Sound of Worship

17

THE ANABAPTISTS

 

CHAPTER OUTLINE

Menno Simons (1496–1561)

 

Menno Simons (1496–1561)

To understand the Anabaptists, we will examine a fourth part of the Reformation, the so-called Radical Reformation. Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin were part of what has been called the Magisterial Reformation as their movements did not totally alienate the state. Indeed, many of the reformed churches were replacing the Catholic church as the approved state church and the followers of these non-Catholic churches often had some degree of protection from the state. The radical reformers, however, found themselves at odds with both the church and state. One of the early Anabaptist leaders was Menno Simons (Figure 17.1). Born in an area now part of the Netherlands, ...