Julius Heppe (1820-1879) was a [[Germany|German]] theologian and church historian, professor of theology at the University of [[Marburg (Hessen, Germany)|Marburg]]. In his <em>Kirchengeschichte beider Hessen </em>(Marburg, 1876, vol. I, pp. 261-264, 469-471 and vol. II, p. 187) he touches on the [[Anabaptism|Anabaptists]]. He presents in the main a brief résumé of the thorough research by [[Hochhuth, Karl Wilhelm Hermann (1823-1893)|Hochhuth]], to which he refers. In one instance he makes a valuable addition (vol. I, p. 471) in offering the letter of 5 October 1569 by Landgrave Wilhelm, which definitely opposes forcible baptism of the children of Anabaptists. "Now we know," says the letter, "that the church has been commanded to compel them to come in, but such compelling is to be accomplished not by force of arms, but by the force of the Word. For it is never the duty of the church to pursue political force; the true church must suffer persecution." Also worthy of note is Heppe's statement (p. 471), "The difficulty which the church encountered in the Anabaptist movement gave the church authorities their first instigation to introduce [[Church Records|church records]]. The first pertinent regulation was set up in the <em>[[Ordnung (Order)|Kirchenordnung]] </em>of 1566 (part III, c. 15 and 16). Here the setting up of [[Baptism|baptismal]] registers, which were also to serve to record [[Confirmation|confirmations]], was commanded. The <em>Kirchenordnung </em>of 1573 also prescribed the use of marriage registers. The keeping of death registers was not required until the <em>Kirchenordnung </em>of 1657 was passed."
= Bibliography =
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em> Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe; Schneider, 1913-1967: II, 284.
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