In his book The Anabaptist Vision, a well-known statement made in 1943 by Harold S. Bender, Bender succinctly explained three of the core beliefs Mennonites believe are taught in Scripture and expressed in Anabaptist history:
- Christianity is discipleship. It is following Jesus in everyday life.
- The church is a brotherhood or family. Members not only commit themselves to Christ, but also individually and voluntarily to each other.
- Followers of Jesus have an ethic of love and nonresistance. As transformed persons, they seek to be reconcilers who reject involvement in violence and war.
History:
More than four centuries ago in Zurich, Switzerland, a new fellowship of Christian believers was formed. The Roman Catholic Church had become unspeakably corrupt. Martin Luther had separated himself from it but had continued the unscriptural practice of infant baptism. Ulrich Zwingli also had separated from the Catholic Church but continued to grant to the political rulers the right to decide the policies and practices of the church.
The new fellowship, led by Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, was formed to give men and women the opportunity to follow the Lord Jesus Christ according to the whole Word of God, the Bible. The group, hunted and tortured and persecuted at first, was mockingly called “Anabaptist” because of their rejection of infant baptism and the practice of believers’ baptism. Later they were called “Mennonite” because of the leadership of Menno Simons, who left the Catholic priesthood to follow Christ. Many Mennonites, because of the fierce intensity of persecution, migrated to Russia. When their religious freedom was threatened there, they joined other Anabaptists in North America who had come from Germany, Switzerland and Holland. Today, Mennonites worldwide number well over a million.
For a more complete history of the Anabaptists visit this site – http://bibleviews.com/menno-heritage.html