Exploring the Roots of Anabaptism and Modern Baptists

Born and raised in the Baptist Church (IFB) and my interest in history provoked a short study into the beginning of the Baptist church. But remember from my previous post, I do not identify with any particular religion as I am a “Follower of Christ Jesus”.

Anabaptists are members of a Christian movement that emerged during the Radical Reformation of the early 16th century. The name comes from the Greek ana (“again”) and baptizein (“to baptize”), because they practiced believer’s baptism — baptizing only those who consciously profess faith in Christ — and rejected infant baptism as unbiblical2.

Core Beliefs

• Believer’s baptism: Only adults (or those old enough to understand) should be baptized2.
• Separation of church and state: The church is a voluntary community of believers, distinct from political authority.
• Pacifism: Many early Anabaptists refused military service and violence3.
• Refusal to swear oaths: Based on Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5:34–37.
• Discipleship & community: Emphasis on living out the teachings of Jesus in daily life.

Historical Origins

• 1525, Zürich: The first recorded adult baptisms took place in the Swiss town of Zollikon, led by reformers like Konrad Grebel and Felix Manz, who broke from Huldrych Zwingli over the pace and depth of reform.
• Schleitheim Confession (1527): Early statement of faith by Michael Sattler, outlining key Anabaptist principles.
• Persecution: Both Protestant and Catholic authorities saw them as a threat to religious and political order. Many were imprisoned, tortured, or executed.
• Spread: The movement took root in Switzerland, Germany, the Netherlands, and beyond, inspiring later groups like the Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites.

Legacy

Today, Anabaptist traditions range from Old Order communities (like the Amish) that maintain simple, technology-limited lifestyles, to mainline Mennonite and Brethren churches engaged in modern society while holding to core theological convictions.

Here’s a quick timeline of the Anabaptist movement, followed by how it connects (and doesn’t connect) to modern Baptists.

Anabaptist Timeline Highlights2

Year	Event
1525	First adult baptisms in Zürich by Swiss Brethren (Konrad Grebel, Felix Manz).
1527	Schleitheim Confession by Michael Sattler outlines core beliefs.
1527–1530s	Severe persecution across Europe; leaders like Manz, Sattler, and Hubmaier executed.
1533–1535	Münster Rebellion — radical apocalyptic faction seizes city; crushed by authorities.
Mid–1500s	Movement spreads to Moravia, the Netherlands, and beyond; Hutterites, Mennonites emerge.
1600s	Mennonites migrate to more tolerant regions (e.g., Prussia, later North America).
1700s–1800s	Amish split from Mennonites over discipline and lifestyle; continued migration to the Americas.
Today	Diverse Anabaptist descendants: Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites, Brethren, Bruderhof, and others.

Link to Modern Baptists

• Spiritual Ancestors? Encyclopædia Britannica calls Anabaptists “spiritual ancestors” of modern Baptists. Both reject infant baptism and insist on believer’s baptism.
• Direct Lineage? Most historians say Baptists did not directly descend from 16th‑century Anabaptists. Instead, Baptists arose in early 17th‑century England from Separatist Puritan circles, influenced by Reformed theology — but they adopted the Anabaptist stance on baptism and religious liberty3.
• Shared Principles
  • Believer’s baptism by immersion.
  • Congregational governance.
  • Religious liberty and separation of church and state.
• Key Difference Early Baptists were not pacifists and generally did not embrace the communal lifestyle or strict separation from society that many Anabaptists practiced.

Here’s that side‑by‑side snapshot so you can see where the family resemblance ends and the differences begin:

Feature	Early Anabaptists	Early Baptists	Modern Baptists
Origin	1520s, Switzerland & S. Germany during the Radical Reformation2	Early 1600s, England from Separatist Puritan circles2	Global, with roots in 17th‑century English Baptists
Key Figures	Konrad Grebel, Felix Manz, Michael Sattler, Menno Simons	John Smyth, Thomas Helwys	Varies by denomination (e.g., Charles Spurgeon, Martin Luther King Jr.)
Baptism	Believer’s baptism only, usually by pouring or immersion; rejects infant baptism	Believer’s baptism only, by immersion; rejects infant baptism	Believer’s baptism by immersion is standard
View of Church & State	Strict separation; church as voluntary community of believers	Separation of church and state, but more engagement with society	Strong advocacy for religious liberty; active in public life
Pacifism	Core principle for most groups3	Not a defining doctrine; most did not practice pacifism	Rare; generally not pacifist
Lifestyle	Often communal, simple living, separation from “the world”	Integrated into broader society	Fully engaged in modern culture
Scripture Emphasis	New Testament priority over Old Testament	Old and New Testament equally authoritative	Same as early Baptists
Social/Political Involvement	Avoided political office, military service	Permitted political and military roles	Widely involved in politics, education, missions

💡 In short: Baptists borrowed the believer’s baptism conviction from Anabaptists, but their DNA is otherwise rooted in English Puritanism. Anabaptists were the radical outsiders of the 1500s; Baptists became a mainstream Protestant stream by the 1700s.