Posts Tagged: anabaptism

August 15, 2009

An Anabaptist Expression of the Spirit-filled Life

I consider myself blessed to have studied for five years at a Pentecostal undergraduate college (VFCC). Valley Forge offers a Theological Studies track that is as good as any in the country. VFCC’s academic requirements and expectations for spiritual formation are very, very demanding, especially for theology majors. Students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher at the end of their Sophomore, Junior and Senior year to remain a theology major. My requirements for the major included 18 credits of Biblical language, a senior research project and time logged as a New Testament TA (Teaching Assistant). These requirements have evolved a bit since I majored (1999-2004), but they are still spiritually and intellectually demanding. I learned much at VFCC; I am thankful for it. Read more…

April 18, 2009

The Story of Dirk Willems

In the year 1569, a pious and faithful brother by the name of Dirk Willems was apprehended at Asperen, Holland, and charged with the crime of being re-baptized (Anabaptism) as an adult. Read more…

April 9, 2009

A Contemporary Anabaptist Faith

I’ve been reading “The Contemporary Relevance of the Anabaptist Faith,” a fantastic article from Brethren in Christ History and Life (August 2000). The author of the article is Myron S. Augsburger, an evangelical Anabaptist and Mennonite scholar. Augsburger begins the article by asking a question so many of us are still asking today, some eight years after the article was published in BIC History and Life. He writes, “In a time described as post-modern and post-denominational, we ask the question: what is the particular value in any given heritage?” Read more…

April 3, 2009

Schleitheim Article VII: Concerning The Oath

We have been united as follows concerning the oath. The oath is a confirmation among those who are quarreling or making promises. In the law it is commanded that it should be done only in the name of God, truthfully and not falsely. Christ, who teaches the perfection of the law, forbids His [followers] all swearing, whether true or false; neither by heaven nor by earth, neither by Jerusalem nor by our head; and that for the reason which He goes on to give: “For you cannot make one hair white or black.” You see, thereby all swearing is forbidden. We cannot perform what is promised in the swearing, for we are not able to change the smallest part of ourselves (Mt. 5:34-37). Read more…

Schleitheim Article VI: Concerning The Sword

We have been united as follows concerning the sword. The sword is an ordering of God outside the perfection of Christ. It punishes and kills the wicked and guards and protects the good. In the law the sword is established11 over the wicked for punishment and for death and the secular rulers are established to wield the same. But within the perfection of Christ only the ban is used for the admonition and exclusion of the one who has sinned, without the death of the flesh, simply the warning and the command to sin no more. Read more…

Schleitheim Article V: Concerning Shepherds In The Church Of God.

We have been united as follows concerning shepherds in the church of God. The shepherd in the church shall be a person according to the rule of Paul, fully and completely, who has a good report of those who are outside the faith. The office of such a person shall be to read and exhort and teach, warn, admonish, or ban in the congregation, and properly to preside among the sisters and brothers in prayer, and in the breaking of bread, and in all things to take care of the body of Christ, that it may be built up and developed, so that the name of God might be praised and honored through us, and the mouth of the mocker be stopped. Read more…

Schleitheim Article IV: Concerning Separation

We have been united concerning the separation that shall take place from the evil and the wickedness which the devil has planted in the world, simply in this; that we have no fellowship with them, and do not run with them in the confusion of their abominations. So it is; since all who have not entered into the obedience of faith and have not united themselves with God so that they will to do His will, are a great abomination before God, therefore nothing else can or really will grow or spring forth from them than abominable things. Now there is nothing else in the world and all creation than good or evil, believing and unbelieving, darkness and light, the world and those who are [come] out of the world, God’s temple and idols. Christ and Belial, and none will have part with the other. Read more…

Schleitheim Article III: Concerning The Breaking Of Bread

Concerning the breaking of bread, we have become one and agree thus: all those who desire to break the one bread in remembrance of the broken body of Christ and all those who wish to drink of one drink in remembrance of the shed blood of Christ, they must beforehand be united in the one body of Christ, that is the congregation of God, whose head is Christ, and that by baptism. For as Paul indicates (1 Cor. 10:21), we cannot be partakers at the same time of the table of the Lord and the table of devils. Read more…

Schleitheim Article II: Concerning The Ban

We have been united as follows concerning the ban. The ban shall be employed with all those who have given themselves over to the Lord, to walk after [Him] in His commandments; those who have been baptized into the one body of Christ, and let themselves be called brothers or sisters, and still somehow slip and fall into error and sin, being inadvertently overtaken. Read more…

Schleitheim Article I: Concerning Baptism

Baptism shall be given to all those who have been taught repentance and the amendment of life and [who] believe truly that their sins are taken away through Christ, and to all those who desire to walk in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and be buried with Him in death, so that they might rise with Him; to all those who with such an understanding themselves desire and request it from us; hereby is excluded all infant baptism, the greatest and first abomination of the pope. Read more…