Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Christian ethics and theology with an Anabaptist perspective
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Bootstrap
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Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Bootstrap »

lesterb wrote:I think a lot of our younger men (45 or lower) have no idea what you mean by an Anabaptist concept of Christianity.
Here's where I keep getting lost. These threads usually start by telling me that Anabaptism is different from X. They then spend all kinds of energy telling me why they don't like X, but much less energy telling me what true Anabaptism is. And the picture they paint of X is not always fair to X.

Here's something Menno Simons had right: if our concept of Christianity is right, then it is just Christianity, and it doesn't define itself by being different from something else.

So here's a challenge. Without naming any other group, what exactly is Christianity as you understand it? Feel free to be distinctively Mennonite or Anabaptist in your definition, but not as a goal, only as a way of defining Christianity as well as you can. Feel free to be clear enough that someone familiar with other groups might understand why their approach does not agree with yours, but focus on your approach, not theirs. Don't feel like you have to convince anyone else, just tell me what you believe. Don't debate, but feel free to ask anyone clarifying questions.

What is Christian theology and practice, according to Mennonites and Anabaptists?
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Is it biblical? Is it Christlike? Is it loving? Is it true? How can I find out?
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Dan Z
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Dan Z »

"Nachfolge Christi": imitating Jesus - discipleship - caring about what he cared about, living according to his life and teaching.

What does that mean?
  • Sacrificially loving God and neighbor
  • Living out his teachings with devotion
  • Being moved to care for the poor, the stranger, the marginalized, the prisoner, children, "the least of these"
  • Loving my enemies, living non-violently, respecting the life and value of all people
  • Eschewing wealth and status and the amassing of earthly goods
  • Inviting others to join us in God's Kingdom of light
  • Living a life of purity in action and thought
  • Representing the Kingdom as an Ambassador, speaking up on the things that matter to Jesus
  • Bearing the burdens of fellow Christ-followers
  • Oh...and to quote Tim McGraw - "always be humble and kind" :)
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Neto
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Neto »

The Scripture is our authority for all matters of faith & practice.

So, don't add to it by filling in the gaps.
If something seems contradictory, assume it is not, and if it is still incomprehensible, leave it at that, and believe them both.
Don't "build fences" around the truth by going one step further "just to make sure". (Example: Eve in the garden: We are not to touch it.")
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Ernie
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Ernie »

Dan Z wrote:"Nachfolge Christi": imitating Jesus - discipleship - caring about what he cared about, living according to his life and teaching.

What does that mean?
  • Sacrificially loving God and neighbor
  • Living out his teachings with devotion
  • Being moved to care for the poor, the stranger, the marginalized, the prisoner, children, "the least of these"
  • Loving my enemies, living non-violently, respecting the life and value of all people
  • Eschewing wealth and status and the amassing of earthly goods
  • Inviting others to join us in God's Kingdom of light
  • Living a life of purity in action and thought
  • Representing the Kingdom as an Ambassador, speaking up on the things that matter to Jesus
  • Bearing the burdens of fellow Christ-followers
  • Oh...and to quote Tim McGraw - "always be humble and kind" :)
This is a good list. A couple things I would add for my list...

An underlying assumption that I might not be seeing things correctly and that other faithful Christians may understand things better than I.
An assumption that the church should be kept pure and that those who are part of the church should try to live transparently and hold each other accountable.
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Neto
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Neto »

Ernie wrote:An assumption that the church should be kept pure ....
This was one of the most unique elements of early anabaptism.
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Wayne in Maine
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Wayne in Maine »

Neto wrote:
Ernie wrote:An assumption that the church should be kept pure ....
This was one of the most unique elements of early anabaptism.
Taking Jesus literally? Like when He told his disciples to sell their possessions and give to the poor? Like when the first church in Jerusalem, immediately after being filled with the Holy Spirit, had all things common?
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Sudsy
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Sudsy »

My understanding would be what Danz listed although I think within Anabaptism there are varied applications on what these require. I would add these -

- being born again
- believer's baptism in water (main distinctive in the title Anabaptist)
- a high view of the bible
- the church as a covenant community
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cmbl
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by cmbl »

Obeying the Sermon on the Mount.
Baptism and church membership are for those who have learned repentance and amendment of life. (This is not necessarily the same thing as believer's baptism.)
It is possible to believe in Jesus but not be in his Kingdom.
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Josh
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Re: Christianity according to the Anabaptists

Post by Josh »

What the word "Christianity" means is not the same as "following Christ". "Christian" includes all kinds of people, including nominal Catholics, Mormons, people in various cults, etc.

I try to use the phrase "following Jesus" as it shows a lot more commitment and described a life really centred around Jesus, as opposed to just an ethno-religious label.
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