Menso Alting

Menso Alting (9 November 1541 – 7 October 1612) was a Dutch Reformed preacher and reformer. He used a hunebed as pulpit for his sermons, which is still locally known as "The Popeless Church".

In March 1595, Alting played a large role in a rebellion of the Calvinistic inhabitants of Emden against the Lutheran count of East-Frisia, Edzard II. Hoping Emden would join the Dutch Republic, he roused the population. Not long after, the city declared itself independent of East-Frisia. In the treaty of Delfzijl of 15 July 1595, Emden received a semi-autonomous status, which it kept until 1744.

Alting died at the age of 70 in Emden.

Family

In 1571, he married Maria Bisschop; they had 12 children, including the theologian Johann Heinrich Alting. Menso and Maria were also the grandparents of the preacher Jacob Alting.