The Anabaptist and Baptist, Are They The Same Sect or Even Related ?
Some Baptists thy to claim that there has been an unbroken succession of Baptist churches from the days of John the Baptist and the Apostles of Christ under many different names. They try to trace their origin through the Anabaptists, Novations, Montanists, Paulicians and Waldenses. The most well know example of this secessionism theory is J. M. Carroll's "The Trail of Blood," unfortunately for the Baptists secessionist belief and Mr. Carroll the scholars agree that the Baptist cannot even trace themselves passed this first step. The Baptists may espoused SOME of the religious believes of the Anabaptists, although no established connection existed between the two groups. I say Some because I do to believe the Baptist would claim to accept : orgies, communism, polygamy, and Messiah foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament was indeed none other than Jan van Leiden Bockleszoon A 6th century Anabaptist leader. all openly practiced and accepted by the Anabaptists in Münster (1533-35).
"Baptists espoused some of the religious convictions of the Anabaptists, although no established connection existed between the two groups." Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia© 1998-2000)
"Some Baptists believe that there has been an unbroken succession of Baptist churches from the days of John the Baptist and the Apostles of Christ. Others trace their origin to the Anabaptists, a 16th-century Protestant movement on the European continent. Most scholars, however, agree that Baptists, as an English-speaking denomination, originated within 17th-century Puritanism as an offshoot of Congregationalism."(Encyclopedia Britannica © 1999-2000)"Baptist... regard immersion as the only legitimate form sanctioned by the New Testament. Like the Anabaptist, to whom thay have no formal links." (Encyclopedia of World History © 2000)
THE FOUNDING OF THE ANABAPTISTS:
First, let us examine the creation of the Anabaptist Sect Most scholars agree that the Anabaptist were started by Nicholas Storch, a weaver (d. 1525) and Thomas Münzer, a Lutheran preacher (c. 1490-1525), together with the other self-styled "Prophets of Zwickau" made, at the Reformation, the first attack on infant baptism. The doctrines of the absolute equality of all men and complete community of goods and the resulting disturbances soon brought them into conflict with the civil authorities of Zwickau. Storch, before any repressive measures were taken against him, left with two associates for Wittenberg (1521), where he continued his preaching. Carlstadt was soon gained over to the cause. The combined agitation of Carlstadt and Storch at Wittenberg, and Carlstadt's iconoclastic proceedings forced Luther to leave the Wartburg and appear on the scene. He preached against the new apostles with such vehemence that they had to leave the city. Storch until his death at Munich travelled through Germany, spreading his doctrines, especially in Thuringia (1522-24) where he was one of the principal instigators of the Peasants' War. Münzer rejected infant baptism in theory, but retained it in practice. He was expelled from Zwickau (1521) and went to Bohemia, where he had but little success as a propagandist. In 1525 he came as preacher to Alstedt (Electoral Saxony) and married a former nun. He was soon surrounded by a large following, introduced a German religious service and attacked Luther as well as the then existing order of things. His sojourn at Mühlhausen (Thuringia), which was interrupted by a journey through the south of Germany, was equally successful. Henry Pfeifer, an apostate monk, who became his co-labourer at Mühlhausen, had prepared the ground for the new gospel. Münzer and Pfeifer became absolute masters of the city, and crowds of peasants and burghers who, discontented with prevailing conditions, flocked around them, pillaged and devastated the surrounding country. To quell the insurrectionary movement John, the Elector of Saxony, Philip, Landgrave of Hesse, and Henry, Duke of Brunswick, united their forces and attacked the peasants, led by Münzer at Frankenhausen (1525). The insurgents were utterly defeated. After the battle Münzer was discovered at Frankenhausen in a bed in which he had hidden, and was delivered up to the executioner. He received the sacraments of the Catholic Church before his death, while his associate Pfeifer, still impenitent, underwent the death penalty (1525).
Anabaptists: Christian sects that arose in Europe during the 16th-cent. Protestant Reformation. Anabaptists generally rejected infant baptism in favor of adult baptism, favored separation of the church and stae, and opposed the use of force. The movement is said to have begun (c1520) in Zurich, Switzerland (Concise Dictionary of World History © 1986)
ANABAPTISTS: Nicholas Stork, a weaver (d. 1525), and Thomas Munzer, a Lutheran preacher and priest (c. 1490-1525), made, at the time of the so-called reformation, the first attacks on infant baptism, and thus launched the Anabaptist movement. They denied the validity of infant baptism; practiced communism and polygamy; and condemned oaths and warfare as unlawful.(FALSE RELIGIOUS DENOMINATIONS THROUGH OUT HISTORY)
THE END OF THE ANABAPTISTS THE BIGNING OF THE MENNONITES:
The spread of the Anabaptists in lower Germany and the Netherlands must largely be ascribed to the activity of Melchior Hofmann, a widely traveled furrier. The arrival of some of his disciples (Melchiorites) at Münster in Westphalia (1533-34) marks the beginning of the most extraordinary period in the history of the Anabaptists and the city of Münster. In the latter, Bernard Rothmann a chaplain, and Knipperdollinck a cloth-merchant, had already succeeded in diffusing Lutheran ideas. They joined the Anabaptist movement, of which John Matthys or Matthiessen, a former baker, and John Bockelsohn or Bockold, a Dutch tailor (more generally known as John of Leyden), became two great local representatives. Knipperdollinck was elected burgomaster (February, 1534) and the city passed under the complete and unrestricted control of the partisans of rebaptism. Münster, instead of Strasburg, was to become the centre of the projected conquest of the world, the "New Jerusalem", the founding of which was signalized by a reign of terror and indescribable orgies. Treasures of literature and art were destroyed; communism, polygamy, and community of women were introduced. Rothmann took unto himself four wives and John of Leyden, sixteen. The latter was proclaimed King of the "New Sion", when Francis of Waldeck, Bishop and temporal lord of the city, had already begun its siege (1534). In June, 1535, the defence became more and more hopeless, and John, as a last means of escape, determined upon setting fire to the city. His plan was frustrated by the unexpected capture of the town by the besiegers (24 June, 1535). The King, his lieutenant Knipperdollinck, and his chancellor Krechting were seized, and after six months' imprisonment and torture, executed. As a terrible warning, their bodies were suspended in iron cages from the tower of St. Lambert's church. After the Münster (1524–25) uprising the movement all most ceased to existed.In 1536 Menno Simons a Dutch reformer (1496-1561), rebuilt the movement they became known as Mennonites.
The very name Anabaptists was superseded by others, particularly that of Mennonites. (The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume I Copyright © 1907)
Anabaptists:After the Münster (1524–25) uprising the movement all most ceased to existed.In 1536 Menno Simons a Dutch reformer (1496-1561), rebuilt the movement they became known as Mennonites. (Encyclopedia Americana © 1995 )
"The pacifist Anabaptists...rallied under the leadership of the former priest Menno Simons and his lieutenant, Dirk Philips. Their followers survived and were eventually accepted as the Mennonite religious group."(© 1999-2000 Britannica)
Mennonite:The name Mennonite is derived from Menno Simons (c.1496–1561), Dutch reformer and organizer of the early sect. Menno left the Catholic priesthood in 1536 to help gather together and rehabilitate the Anabaptists confused by the downfall of the revolutionary Anabaptist theocracy set up at Münster (c.1524–25). He soon became the movement's outstanding leader. The new movement restored the earlier evangelical form of Anabaptism. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition Copyright ©1993,)
Let us examine the creation of the Baptist Sect Most scholars agree that The first Baptist congregations were organized in the beginning of the seventeenth century. The origin of the Baptists is connected with the name of John Smyth (d. 1612), pastor of a church at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, which had separated from the Church of England. Smyth baptized first himself, then the others. The reader should take note of the fact that he not only baptized himself, but that he started out as a preacher in the Anglican church, in Lincoln, England. Please take note of the fact that it was not the anabaptist, or mennonite church, but the Anglican church. As was also shown above, John Smith then joined the Seperatists, and then, at a later date, formed his own church and baptized himself, as well as several others. Hence, neither he, nor any other follower of his sect, has any right to claim any lineage whatsoever stemming from either the anabaptists, or anyone else for that matter – who predates Smith himself.
About 1606, pastor and flock, to escape persecution. In 1609, Smyth, rejected infant baptism, although he retained affusion. In this he was supported by his church. Some members of the congregation returned to England (1611 or 1612) under the leadership of Helwys (c. 1550-1616) and formed in London the nucleus of the first Baptist community. Persecution had abated, and they do not seem to have been molested. By 1626 there were in different parts of England five General Baptist churches; by 1644, they had increased, it is said, to forty-seven; and by 1660 the membership of the body had reached about 20,000. It was between 1640 and 1660 that the General Baptists began to claim that immersion was the only valid mode of baptism. They were persecuted by Charles II (1660-85) of England ; but the Act of Toleration (1689) brought relief and recognized the Baptists as the third dissenting denomination (Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists).
Baptist Church:The leadership of Helwys and two others, John Smyth and John Mutron, proved decisive in the first two decades of the seventeenth century as the English "General Baptists" (that is, non-Calvinist, affirming an unrestricted or general (tonement for mankind) grew from a scarcely visible knot of believers in 1609 to around twenty thousand members by 1660. (Macmillan Copendium of World Religions © 1987)
Organizationally, Baptists originated in the early 17th century in Holland and England, with John Smyth (c. 1554–1612) and Thomas Helwys (c. 1560–1616), English separatists from the Anglican church, as leaders.(Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia© 1998-2000)
The General Baptists were first to appear. In 1608 religious persecution induced a group of Lincolnshire Separatists to seek asylum in Holland. A contingent settled in Amsterdam with John Smyth (or Smith), (© 1999-2000 Britannica)
Most scholars, however, agree that Baptists, as an English-speaking denomination, originated within 17th-century Puritanism as an offshoot of Congregationalism.(© 1999-2000 Britannica)
John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, English separatists of Congregational persuasion, founded the first Baptist church on Dutch soil at Amsterdam in 1609...Helwys returned to an unfriendly England. There, in 1611 or 1612, he led a small group of Christians in establishing the first Baptist church on English soil, at Spitalsfield, near London. As they grew in number, English Baptists came to be divided between General Baptists and Particular Baptists.(Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia© 1998-2000)
Baptist Church Early history...In 1606 John Smyth (or Smith), a former Anglican preacher in Lincoln, was serving as minister of a group of Separatists at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire. Thomas Helwys, a noted Separatist, was active in this group. About 1608 religious persecution induced Smyth and Helwys tolead their congregation to asylum in the Netherlands. Some settled in Amsterdam, with Smyth as their minister... Smyth’s views were set forth in The Character of the Beast, a pamphlet issued in 1609. In that same year 36 adherents joined him in forming a new church on the principle of baptizing believers only. He baptized himself and others by applying water to the forehead. (Encyclopedia Americana © 1995 )
Baptists:Protestant Christian denomination. Baptists permit baptism of believers only (as opposed to infant baptism) and practice baptism by immersion. The Baptist churches originated amid members of the English Separatist (Independents) movement and began (c1608) with the teachings of John Smyth, or Smith (c1570-1612). (Concise Dictionary of World History © 1986)
Baptists, denomination of Protestant Christians holding that baptism is only for believers and solely by immersion, begun (c.1608) by English SEPARATISTS in Amsterdam ( The Concise Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Third Edition Copyright © 1994,)
History of the Baptist Churches, In Holland a group of English separatists, led by John Smyth...formed c.1608 in Amsterdam the first English Baptist congregation. Smyth baptized first himself, then the others. In 1611 certain members of this congregation returned to London and established a church there. (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Fifth Edition Copyright ©1993, )