What 16th century Anabaptists might say to 21st century Anabaptists...

[Ernie]

What 16th century Anabaptists might say to people in the 21st century who call themselves Anabaptists...

By way of definition... When I refer to 16th century Anabaptists, I am referring to those who shared the beliefs and values that were held in common by folks like Manz, Grebel, Blaurock, Marpeck, Sattler, Hutter, Simons, and Marpeck.

This thread is building off of something the late Wayne-in-Maine often posited...
Do present day Anabaptists have any clue what early Anabaptists believed and valued?

As we approach the 500th anniversary of Anabaptist beginnings, some groups are thinking about how to celebrate Anabaptist life and thought. But what if what they celebrate is an embarrassment to 16th century Anabaptists? Wouldn't the biggest compliment we could give them... be an opportunity to critique the worldview of those in the 21st century who call themselves Anabaptists?
I suggest that their critique might differ depending on which constituency they might address...
Old Order, Ultra-conservative, Intermediate-conservative, Moderate-conservative, Progressive-conservative, Theological-conservative, Mainline, and Progressive.

How could we go about giving them that opportunity... they being dead yet continuing to speak?

[Soloist]

The single biggest one I can hear echoing

Rev 3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
Rev 3:15  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
Rev 3:16  So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17  Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18  I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19  As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Rev 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Honestly I think this describes far too many of us.

[steve-in-kville]

Just off the top of my head, I think the core values (now I sound like human resources ) would be turned upside down. Money, wealth, and pedigree would be of little to no concern. Spirituality and beliefs would be paramount.

[Neto]

Menno Simons strongly counseled or cautioned against the dangers of going beyond Scripture. So I think he would have "words" with us about sketchy doctrines that are made "hills to die on" by many.

[NedFlanders]

Just off the top of my head, I think the core values (now I sound like human resources ) would be turned upside down. Money, wealth, and pedigree would be of little to no concern. Spirituality and beliefs would be paramount.

As more time goes on the more I see as a non- Mennonite background those three things are held up so high while they try not to and say they don’t, but sadly they do hold them highly… I think the original Anabaptist’s would be disgusted. But it seems hard for generational Mennonites to really even be able to see this clearly.

[barnhart]

I suspect anyone from the 16th century would be very disoriented by modern society. Some developments that might impress them would be freedom of conscience and practice and believers who create alternate structures to resist the degenerate elements of general society. At the same time they might be turned off by the monastic element of believers withdrawing from society. I suspect they might not understand the goal of separation for separation sake. Surely they would be troubled materialism and complacency.