Baptistic Theologies, 2009

tic Theologies and live Christianity existed before Hans Nilsen Hauge, it was coloured by the work of the Moravians’. Zionittene With its beginnings in the Moravian groups, another movement began and developed for a brief period in Norway’s spiritual history. This movement received the name Zionittene (Zionists), and was based in Drammen." It was short lived, but it also made its impact felt. Spren Bplle, a Danish gentleman residing in Norway, was converted mainly due to the influence of the Moravians. He came to Norway after leaving Copenhagen Lutheran Seminary because of the low spiritual and moral life of the students and the pastors. After arriving in Drammen he became aware of the spiritual hunger and need of the people, so he returned to Copenhagen and finished his theological education. When he returned to Drammen, he immediately began to preach the Word of God, with evident results. Spren Bplle became leader of a group of re-awakened people in the town of Drammen, not far from the capital, and preached in private homes. Bplle left the State Lutheran Church in 1741 to form his own church. He looked upon the Bible as the sole authority for faith and practice. In 1742 he started immersing believers and was immersed himself. In July 1742, they baptised by complete emersion eight people in the Drammen river. Other baptisms followed during the year. The movement spread to other Q 1 places, and instances of baptism grew in frequency/ Drammen is one of the towns in which Rymker held meetings when, in 1857, he came from Denmark as a colporteur and began Baptist work in Norway. The question now became, why would these baptisms in the 1740s not be considered as the beginnings of Baptist work in Norway, since they practised total immersion based upon their faith in Christ? Most historians agree that Baptists were unknown in Norway at this time in history. There were other instances of total immersion performed as well. But there was no organised Baptist denomination. Persecution followed after a short time. Bplle and a number of others were arrested in 1742. Imprisonment, confiscation of property, and persecution of various kinds took place. The 28 Diesen, Norges Vekkelseshistorie gjennom 1000 dr, ET from Norwegian, p. 41. ~ 9 Eidberg, Detfolk som kalles Bciptister. En unders0kelse av Det Norske Baptistsamfunn bakgrunn, tilblivelse, histone og egencirt til jubileet 1902, p. 14. 311 Diesen, Norges Vekkelseshistorie gjennom 1000 dr, p. 35. 31 The revival movement spread east to Oslo and west to Kongsvinger and to many of the smaller cities in between. A members’ list written on I s ' May 1744 states: 74 adults, 23 children; 43 from Drammen, 36 from Asker, 14 from Kongsbergg and 8 from Kristiania (Oslo). Pastor Vogelis wrote at this time to his Bishop in Oslo concerning his diocese in Asker. ..’that the number of these 'kjetterske’ unbelieving troublemakers grew daily and their troublemaking was bec