Swiss Brethren
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The Swiss Brethren (Schweizer Brüder) are a branch of Anabaptism that started in Zürich, spread to nearby cities and towns, and then was exported to neighboring countries.[1]: 62 Today's Swiss Mennonite Conference can be traced to the Swiss Brethren.
In 1525,
Rejection of infant baptism was a distinguishing belief of the Swiss Brethren. On the basis of Sola scriptura doctrine, the Swiss Brethren declared that since the Bible does not explicitly mention infant baptism, it should not be practiced by the church. This belief was subsequently rejected by Ulrich Zwingli. Consequently, there was a public dispute, in which the council affirmed Zwingli's position. This solidified the Swiss Brethren and resulted in their persecution by all other reformers as well as the Catholic Church.
Because of persecution by the authorities, many Swiss Brethren moved from Switzerland to neighboring countries. The Swiss Brethren became known as
Schleitheim Articles
In 1527
- Believer's baptism
- Church discipline
- Lord's Supper
- Separation from the world and evil
- Selection and role of pastors
- Nonviolence (nonresistance)
- Prohibition of oath-swearing
Most Swiss Brethren accepted these seven articles.
Key leaders
Conrad Grebel (c. 1498 – 1526) was a co-founder of the Swiss Brethren movement. He was probably born in Grüningen about 1498. His family moved to Zürich around 1513. Grebel spent about six years in three universities, but without finishing his education or receiving a degree. In 1521 he joined a group gathered around Zürich reformer Huldrych Zwingli to study the Greek classics, the Latin Bible, the Hebrew Old Testament and the Greek New Testament. Core members of the group broke with Zwingli because they thought the reform process was proceeding too slowly. At a gathering in January 1525 George Blaurock asked Grebel to baptize him upon a confession of faith. Afterward, Blaurock baptized Grebel and the others, initiating a wave of rebaptisms that would spread throughout the Swiss cantons. Grebel died of the plague in 1526.[3]: 7
Balthasar Hubmaier (c. 1480 – 1528) was one of the most well-known and respected Anabaptist theologians of the Reformation. He was born in Friedberg, Bavaria around 1480. In 1524, he married Elizabeth Hügline of Reichenau. He attended Latin School at Augsburg, received both a bachelor's and a master's degree from the University of Freiburg in 1511 and a doctor's degree from the University of Ingolstadt under Johann Eck in 1512.[5]: 329 After serving as the university's vice-rector, he left a pastorate of the Catholic Church at Regensburg in 1516 and then went to Waldshut in 1521. He was rebaptised there in 1525 by Wilhelm Reublin. He succeeded in establishing Anabaptism as the official religion for a short period first in Waldshut and then in Nikolsburg.[1]: 181 On 10 March 1528 Hubmaier was executed by burning for heresy.
Hans Reist (fl. 1670 – 1704) was a central figure in the dispute that resulted in the formation of the Amish branch.[7] Reist favored a milder form of church discipline and was strongly opposed by Jakob Ammann who advocated a strict form of the ban. The disagreement was fierce and the ill feelings generated by the exchange between Reist, Ammann, and other leaders resulted in an unrepairable breach. Reist is recognized as a leader of the Swiss Brethren group that later adopted the name Mennonite.
Jakob Ammann (fl. 1696 – before 1730) was an elder who became the founder of the Amish Mennonites.[10] Ammann advocated the strictest form of the ban, insisting that there be no contact with an excommunicated member, even among family members. He had firm views on clothing style, opposed trimmed beards and introduced foot washing. He traveled among the Swiss Anabaptist communities in the Cantons of Switzerland, Alsace and the Palatinate promoting his views and excommunicating any who opposed him. Because of his unbending convictions and harsh rhetoric, an irreparable breach developed between the two groups that continues centuries later in North America. Ammann later regretted his contribution to the split and asked for forgiveness, but by 1700 the rift was too great.[7]
Early locations
In Appenzell a congregation of 1500 formed soon after the movement was driven from Zürich. Zwingli complained that the canton was too tolerant of Anabaptists. Increased enforcement of anti-Anabaptist decrees drove most congregations out by 1530, although some persisted into the 17th century.[1]: 116 [11]
Others
- Alsace
- Basel
- Bern
- Hallau
- Moravia
- Palatinate (region)
- Schaffhausen
- St. Gallen
- Strasbourg
- Waldshut
- Zollikon
- Zürich
References
- ^ ISBN 0-9698762-0-3.
- ^ William R. Estep, The Anabaptist Story (1996), pp. 37-43.
- ^ ISBN 0-87303-069-9.
- ^ Christian, Neff (1953). "Blaurock, Georg (ca. 1492–1529)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Qualben, Lars P (1964). A History of the Christian Church (revised ed.). New York: Thomas Nelson.
- ^ Neff, Christian; Bender, Harold S (1957). "Manz, Felix (ca. 1498–1527)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ a b Geiser, Samuel (1959). "Reist, Hans (17th/18th century)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Bossert, Gustav Jr.; Stayer, James M. (1989). "Reublin, Wilhelm (1480/84-after 1559)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Bossert, Gustav Jr.; Bender, Harold S.; Snyder, C. Arnold (1989). "Sattler, Michael (d. 1527)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Bender, Harold S.; Steiner, Sam (2005). "Ammann, Jakob (17th/18th century)". In Roth, John D. (ed.). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
- ^ Brandt, Theodor (1953). "Appenzell (Switzerland)". Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 2011-02-22.