BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
ANABAPTIST THOUGHT
Editorial
September/October, 1984
Volume 19. Number 5
The Anabaptists and Pietists had a large influence on
Alexander Mack and the early Brethren. The Anabaptists [rebaptizers] went
even further than the Protestant Reformers in their rediscovery of the
Gospel, and in matters of practical Christian obedience.
The Anabaptists did not belittle good works, nor were
they afraid of doing good works. They stressed not only the truth "resist
not evil," but also the truth, "overcome evil with good." They saw good
deeds not as attempts to earn merit with God, but as the fruit of a saving
faith. Their emphasis on pious living, however, did not lead them to believe
that there was "a Christian way" to solve national and international problems.
They did not view the government as an agency for "Christianizing" the
social order. They saw no possibility of transforming human nature apart
from the grace of God -- and thus were zealous in reaching people for Christ
and were essentially indifferent to the affairs of the state.
Since we are approaching the time for another presidential
election, and most of us are hearing charges and countercharges that politicians
make -- it seems appropriate to consider briefly the issue of church and
state as a part of Anabaptist thought [which is summarized in the third
part of the article printed in the WITNESS which you are
now reading]. The Anabaptists limited participation in earthly governments,
and contributed to the state through peaceful living rather than through
direct political action. They expressed appreciation for the government
and prayed for it, but did not attempt to control it nor demand that the
state follow certain courses of action. We read in Philip Schaff's History
of the Christian Church that this was also the attitude of the
First Century Christians. For the most part they displayed a "disregard
for politics" [Page 43, Volume 2].
Christians belong to a kingdom not of this world [John
18:36]. They stand for a high degree of separation between church and state.
In Romans 12, speaking to Christians, one finds the pronouns "we" and "us."
In Romans 13, speaking of the state, we discover the pronouns "they" and
"them." The New Testament teaches a two-kingdom view of society. The state
embraces all the population of a given geographic area; the church is made
up of true believers in Christ. The church is spiritual in character and
is ruled by love; Christ is the head; the task is to proclaim the Gospel.
The state is political in nature and rules by force; the
"king" is the head; the task is to preserve law and order. The attitude
of Jesus was one of practical indifference toward politics. He never made
any attempt to control the Roman government nor to dictate state policy.
There were many evils in the government in Jesus' day.
Rome was a police state; slavery was commonly practiced; there were foreign-imposed
taxes; there were state-controlled gladitorial amusements. The people wanted
Jesus to get in there and clean things up, but Jesus ignored their appeal
and looked at the real problem -- man's deep spiritual need. Five thousand
people one time tried to take Jesus by force and make Him their king, but
He escaped and fled to the mountains! [John 6:15].
Some say, "But then you are not interested in the world's
ills -- poverty, war, injustice, human rights, and prejudice." The answer
is, "Yes, we are interested in the world's problems, but we work at them
primarily by bringing people into a new family relationship with God."
As the regenerated individual grows in the Lord, his conduct is more and
more brought into conformity with the spirit and teachings of Jesus. Our
major focus does not attempt to use the power of the state to bring reform
in society. And furthermore -- we pray much. It is this editor's personal
belief that by preaching the Gospel, and calling people to repentance,
and praying for rulers -- the individual Christian does more to stabilize
civil government than he can do by petitioning and protesting and even
by voting.
Some say, "But surely the Christian ought to participate
in political office-seeking and in this way help to make the community
and nation better." And yet, in the New Testament, the Christian is never
pictured as an agent of the government; he is not pictured as one who enforces
the law and inflicts penalties; in fact, since most positions of authority
within government structures require giving approval to using the sword,
the Christian cannot maintain a nonresistant position and at the same time
be an officer of the state. This is not to say that all officers of the
government are non-Christians. There may be [and are] some who have accepted
the Christian faith, but don't understand or accept all the implications
of that faith as understood by the Anabaptists.
According to Franklin H. Littell, The Origins of
Sectarian Protestantism, page 103, the Anabaptist view of the Christian's
duty to the state was not that of active participation, but of "passive
obedience" to those in authority, even if the ruler [or the larger government]
was an ungodly one [1 Peter 2:13-17]. May all of us, regardless of what
degree of involvement in the political process we think is important for
the Christian citizen, remember to pray earnestly that God will direct
in the upcoming national elections, and that the persons chosen will be
faithful stewards of their responsibilities.
--H.S.M.
Basic Principles of Anabaptist Thought
By Harold S. Martin
We have been asked to speak on several questions related to the theme,
"Anabaptist Thought Today." The questions assigned are these:
[1] As you understand Anabaptism historically, what do you feel are
some of its most important themes for the life of the Church of the Brethren
today?
[2] Where and in what form do you see Anabaptist themes and values existing
in the life of the church today?
[3] Where and in what form do you see Anabaptist themes and values existing
in the life of the world today?
The Roman Catholic Church had declined in spiritual vitality down through
the years, and by the early sixteenth century the church had become so
corrupt that great numbers of Christians were calling for reformation,
but reformation was slow in coming. During the 1500s, however, under the
leadership of such men as Luther and Calvin and Zwingli, thousands of people
broke away from the Catholic Church, and established independent Protestant
churches. Luther and Zwingli and the other Reformers instituted some very
excellent reforms -- but when they saw what it would cost to come all the
way back to Scriptural ground on such matters as nonconformity and nonresistance
and voluntary church membership -- they simply failed, and even persecuted
those who disagreed with them.
The Anabaptists were a group of Christians who opposed both the apostasy
of the Roman Catholic Church, and the compromises of the Protestant Reformers.
Their ideal was the primitive Christianity of the church of New Testament
times. Harold Bender, the Mennonite historian, states three major themes
of the Anabaptist movement, and these [as understand Anabaptism historically]
are important themes for the life of the Church of the Brethren today.
The themes were practical discipleship, voluntary church membership, and
the practice of love and nonresistance.
1. PRACTICAL DISCIPLESHIP
The Anabaptists were devoted to the Scriptures.
The Protestant Reformers emphasized salvation through faith alone. They
said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved." But their
emphasis on justification by faith alone, resulted in a cheap grace, and
in hundreds of baptized church members who had no thought of counting the
cost, and of taking up the cross daily and following Christ.
The Anabaptists saw the fallacy of the "only believe" doctrine, and
said that to be a Christian involves much more than a mere intellectual
belief -- to be a Christian means to follow Christ in one's daily life.
This Anabaptist concept of discipleship is summarized in the words of Menno
Simons: "Verily, they are not of the true church of Christ, who merely
boast of his name. But those are of the true church of Christ who are born
from above, who are of a penitent mind, who obey [God], and live according
to his holy commandments." This practical discipleship was central to Anabaptist
belief because of their respect for the Scriptures. The Anabaptists were
"biblicists" -- that is, they tried to follow the New Testament literally.
They had a fervent desire to obey every detail of the Scriptures. Alexander
Mack says [in the preface to his book, "Rites and Ordinances"]: "We see
how strictly God commanded his people to observe the laws which he had
made known by his servant Moses. So...God will be still more strict to
have observed all that he has in these latter times revealed...by his beloved
Son." He says that those who are promised eternal life, are those who "will
obey him in all things, in small matters as well as in the great.''
The Anabaptists tried to follow the details of the New Testament literally,
and this led them to oppose such things as divorce, going to war, the taking
of oaths, and even the wearing of gold rings. And it led them to practice
such things as feetwashing, the lovefeast, the sister's headcovering, and
modesty in attire. The Anabaptists said that a system of theology [a carefully
stated creed] doesn't amount to much, unless its principles are lived out
in the daily lives of the church members.
2. VOLUNTARY CHURCH MEMBERSHIP
The Anabaptists rejected infant baptism. The word "Anabaptist" means
"rebaptizer," or "the again-baptizer." During the Reformation, both Roman
Catholics and Protestants insisted that the church must include everyone
in the community, and so the law required that each baby born within the
confines of a certain state, had to be baptized into the church which happened
to be the religious affiliation of the prince of that particular province.
Thus everybody was a church member, but many within the church showed no
signs of spiritual life. They were baptized as infants; there was no decision
of their own.
By way of contrast, the Anabaptists believed that the church should
only include those who had been born again, and who were living a transformed
life. To the Anabaptists, the church was not the entire community, but
a select group, keeping itself separated from the world. They considered
infant baptism a meaningless and useless rite, and they insisted on rebaptism
at the time when a person accepted Christ of his own accord. Baptism was
not merely a ritual for new-born infants [to make sure that everyone in
the community belongs to the state church], but baptism was a sign of the
new birth [an outward sign of an inward change].
The Anabaptists did not believe that the entire social order could be
Christianized, and that the church must comprise everybody -- but they
did believe that in, the church they could create a truly Christian society.
And so they tried to maintain a pure church by having included in its membership
only those who voluntarily chose to become members -- and by exercising
a vigorous discipline within the church.
3. THE PRACTICE OF LOVE AND NONRESISTANCE
The Anabaptists stood for absolute separation of church and state. They
held firmly to the principle of non-participation in war.
They believed strongly that the state was necessary, and that it was
indeed ordained of God for the maintenance of order in an unregenerate
society. But they also believed that the Christian could have no part in
the use of force -- whether as a soldier in the army, or even as a magistrate
in the civil government. They stood firmly for the separation of church
and state.
The Anabaptists did not take a stand of opposition to war, but rather,
they took a stand of nonparticipation in it. They were not merely humanitarian
pacifists crusading for the end of all wars. The historian Bender says
that the Anabaptists "saw the whole of history [from the fall of the first
Adam, down to the second coming of Christ], as a great battle between God
and his enemies. There was no humanistic view of getting rid of war in
history." The Anabaptists [who had a strong influence on Alexander Mack
and the early Brethren] recognized that the unregenerate world was not
capable of living a nonresistant life, and that the state operated by sub-Christian
principles -- but the Christian lived by nonresistant principles, and therefore
was separate from the state. The Dortrecht Confession [adopted by the Anabaptists
in Dortrecht, Holland in 1632], says, "We also believe and confess that
God has instituted civil government for the punishment of the wicked and
the protection of the pious...Wherefore we are not permitted to despise,
blaspheme, or resist the government, but we are to acknowledge it as a
minister of God, and be subject and obedient to it -- in all things that
do not militate against the laws and commandments of God...[we are] also
faithfully to pay it custom, tax, and tribute; thus giving it what is its
due, as Jesus Christ taught, did himself, and commanded his followers to
do."
The humanitarian pacifist passes resolutions expressing opposition to
war; he urges the nations of the world to disarm, and to find "a Christian
way" to solve international problems; he views the state as an agency for
Christianizing the social order. These are excellent ideals, but they are
based on a wrong concept of sin, Christianity, and the kingdom of God.
The Anabaptist nonresistant sees no possibility for transforming human
nature apart from the grace of God; he believes that loyalty to God's kingdom
limits his participation in earthly governments; he contributes to the
government through peaceful living, rather than through direct political
action; he expresses appreciation for the government and prays for it,
but does not attempt to control it, nor demand that it follow a certain
course of action with respect to foreign policy, etc.
CONCLUSION
[1] As you understand Anabaptism historically, whet do you feel are
some of its most important themes for the life of the Church of the Brethren
today?
The themes are practical discipleship [obedience even to the details
of the Scriptures]; voluntary church membership [a pure church composed
only of those who voluntarily choose to live a transformed life]; the practice
of nonresistance [a strict observance of separation between church and
state].
[2] Where and in what form do you see Anabaptist themes and values existing
in the life of the church today?
The theme of practical discipleship is seen today in the Church's emphasis
on "the good life" [emphasizing not a creed, but good living]. But the
desire to obey every detail of the Scriptures is fading rapidly in the
Church of the Brethren, even to the point that those who do attempt to
follow the New Testament literally, are not usually called by the nice
word "biblicists," but by the ugly word, "legalists." [I have discovered,
however, that those who level the charge of "legalism" usually don't know
what legalism is].
The theme of voluntary church membership is universally held throughout
the Church of the Brethren today, and we commend the Church for maintaining
this position. But the concept of the Church as a select group, composed
of transformed individuals [keeping itself separate from the world, and
disciplined], is being endangered by the emphasis on "a turn to the world."
There is often very little evidence of changed lives, of church discipline,
and of standards and restrictions and regulations.
The theme of love and nonresistance is seen today in the Church's emphasis
on pacifism. But today, the biblical nonresistance of the Anabaptists and
Pietists is being replaced by a humanistic pacifism -- a crusade for a
world without war.
[3] Where and in what form do you see Anabaptist themes and values existing
in the life of the world today?
None of these themes exist in the world; only believers are capable
of practicing the biblical themes and values upheld by the Anabaptists.
It is my conviction that the Church of the Brethren should move beyond
the mainline protestant conciliar movement [as symbolized in the Councils
of Churches]; and even beyond the evangelical movement [as symbolized in
the Billy Graham Crusades and the Congresses on Evangelism]; and again
recapture the Anabaptist vision of practicing the principles of the biblical
faith as taught in the Scriptures and handed down by our Anabaptist forerunners.
The foregoing message was given at
a post-evening session of the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference
at Lincoln, Nebraska on June 26. 1970.