The word Anabaptist<\/strong> comes from the Greek prefix ana<\/strong> (“again”) and baptizo<\/strong> (“to baptize”). It literally means “rebaptizer.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ironically, the Anabaptists themselves rejected that label. They argued they were not being baptized again<\/strong>, because they believed infant baptism was not a true biblical baptism in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Anabaptist movement began in 1525<\/strong> during the Protestant Reformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time there were essentially three major groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Anabaptists believed that Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli had not gone far enough<\/strong> in reforming the church. They wanted to return completely to the pattern of the New Testament church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is their best-known doctrine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They believed baptism should only be administered to someone who:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore they rejected infant baptism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This belief later became one of the defining beliefs of Baptist churches as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They believed the church should consist only of genuine believers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Membership was voluntary\u2014not something assigned because you were born into a Christian nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was revolutionary in the 1500s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps their most influential idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Europe nearly every nation had a state church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Anabaptists argued:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today this sounds normal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the 1500s it was considered dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They believed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many historians believe they helped lay the groundwork for modern religious liberty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most Anabaptists believed Christians should not:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead they emphasized:<\/p>\n\n\n\n They took Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount very literally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They stressed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For them, Christianity was not merely believing correct doctrine\u2014it was living like Jesus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Almost everyone opposed them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n considered them heretics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n considered them dangerous radicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n also persecuted many Anabaptists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, both Catholics and Protestants executed Anabaptists.<\/strong> Thousands were imprisoned, tortured, drowned, or burned because they rejected infant baptism and the authority of state churches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One tragic irony:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many Anabaptists joked that they experienced three baptisms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One event seriously damaged the movement’s reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A radical group seized the German city of M\u00fcnster (1534\u20131535)<\/strong> and attempted to establish a theocratic kingdom. They introduced practices such as communal property and, under their leaders, polygamy. After a lengthy siege, the city fell, and the leaders were executed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This group was not representative of most Anabaptists<\/strong>, who rejected violence and condemned the M\u00fcnster uprising. Nevertheless, many outsiders thereafter associated all Anabaptists with that rebellion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today the Anabaptist tradition includes groups such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many of these groups still emphasize:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is actually debated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Baptists arose later in England around 1609<\/strong> through leaders such as John Smyth and Thomas Helwys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However…<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baptists share several important beliefs with the Anabaptists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many historians believe the English Baptists were influenced by Anabaptist ideas, even if they did not descend directly from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since we’ve discussed Calvinism before, here’s a helpful comparison:<\/p>\n\n\n\n One important nuance: the early Anabaptists were not all theologically identical<\/strong>. Some held views that today would be called Arminian, others had different perspectives, but they were united around believer’s baptism, voluntary church membership, and a New Testament model of the church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if someone does not identify as Anabaptist, many ideas now common among evangelical Christians owe much to their witness:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nHistorical Background<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nTheir Major Beliefs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Believer’s Baptism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n2. A Believers’ Church<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n3. Separation of Church and State<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n4. Religious Liberty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n5. Pacifism<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\n6. Holy Living<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWhy Were They Persecuted?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Roman Catholics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lutherans<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Calvinists<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe “Third Baptism”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nThe M\u00fcnster Rebellion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nModern Groups Descended from the Anabaptists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nWere the Baptists Anabaptists?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Most Baptist historians say:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\n\n\n\nHow did Anabaptists differ from Calvinists?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Topic<\/th> Anabaptists<\/th> Classical Calvinists<\/th><\/tr><\/thead> Infant baptism<\/td> Rejected<\/td> Accepted<\/td><\/tr> Church membership<\/td> Believers only<\/td> Included covenant children<\/td><\/tr> Church & State<\/td> Separate<\/td> Often closely connected<\/td><\/tr> Military service<\/td> Usually opposed<\/td> Generally permitted<\/td><\/tr> Baptism<\/td> Public profession of faith<\/td> Covenant sign including infants<\/td><\/tr> Christian life<\/td> Strong emphasis on discipleship<\/td> Strong emphasis on God’s sovereignty and grace<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Why they’re important today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n