Conservative Anabaptism

Branch of Anabaptist Christianity

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Anabaptism

A 1685 illustration by Jan Luyken, published in Martyrs Mirror, of Dirk Willems saving his pursuer, an act of mercy that led to his recapture, after which he was burned at the stake near Asperen in the present-day Netherlands

Background

* Christianity
* Radical Reformation
* Sermon on the Mount

Doctrines and practices

* Theology of Anabaptism
* Believer's baptism
* Lovefeast
* Nonconformity to the world
* Nonresistance
* Free will
* Freedom of religion
* Priesthood of all believers
* Separation of church and state
* Foot washing
* Holy kiss
* Plain dress
* Shunning
* Simple living
* Singings

Documents

* Schleitheim Confession
* Dordrecht Confession
* Ausbund
* Martyrs Mirror

Key people

* George Blaurock
* Hans Denck
* Conrad Grebel
* Melchior Hoffman
* Balthasar Hubmaier
* Hans Hut
* Jakob Hutter
* Alexander Mack
* Felix Manz
* Pilgram Marpeck
* Melchior Rink
* Michael Sattler
* Menno Simons

Largest groups

* Amish
* Apostolic Christians
* Brethren in Christ
* Bruderhof
* Conservative Mennonites
* Hutterites
* Mennonite World Conference
* Mennonites
* Mennonite Brethren
* Old Colony Mennonites
* Old Order Mennonites
* River Brethren
* Russian Mennonites
* Schwarzenau Brethren

Related movements

* Schwenkfelders
* Pietism
* Radical Pietism
* Moravians
* Inspirationalists
* Quakers
* Neo-Anabaptism

Christianity portal

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Conservative Anabaptism includes theologically conservative Anabaptist denominations, both in doctrine and practice.[1] Conservative Anabaptists, along with Old Order Anabaptists and assimilated mainline Anabaptists, are a subset of the Anabaptist branch of Christianity.[1][2]

Conservative Anabaptists adhere to Anabaptist doctrine, such as the belief in nonresistance and the observance of plain dress (including the headcovering), while making judicious use of modern technology.[1] Ordinances commonly observed in many Conservative Anabaptist churches include "baptism, communion, footwashing, marriage, anointing with oil, the holy kiss, and the prayer covering."[3]

Conservative Anabaptists may have Sunday school, hold revival meetings, or operate their own Christian schools (parochial schools).[1][4] Additionally, Conservative Anabaptist fellowships are often engaged in evangelism and missionary work; a 1993 report showed that Conservative Anabaptist denominations in general grew by fifty percent overall within the previous fifteen years.[5]

Among Conservative Anabaptists are the Dunkard Brethren Church, Conservative Mennonites, and Beachy Amish, as well as the Bruderhof Communities, Apostolic Christian Church and the Charity Christian Fellowship.[6] Conservative Anabaptists form 15% of Anabaptist Christianity as a whole.[1]

In response to a perceived laxity in adherence to Anabaptist doctrine and practice, certain Conservative Anabaptist denominations, such as the Biblical Mennonite Alliance and the Dunkard Brethren Church, were formed after adherents separated from their parent (usually mainline Anabaptist) bodies;[7][8] on the other hand, the Beachy Mennonites are composed of individuals who left Old Order Anabaptist groups and "were deeply committed to evangelism and mission work."[9] Other Conservative Anabaptist denominations, such as Charity Christian Fellowship, have been organized by people from diverse backgrounds.[10]

Various congregations lend support to Christian Aid Ministries, a Conservative Anabaptist missionary and relief organization[11] known for posting billboard messages throughout the United States and Canada.[12] Beside The Still Waters is a daily devotional widely used by Conservative Anabaptists.[13]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Weaver-Zercher, David (15 March 2016). Martyrs Mirror: A Social History. JHU Press. pp. 222–223\. ISBN 978-1-4214-1882-7.
2. ^ Anderson, Cory; Anderson, Jennifer (2019). Fitted to Holiness: How Modesty is Achieved and Compromised among the Plain People. Millersburg: Acorn Publishing. pp. 210–211.
3. ^ Hartzler, Rachel Nafziger (30 April 2013). No Strings Attached: Boundary Lines in Pleasant Places: A History of Warren Street / Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-62189-635-7.
4. ^ Bronner, Simon J. (4 March 2015). Encyclopedia of American Folklife. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-47194-3.
5. ^ Myers, Tim. "Why I Am a Conservative Mennonite". Pilgrim Mennonite Conference. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
6. ^ Brunn, Stanley D. (3 February 2015). The Changing World Religion Map: Sacred Places, Identities, Practices and Politics. Springer. p. 365\. ISBN 978-94-017-9376-6.
7. ^ Kraybill, Donald B. (1 November 2010). Concise Encyclopedia of Amish, Brethren, Hutterites, and Mennonites. JHU Press. p. 240\. ISBN 978-0-8018-9911-9.
8. ^ Lewis, James R. (March 2001). The Encyclopedia of Cults, Sects, and New Religions. Prometheus Books. p. 139\. ISBN 978-1-61592-738-8.
9. ^ Kurian, George Thomas; Lamport, Mark A. (10 November 2016). Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 216\. ISBN 978-1-4422-4432-0.
10. ^ "About Us". Charity Christian Fellowship. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
11. ^ Hurst, Charles E.; McConnell, David L. (5 April 2010). An Amish Paradox: Diversity and Change in the World's Largest Amish Community. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0-8018-9790-0.
12. ^ Vainshtein, Annie (14 September 2017). "What's the deal with all those religious billboards around the Bay Area?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
13. ^ Roth, John D. (24 November 2014). "Devoted nonconformity". Anabaptist World. Retrieved 16 May 2022.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Kauffman, Daniel (1898). Manual of Bible Doctrines. Elkhart: Mennonite Publishing Co.
* Martin, Harold S. (1971). The Bible Doctrine of Nonresistance. Hanover: Bible Helps Publications.
* Shank, Tom (1992). "…Let Her Be Veiled.": An in-depth study of 1 Corinthians 11:1-16. Eureka: Torch Publications.
* Coblentz, John (1992). What the Bible Says About Marriage, Divorce & Remarriage. Harrisonburg: Christian Light Publications. ISBN 9780878135448.
* Anderson, Cory; Anderson, Jennifer (2019). Fitted to Holiness: How Modesty is Achieved and Compromised among the Plain People. Millersburg: Acorn Publishing.

## External links

[edit]

* Church Index - Conservative Anabaptist churches
* Conservative Anabaptist Places
* Christian Aid Ministries

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Anabaptism

Background|

* Protestant Reformation
* Radical Reformation
* Waldensians
* Petr Chelčický
* Moravian Church
* German mysticism
* Zwickau prophets
* Congregationalism

Groups|

* Swiss Brethren
* Hutterites
* Batenburgers
* Mennonites
* Old Order Mennonites
* Conservative Mennonites
* Russian Mennonites
* Amish
* New Order Amish
* Beachy Amish
* Amish Mennonites
* Abecedarians
* Schwenkfelders
* Schwarzenau (German Baptist) Brethren
* River Brethren
* Old Order River Brethren
* Brethren in Christ Church
* Bruderhof
* Apostolic Christian Church
* Peace churches

History|

* German Peasants' War
* Münster rebellion
* Martyrs Mirror
* Schleitheim Confession
* Dordrecht Confession of Faith
* Ausbund
* Old Order Movement
* Anabaptist–Jewish relations
* Settler colonialism

Theology|

* Theology of Anabaptism
* Church discipline
* Christian communism
* Freedom of religion
* Great Apostasy
* Memorialism
* Nonconformity to the world
* Nonresistance
* Pacifism
* Priesthood of all believers
* Separation of church and state – free church
* Sola scriptura

Practices|

* Agape feast
* Believer's baptism
* Closed communion
* Foot washing
* Ordnung
* Plain dress
* Shunning
* Simple living
* Singings

Notable
Anabaptists|

* Felix Manz
* Conrad Grebel
* Pilgram Marpeck
* Michael Sattler
* Hans Denck
* Jakob Hutter
* Balthasar Hubmaier
* Bernhard Rothmann
* Dirk Philips
* Menno Simons
* Jakob Ammann
* Alexander Mack
* Samuel Heinrich Fröhlich

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