500: The Anabaptists

Introduction to 500 series

As Zwingli was bringing about radical reformation in Zurich, there was a group of reformers who believed he was not going far or fast enough.

Conrad Grebel had been a student at the Grossmünster. He then attended the University of Basel, University of Vienna, and University of Paris, though he never finished a degree. However, much like Zwingli, he was introduced to the humanist ideas of the day.

Felix Manz’s father was a canon at the Grossmünster. In 1521, he and Grebel met while both attending studies at the church led by Zwingli. The study group studied Greek, the Latin Bible, the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. Zwingli believed strongly in comparing translations of the Bible to original texts to derive true interpretation. 

When the city council debated abolishing the Mass and icons in 1523, the decision was to slowly fade out the practices rather than an outright rejection. They believed outright banning them would bring violent resistance, but that allowing Zwingli's ideas to flourish would naturally lead to the people rejecting Church practices. For the young radicals, this decision did not go far enough, nor such the civil city council be making religious decisions. The council was trying to appease the most people possible and avoid violent outbursts, but the radicals who had up until now followed Zwingli, felt that any appeasement was not following God. Fifteen men left Zwingli’s study group at that time and began their own study group.

The new group came to believe that infant baptism was not biblical, that only a professing believer should be baptized. A public debate was held on the issue on Jan. 17, 1525, with Zwingli arguing in favor of infant baptism and Grebel, Manz, and George Blaurock arguing against. The city council predictably sided with Zwingli. They ordered that unbaptized infants must be submitted for baptism within 8 days; failure to do so would result in exile of the parents. (Grebel had an infant daughter at the time. He refused to have her baptized.)

On Jan. 21, the group met in the home of Manz. Blaurock asked Grebel to baptize him upon a confession of faith. Then Blaurock baptized the others present. This “re-baptism” (as they had been baptized as infants and now rejected such baptism) led to the group being known as Anabaptists. Their actions violated the city council’s orders. Yet several of the men openly professed their positions, even travelling to other part of Switzerland to share their beliefs and baptize others. They found other groups throughout Switzerland and Germany specifically who felt similar that Luther and Zwingli's reform efforts weren't radical enough.

The Anabaptists beliefs continued to diverge from Zwingli's. They believed Christians should not be involved in world affairs, such as political office. They also developed the doctrine of non-resistance and pacifism. There were no sacraments, but rather ordinances of footwashing, communion, and the holy kiss. Several communities also embraced communal living, mimicking the early Church in Acts. From this Anabaptist movement came the Amish, Baptist, Brethren, and Mennonite churches.