Introducing the Anabaptists Starring Conrad Grebel Menno Simons

Introducing the Anabaptists Starring: Conrad Grebel Menno Simons

Conrad Grebel • 1498 -1526 Lived in Zurich • 1521 - founded the Swiss Brethren when he rebelled against his former teacher, Zwingli because he was reluctant to reform and made too many concessions to the state • 1525 - started adult baptism • persecuted for his beliefs

Grebel’s Beliefs • Against violence, war, child baptism and theocracy • humanist • simple living—lived apart from society in own communities. • everyone has access to Bible

Menno Simons • • 1496 -1561 1524 - consecrated as a Catholic priest 1525 - first doubted transubstantiation 1531 - first exposed to idea of adult baptism 1536 - renounced Catholic Church 1537 - ordained as an elder in Anabaptist Church 1539 - Foundation-Book

Simon’s Beliefs • • • Non-resistance complete separation of church and state adult baptism adultery only grounds for divorce can’t marry outside church

Lutheranism vs. Anabaptism • Emphasis on both Testaments • appealed to German Princes • infant baptism • Emphasis on New Testament • renounced state support • adult baptism • Both reduced the number of sacraments • Both renounced the Catholic Church

Political and Religious Impacts • Breakdown of Catholicism • Zwingli loses influence in some areas due to the spread of Anabaptism • More division among the Protestants • Stimulated the development of Anabaptist communities in Munster & Westphalia, founded by Mathijs and Leiden

More Impacts • Resulted in the development of the Mennonites • Resulted in persecution of Anabaptists in many areas due to their alienation from political life.

Renaissance Connections • Valued education for all members of the community in vernacular languages. • Valued the ability of individuals to comprehend the Bible and explain its meaning to other members of the community.

In Summary • Grebel and Simons founded Anabaptism in Zurich in response to the need to reform both the Catholic Church and other Protestant leaders The Bible

Bibliography • Loewen, Harry, and Steven Nolt. Through Fire and Water: An Overview of Mennonite History. Scottdale: Herald Press, 1996. • www. anabaptists. org • www. mhsc. ca/encyclopedia/cme. html