Anabaptist Studies

Reuben Sairs, Instructor

Course Description: The Conservative Mennonite Conference (CMC) descends from 16^th century Anabaptism. This class examines Anabaptism in this earlier context, and traces the essential ideas from then to now. We will study the people, the variants and the developments in Anabaptism. This class consists of one week of classroom lecture, independent study and the submission of four assignments, including an examination.

Course Objectives:

The student will become familiar with and become able to discuss intelligently the events, personalities, and beliefs that are important to Anabaptism.
The student will learn to discern between timeless theological issues and ephemeral historical developments.
The student will be equipped to define and defend Anabaptist ideas.
The student will be able to contrast Anabaptist beliefs to beliefs shaped by theological liberalism or different forms of evangelical Protestantism.

Requirements:

Participate appropriately in class presentations.
Final exam, on Estep's book and class notes. Due Nov. 26, 2004
An Anabaptist biography and appraisal. Due January 21, 2005
A study of an Anabaptist church. Due March 18, 2005.
A review of the "Foundation Document" by Menno Simons. Due May 6, 2005.

Texts:

The Anabaptist Story, 3^rd ed. William Estep.

The Foundation Document, Menno Simons.

Biographical and reference materials of your choice.

Grading:

Ten percent scale: 90-100 A

80-89 B

70-79 C

60-69 D

Elements: Final 25%

Biography 25%

Church Report 25%

Foundation Document Report 25%

Final Examination: The exam will be based on the book and the classroom presentations. It will include, fill-in questions, short-2 sentence, answers, and a selection of essay questions.

Anabaptist biography Assignment : One can learn a great deal about the beliefs and character of Anabaptists by looking at one person closely. You may choose any of the following Anabaptist figures: Menno Simons, Dirck Philips, Obbe Philips, Conrad Grebel, Michael Sattler, Balthasar Hubmaier, Jakob Hutter, Melchior Hoffman, Pilgram Marpeck, Hans Ries, Jacob Amman. Or you may take a collective look at 5 Anabaptist women: martyrs, and/or wives of leaders from the same period (up to about 1700), e.g. Margaretha Sattler, Gertrude Simons. There are numerous biographies of women martyrs in the Martyr's Mirror: Weynken, Daughter of Claes "a woman called Claesken," "Anna of Rotterdam" "Elizabeth (martyred 1549), etc. The record with regard to these women is a little less than we could desire.

For some of those persons mentioned above there are book length biographies; for others you would have to piece together their lives from general histories, the Martyr's Mirror, the Mennonite Encyclopedia, and the biographies of other persons that might mention them, etc. The number of sources will depend on their nature. If you read a major book length biography, it will probably be sufficient to supplement it with references from at least 2 other historical sources. If no book length biography is available, try to acquire at least 5 sources.

Write briefly concerning the objective facts: where they were born, lived, died, etc. Spend more time on their beliefs and any personal struggles arriving at them. Situate them in the larger Anabaptist context. Pay attention to comments comparing and contrasting them to other leaders. Comment from a modern perspective on their lives and teachings. Would this person fit into your congregation?

Please research enough to write 5 pages (not including the works cited page). Pick up a Research Papers Guidelines handout in the RBC library or use the MLA Handbook 6^th edition. You need to cite sources and document.

Church Report: Many churches (denominations) descend from the Anabaptists, some of them would not longer identify very closely with the movement. Prepare a report on any denomination which descends from the Anabaptists or Anabaptist-related groups we studied in class. You may choose any group that interests you, and for which you can do enough research. Consider a single example from the various groups of Amish, Mennonite, River Brethren and Brethren in Christ (but not Church of the Brethren since they stem directly from German pietism), Holderman, Hutterites, The Missionary Church, United Zion Church, Apostolic Christian Church of America.

Emphasize doctrines, history, critical developments. Always keep an eye on how the group has modified the beliefs or practices of 16^th century Anabaptism. What have they added or taken away? Consider doing firsthand research, by visiting a congregation, interviewing leaders or members, etc.

Menno Simons: The Foundation is not long, but it will be difficult to read. I suggest taking notes as you read and keeping a dictionary of church history nearby to check some of his references. Menno was a great organizer of the early northern Anabaptist movement. His writing was successful and effective in its time, but few Mennonites take the time to read him today.

Read the Foundation document and write a review. Consider Menno's content, style and appraisal of other churches. Consider all of the following in your paper. List briefly his central concerns and lines of argument. Why does he write and who is his intended audience? How does Menno come across? What are his convictions regarding other churches? Explain areas of agreement or disagreement you have with Menno. How would Menno get along in your congregation? In your paper refer to page numbers and content, only very brief quotations are acceptable.

The Foundation is available in PDF format at the RBC Web site through the library link. Feel free to read it online or download it. This version is from 1871. Herald Press published and translated The Complete Writings of Menno Simons in 1956. It costs about 40 dollars used; 50 new at amazon.com. The 1871 edition is available at anabaptistbooks.com for 15.00.