Anabaptists

=Anabaptists=

The Anabaptists, which in Greek translates into “re-baptizers”, are a group of Christians born out of the Radical Reformation. January 21, 1525 is most generally regarded as the birth of Anabaptism. Anabaptists rejected conventional Christian practices such as taking oaths, and holding civil government offices, only to take on their own new ideas, such as the literal translation and interpretation of The Sermon on the Mount, which dealt with believer’s baptism. Whereas all other religions of the day saw infant baptisms as necessary for salvation, Anabaptists required that candidates for baptism make their own confessions of faith. This led to the widespread persecution of the Anabaptists throughout the 16th and 17th centuries by both Roman Catholics and other Protestants. The Anabaptist movement had several varying branches throughout Europe, including:


 * Anabaptism in Saxony and Thuringia, from 1521 to 1525
 * The Swiss Anabaptist Movement, from 1523 to 1525
 * The Anabaptists in Munster, from 1533 to 1535

Many of the Anabaptists’ practices spanned from earlier forerunners of the religion, such as Brethren of the Common Life and the Hussites. These common beliefs included:


 * The condemnation of oaths
 * The belief that a believer must not bear arms
 * The belief that a believer must not fill any office or hold any rank under government, since civil government belonged to the world, and Christians were to be a part of God’s kingdom
 * That unfaithful believers and sinners were to be excommunicated

There is, however, no single defining set of beliefs, doctrines, and practices that characterize all Anabaptists.

Contemporary groups with early Anabaptist roots include the Mennonites, Amish, Dunkards, Landmark Baptists, Hutterites, and various Beachy and Brethren groups. Most distinguished of these is the Mennonites, whom have been characterized historically by a love for the Word of God and very strict demands for holiness in life. These modern branches exist today principally in Holland, Germany, and the United States.

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