Do most Mennonites consider themselves Protestant?

[MennoRoots]

I was under the impression that Mennonites considered themselves Protestant, since the Mennonite Church grew out of the Protestant Reformation, and because my grandfather (raised in a Mennonite but never baptized in any church) considered himself and his family to be Protestant (which was relevant when he married my Catholic grandmother - they found a younger priest that was willing to do their wedding, since older priests refused). I've checked several encyclopedias and dictionaries, and they all say Mennonites are Protestant, and I've checked several Mennonite websites, and some say that Mennonites are Protestant, and some say they are not. Can someone here please clarify?

[barnhart]

This is a good question. Maybe you should include a poll, that could be interesting.

[Neto]

In a general sense Mennonites might be considered to be "Protestant", but the Protestants were attempting to reform the (Catholic) church, while the anabaptists stressed coming out of her, in a quest to join the pure church of Christ.

Since my "awakening" as a Mennonite (in my early twenties), I have never considered myself to be "Protestant". I wish I had the article from Christianity Today that (before the above time span, in the very early 70's, as I recall) described what it was to be "an Evangelical", because even in that early stage of my life, it brought me to the recognition that Mennonites are not "Evangelicals" in the usage of that era, at least.

[joshuabgood]

I would say no.

[Wade]

I was under the impression that Mennonites considered themselves Protestant, since the Mennonite Church grew out of the Protestant Reformation, and because my grandfather (raised in a Mennonite but never baptized in any church) considered himself and his family to be Protestant (which was relevant when he married my Catholic grandmother - they found a younger priest that was willing to do their wedding, since older priests refused). I've checked several encyclopedias and dictionaries, and they all say Mennonites are Protestant, and I've checked several Mennonite websites, and some say that Mennonites are Protestant, and some say they are not. Can someone here please clarify?

Mennonites that know more of the history and have a vision of the kingdom of God wouldn't see themselves as Protestants.
During the Reformation many Protestants didn't go as far as separating church and state. Without separating church and state Protestants were killing Mennonites - that would make it pretty easy for non-resistant people following Christ to not be excited to identify as Protestants.
There is more but one other important difference is that typically Protestants focus on salvation, while Mennonites center on Christ who preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. This, to me, drastically changed ones perspective on how one interprets scriptures and ones desire of loving faithful obedience in our relationship with Christ.

[MaxPC]

This article from Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO) does a very thorough job of explaining the Anabaptist identity in general and the Mennonite identity in particular.
https://www.gameo.org/index.php?title=Anabaptism

[Josh]

I would say most Mennonites don’t really think about the term Protestant too much.

Amongst some Mennonites, “Protestant” is a term they used to mean “a Christian who is not a conservative Mennonite but is not Catholic either”.

Mennonites who are more intellectual, study history, or go to seminary, etc. would use the standard dictionary definition of “Protestant”. If your ancestors were becoming more culturally mainstream, then this usage of the term is likely.

[ohio jones]

It depends on the definition.

The label "Protestant" originated from the Diet of Speyer in 1529, where official toleration of the reformation was revoked. The rulers who were sympathetic to Lutheran and Reformed views filed a protest (appeal) against the decision, and became known as Protestants. Neither party in that action had any tolerance at all for the Anabaptist movement, though. In that sense, we are not Protestant.

In current informal usage, "Protestant" can mean any Christian who isn't Catholic or Orthodox. In that sense, we are Protestant.

Generally, Mennonite historians and theologians will refer to a "third way" that distinguishes us from other faith traditions. There is even a book that addresses the issue, Anabaptism: Neither Catholic nor Protestant. Read a short intro here.

But not all Mennonites are historians or theologians, so some might have the modern usage in mind when asked, and agree to accept the label.

[Fidelio]

I see Christianity as having three main groups:

Catholic

Protestant

Anabaptist

[Dan Z]

I would say most Mennonites don’t really think about the term Protestant too much.

Amongst some Mennonites, “Protestant” is a term they used to mean “a Christian who is not a conservative Mennonite but is not Catholic either”.

Mennonites who are more intellectual, study history, or go to seminary, etc. would use the standard dictionary definition of “Protestant”. If your ancestors were becoming more culturally mainstream, then this usage of the term is likely.

The fact that out spiritual ancestors died at the hands of Protestants and Catholics convinced many of us that we must not be part of them (i.e. If they kill you, you're probably not a part of their tribe).