Theology of Anabaptism

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Anabaptism
Dirk Willems (picture) saves his pursuer. This act of mercy led to his recapture, after which he was burned at the stake near Asperen (etching from Jan Luyken in the 1685 edition of Martyrs Mirror).
Background Christianity Protestantism Reformation Radical Reformation Sermon on the Mount German Peasants' War Martin Luther Thomas Müntzer Ulrich Zwingli
Distinctive doctrines Theology of Anabaptism Believer's baptism Nonconformity to the world Nonviolence Free will Freedom of religion Priesthood of all believers Separation of church and state Foot washing Shunning Simple living
Documents Schleitheim Confession Dordrecht Confession Ausbund Martyrs Mirror
Key people George Blaurock Hans Denck Conrad Grebel Melchior Hoffman Balthasar Hubmaier Hans Hut Jakob Hutter Alexander Mack Felix Manz Pilgram Marpeck Melchior Rink Michael Sattler Menno Simons
Largest groups Amish Brethren in Christ Conservative Mennonites Hutterites Mennonite World Conference Mennonites Mennonite Brethren Old Colony Mennonites Old Order Mennonites Old German Baptist Brethren Russian Mennonites Schwarzenau Brethren
Related movements Schwenkfelders Baptists Pietism Radical Pietism Moravian Church Inspirationalists Quakers Neo-Anabaptism
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Theology of Anabaptism is the beliefs of the Anabaptist movement. Anabaptism has a reputation of de-emphasizing theology in deference to living righteously. The various branches of the Anabaptist movement take slightly different approaches to theology.

John S. Oyer argues in his article "Is there an Amish Theology" that no systematic theology exists among the Amish.^[1] Oyer states that the Amish have an implicit theology that can be found in their biblical hermeneutics, but take little interest in explicit, formal, and systematic theology. It is easier to find out about their implicit theology in talking with them than reading written documents. According to Oyer, their implicit theology is practical, not theoretical.^[2] The most important written source of Amish theology, according to Oyer, is "1001 Questions and Answers on the Christian Life".^[3][4] Other important written sources for Anabaptist theology are the Schleitheim and Dordrecht Confessions of Faith

Old Order Mennonites have even fewer documents about their theology than the Amish.

The Hutterites possess an account of their belief written by Peter Riedemann (Rechenschafft unserer Religion, Leer und Glaubens) and theological tracts and letters by Hans Schlaffer, Leonhard Schiemer and Ambrosius Spittelmaier are extant.^[5]

Overview[]

The leading elements of implicit Anabaptist theology are:

Believer's Baptism

Baptism is to be administered to believers only.

Symbolism of Holy Communion

Communion is a memorial of the death of Christ, and transubstantiation does not occur.

Restricted Communion

The bread and "fruit of the vine" should be broken with baptized believers only.

Religious Separation

Christians should be separated from the world.

Separation of church and state

Christians should not make an oath or hold the office of magistrate.

Nonresistance

Christians should not exercise coercion, whether political, physical or otherwise, most prominently illustrated by refusal to vote, engage in self-defense, or go to war.

(Note: Schwertler Anabaptists, such as Balthasar Hubmaier, were not nonresistant and supported the government; they even encouraged involvement in government.)^[6]

Anabaptists also regard true religious reform as involving social improvement. The socialism of the 16th century was Christian and Anabaptist, though most Anabaptists never adopted a strict communal lifestyle.

The Anabaptists practiced church discipline before any of the Reformers adopted it. Reformer Martin Bucer was influenced by them to introduce discipline into the church in Strassburg, though the attempt was not successful. Bucer convinced John Calvin of the idea, and he established church discipline in Geneva. Calvin read the Schleitheim Confession in 1544 and concluded, "these unfortunate and ungrateful people have learned this teaching and some other correct views from us." Calvin was only 18 years old and still a Catholic when the Schleitheim Confession was formed in 1527.^{[7][failed verification]} According to Harold S. Bender and several of his colleagues, the Anabaptists were "voluntaristic in religious choice, advocates of a church completely free from state influence, biblical literalists, non-participants in any government activity to avoid moral compromise, suffering servant disciples of Jesus who emphasized moral living and who were persecuted and martyred as Jesus had been, and restitutionists who tried to restore pre-Constantinian Christian primitivism". (Note: Schwertler Anabaptists, such as Balthasar Hubmaier, were not against participation in any government activity, but even encouraged involvement in government.)^[6] While within historical Anabaptism numerous variations occurred, the comparison of Anabaptism with Protestantism highlights a consistent core of faith and practice among the Anabaptists.

After Martin Luther's rejected reformation of Roman Catholicism, these groups denied the validity of infant baptism. In addition, Anabaptists rejected all Roman Catholic baptism as invalid. They therefore re-baptized those whom they regarded as not having received any Christian initiation at all, and claimed that their baptism after profession of faith was the recipient's first legitimate baptism. Reportedly, one of the first adult baptisms of the Reformation was publicly performed in Zürich, Switzerland, in January 1525.^[8]

Baptism[]

The Anabaptist view of baptism is one of its outstanding features. In their view, baptism was reserved for repentant believers who were aware that their sins had been forgiven, not unknowing infants. In this view they defied both the Roman Catholic Church and the Protestant Reformers. According to the Schleitheim Confession (1527):

"Baptism shall be given to all those who have learned repentance and amendment of life, and who believe truly that their sins are taken away by Christ, and to all those who walk in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and wish to be buried with Him in death, so that they may be resurrected with Him and to all those who with this significance request it (baptism) of us and demand it for themselves. This excludes all infant baptism, the highest and chief abomination of the Pope. In this you have the foundation and testimony of the apostles. Matt. 28, Mark 16, Acts 2, 8, 16, 19."

The Dordrecht Confession (1632) states,

"Concerning baptism we confess that all penitent believers, who, through faith, regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, are made one with God, and are written in heaven, must, upon such Scriptural confession of faith, and renewing of life, be baptized with water, in the most worthy name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, according to the command of Christ, and the teaching, example, and practice of the apostles, to the burying of their sins, and thus be incorporated into the communion of the saints; henceforth to learn to observe all things which the Son of God has taught, left, and commanded His disciples."

The concept of believers' baptism drew the main attention of 16th-century Continental Anabaptists, but the mode was also an issue. The majority appear to have taught and practiced baptism by pouring, while a minority practiced baptism by immersion. The writings of Menno Simons seem at times to promote immersion as the proper mode, but his practice was by pouring. Bernhard Rothmann argued for immersion in his Bekentnisse, and Pilgram Marpeck copied this idea into his Vermanung, but weakened the position by accepting pouring or sprinkling as an alternate mode. The mode of baptism was debated by the Hutterites and the Polish Brethren around the turn of the 17th century, and the arguments for immersion by Polish leader Christoph Ostorodt were incorporated into the Racovian Confession of Faith in 1604. Servetus made a strong case for immersion. The Mennonites, Swiss Brethren, South German Anabaptists, and Hutterites were not as concerned about mode, and, while not rejecting immersion, found pouring much more practical and believed it to be the Scriptural mode.

Christology[]

Christology addresses the person and work of Jesus Christ, relative to his divinity, humanity, and work of salvation. The 16th-century Anabaptists were orthodox Trinitarians accepting both the humanity and divinity of Jesus Christ and salvation through his death on the cross. In the area of his humanity certain Anabaptists adopted somewhat different views, which left them open to charges of heresy. Melchior Hoffman, Menno Simons, Dirk Philips and others held and taught an idea which has been dubbed "celestial flesh". Hans Denck (1500–1527) held a view often called "Logos Christology", but his view was much less influential on the movement as a whole.

In attempting to explain how Jesus Christ's two natures came to be, Menno Simons and Dirk Philips concluded and taught that Jesus did not derive his humanity from Mary. This view has also been called the doctrine of "heavenly flesh" and "Incarnational Christology". In this view they were dependent on Melchior Hoffman, who probably was influenced in this view by Kaspar Schwenkfeld von Ossig. Hoffman wrote, "We have now heard enough that the whole seed of Adam, be it of man, woman, or virgin, is cursed and delivered to eternal death. Now if the body of Jesus Christ was also such flesh and of this seed ... it follows that the redemption has not yet happened. For the seed of Adam belongs to Satan and is the property of the devil." Similarly Menno concluded: "In the same manner the heavenly Seed, namely, the Word of God, was sown in Mary, and by her faith, being conceived in her by the Holy Ghost, became flesh, and was nurtured in her body; and thus it is called the fruit of her womb, that same as a natural fruit or offspring is called the fruit of its natural mother." In 1632, 71 years after the death of Menno Simons, and near the end of the first century of Dutch Anabaptism, mention of Menno's Christology was left out of the Dordrecht Confession of Faith. Not only was the "celestial flesh" doctrine a point of controversy between Mennonites and Protestants in the 16th and early 17th centuries, it was also a source of controversy between Anabaptist groups.

In Poland and the Netherlands, certain Anabaptists denied the Trinity, hence the saying that a Socinian was a learned Baptist (see Socinus.) With these Menno and his followers refused to hold communion. Italian Anabaptism had an anti-trinitarian core but was a part of Anabaptism in general. In his work, Stella showed that movement's connections to Neapolitan spiritualism, (especially Juan de Valdés), but also made the connection to the Marranos as well.

Lord's Supper[]

In the early Anabaptist Schleitheim Confession, breaking of bread is the term used for the Lord's supper or communion. The Anabaptist view of the Lord's supper is similar to the Zwinglian or symbolism view. The corporate nature (fellowship, unity) of participation is emphasized to a greater degree than in many communions. Pilgram Marpeck wrote, "As members of one body, we proclaim the death of Christ and bodily union attained by untainted brotherly love." The terminology sacrament is generally rejected. Marpeck further wrote, "The true meaning of communion is mystified and obscured by the word sacrament." In connection with the Lord's supper, many Anabaptists stress the rite of feet washing.

Old Testament[]

Most Anabaptists held that both the Old and New Testaments were the word of God, while insisting that the New Testament was the rule of faith and practice for the church. Some emphasized this latter position so strongly that the Anabaptists were at times accused of rejecting the Old Testament (Marcionism). This charge of their enemies remains unsubstantiated. Anabaptists Hans Denck and Ludwig Hätzer were responsible for the first translation of the Old Testament Prophets from Hebrew into the German language. On the other hand, the Münsterites accepted Old Testament practices such as theocracy and polygamy as normative for the church.

Non-Resistance[]

Most Anabaptist hold that violence is wrong, as is supporting violence though personal actions such as joining the military. This would also include opposition to abortion and capital punishment. In 1918, three Hutterite brothers, David, Joseph, and Michael Hofer, and Joseph's brother-in-law Jacob Wipf were imprisoned on Alcatraz for refusal to join the US military. Two of them, Joseph and Michael Hofer, died in late 1918 shortly after their transfer to a prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.^[9] The Bruderhof is another Anabaptist church that is strongly pacifist, believing that personal property is a form of injustice.^[10]

Soteriology[]

Anabaptism seems to have influenced Jacobus Arminius.^[11] At least, he was “sympathetic to the Anabaptist point of view, and Anabaptists were commonly in attendance on his preaching.”^[12] Then, though Anabaptism may have a specific conceptualization of soteriology,^[13] the soteriological doctrines of Arminianism and Anabaptism are roughly equivalent.^[11][12]

In particular, Mennonites have been historically Arminian and rejected Calvinism soteriology.

In the 20th century, particularly in North America, a small minority of Mennonites who came under the influence of certain Reformed literature have adopted the doctrine of eternal security, which is a departure from the traditional Anabaptist teaching of conditional security.^[14]

See also[]

• Mennonites
• Old Colony Mennonites
• Conservative Mennonites
• Old Order Mennonite
• Martyrs Mirror

Notes and references[]

Citations[]

Sources[]

• Bangs, Carl (1985). Wipf & Stock (ed.). Arminius: A Study in the Dutch Reformation. Eugene.
• Bender, Harold S. (1953). "Arminianism". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online.
• González, Antonio (2007). "Grace and Freedom: An Anabaptist Perspective". The Conrad Grebel Review. 25 (2).
• Sutton, Jerry (2012). "Anabaptism and James Arminius: A Study in Soteriological Kinship and Its Implications" (PDF). Midwestern Journal of Theology. 11 (2): 121–139.

Further reading[]

• John S. Oyer: Is there an Amish Theology, in Lydie Hege et Christoph Wiebe: Les Amish : origine et particularismes 1693–1993, The Amish : origin and characteristics 1693–1993, Ingersheim, 1996, pages 278–302.
• 1001 Questions and Answers on the Christian Life, written by 20 members of the Amish ministry and lay people in various communities, published by Pathway Publishers, Aylmer, Ontario and Lagrange, Indiana, 1992.
• John D. Rempel: Lords Supper In Anabaptism; A Study In The Christology Of Balthasar Hubmaier, Pilgram Marpeck, And Dirk Philips, Toronto, 1986.
• Robert J. Friedmann: The Theology of Anabaptism: An Interpretation, (Studies in Anabaptist and Mennonite History), Harrisonburg, Virginia, 1973.
• William Klassen: Covenant and Community: the Life and Writing of Pilgram Marpeck, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1968.
• Rollin S. Armour: Anabaptist Baptism: A Representative Study, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, 1966.
• Franklin H. Littell: The Anabaptist View of the Church, Philadelphia], 1952.

External links[]

• The Radical Reformation: Resources
• Theology of Martyrdom at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online
• Mennonite Theology at Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online