What beliefs actions etc. mark and define Anabaptism?

[Divos25]

What do I need to believe, value, and do as a sort of baseline before I can call myself Anabaptist or Mennonite? I wouldn't want to call myself one unless I fit what the Anabaptist and Mennonite Community count as qualifying someone to be Anabaptist. Do I need a immersion baptism even if my baptism was done as an adult? I also read that people living in sin are kicked out of the Anabaptist Church in some of the writings on another discussion where I asked for book recommendations and was wondering if someone can call themselves an Anabaptist if they desire to turn from a sin and are trying to move towards a situation where they no longer commit that sin whether that sin be a habitual sin or persistent state of sin or whether they must be completely pure of any sin to be considered a part of the Anabaptist Church. I will ask out of strict pacifism, nonviolence, nonresistance, not taking oaths, rules about proper dress, rules about divorce, etc. For someone to consider themselves Anabaptist. I have read the Mennonite Perspective Confession of Faith, and I agree with most of those beliefs, I do not perfectly adhere to pure nonresistance but I agree with most else of that document though I think I might be a just a hair or two more conservative on the Mennonite Continuum. Thank you all for letting me be a part of this online community!

[R7ehr]

Probably attending or joining a Mennonite church regularly would be one part of it.

No one polices the term. Anyone can refer to themselves as that if they want to. But there are some things that lend credibility to the claim. So I guess it depends on whether or not you just want to call yourself that, or if you want others to think of you as that.

[Divos25]

Probably attending or joining a Mennonite church regularly would be one part of it.

No one polices the term. Anyone can refer to themselves as that if they want to. But there are some things that lend credibility to the claim. So I guess it depends on whether or not you just want to call yourself that, or if you want others to think of you as that.

What if someone cannot move close enough to a Mennonite Church to actually become mennonite.

[R7ehr]

Probably attending or joining a Mennonite church regularly would be one part of it.

No one polices the term. Anyone can refer to themselves as that if they want to. But there are some things that lend credibility to the claim. So I guess it depends on whether or not you just want to call yourself that, or if you want others to think of you as that.

What if someone cannot move close enough to a Mennonite Church to actually become mennonite.

Then you would probably need to ask some Mennonite church to start a church close by so that you can attend. But again, this is only if you want other Mennonites to consider you a Mennonite. You can claim the name, and it is highly unlikely that you will find yourself in a fist fight with anyone who disagrees. Mostly they will not scratch the surface of the claim at all, and either accept the claim at face value, assume that you go to some Mennonite church, or at least used to go to one. Or if they realize that you never attended one, and still don't, then they may just wonder what makes you think you are a Mennonite.

[JohnH]

D25, would you mind sharing a general location of where you are? There might be an Anabaptist community closer than you think.

[Ernie]

What do I need to believe, value, and do as a sort of baseline before I can call myself Anabaptist or Mennonite? I wouldn't want to call myself one unless I fit what the Anabaptist and Mennonite Community count as qualifying someone to be Anabaptist.

I agree with what the others have said already. Wayne in Maine used to frequent this forum before he passed and he referred to himself as an Anabaptist although he was not able to be part of an Anabaptist church for decades.

Do I need a immersion baptism even if my baptism was done as an adult?

Traditional Brethren require immersion. Mennonites and Amish need to be rebaptized via immersion in order to become Brethren.

Most Amish, Mennonites, and Amish-Mennonites will accept your baptism as they do not immerse. And they don't really make a big deal about what mode was used prior to wanting to join an Anabaptist church. One True Church Mennonites will expect you to be rebaptized to join their church.

I also read that people living in sin are kicked out of the Anabaptist Church in some of the writings on another discussion where I asked for book recommendations and was wondering if someone can call themselves an Anabaptist if they desire to turn from a sin and are trying to move towards a situation where they no longer commit that sin whether that sin be a habitual sin or persistent state of sin or whether they must be completely pure of any sin to be considered a part of the Anabaptist Church.

Most traditional Anabaptist churches expect a person to turn from his sins before joining the church. Depending on the sin, they may expect total abstinence. (e.g. abstinence from intimacy outside of marriage and abstinence from porn, etc.) Something like anger or lustful thoughts, some grace is generally extended.  

I will ask out of strict pacifism, nonviolence, nonresistance, not taking oaths, rules about proper dress, rules about divorce, etc. For someone to consider themselves Anabaptist. I have read the Mennonite Perspective Confession of Faith, and I agree with most of those beliefs, I do not perfectly adhere to pure nonresistance but I agree with most else of that document though I think I might be a just a hair or two more conservative on the Mennonite Continuum.

Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective is held by mainstream/mainline Anabaptists. All Plain Anabaptists (conservative, old order, and traditional) as well as Theological Conservatives (conservative in theology but not in lifestyle practices) do not subscribe to this confession.

Thank you all for letting me be a part of this online community!

Certainly! Glad you are here!

[JohnL]

Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective is held by mainstream/mainline Anabaptists. All Plain Anabaptists (conservative, old order, and traditional) as well as Theological Conservatives (conservative in theology but not in lifestyle practices) do not subscribe to this confession.

Help me out here, Ernie. Am I reading this right that the Plain Anabaptists and TCs don’t have a Confession of Faith?
Do they subscribe to their own Confession of Faith? Do they say the Apostles’ Creed?

[the-real-steve]

Can't go by the headcovering anymore. I know and have met a few ladies that wear one and they do not identify as Anabaptist.

[barnhart]

Since Anabaptism is confessional and not apostolic, the barriers to entry are low even if individual groups have barriers. One does not need to be baptized by a leader with credentials directly linked St. Peter.

There have been attempts at summarizing Anabaptist belief into a systematic theology (Daniel Kauffman's Doctrines the Bible) or a more creedal form (1964 Confession, Shleithiem Confession, Dortrecht etc...) but there is no single authority to say which has exactly the right emphasis. I have small points to quibble with most/all of these but there is by comparison massive agreement between them.

I'm a little curious why Ernie would say most conservative groups do not have them. I agree they do not play a prominent role but I think statements of faith are quite common.

[Ernie]

Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective is held by mainstream/mainline Anabaptists. All Plain Anabaptists (conservative, old order, and traditional) as well as Theological Conservatives (conservative in theology but not in lifestyle practices) do not subscribe to this confession.

Help me out here, Ernie. Am I reading this right that the Plain Anabaptists and TCs don’t have a Confession of Faith?
Do they subscribe to their own Confession of Faith? Do they say the Apostles’ Creed?

I'm a little curious why Ernie would say most conservative groups do not have them. I agree they do not play a prominent role but I think statements of faith are quite common.

Confession of Faith In a Mennonite Perspective is an MC-USA document. Plain Anabaptists don't use that one. They all adopt their own confessions.