General Chat

On Wiki, it says first Baptist Church was 1609 in Amsterdam. That sounds right time to me.

1662 was the year of schism in Church of England (over imposition of Common Prayer Book) and that caused the birth of Congregational and Independent Churches (many of whom are now URC).

The Baptist movement in England was well established by 1662 and they were called dissenters.

I think main difference between Baptists and Anabaptists may be that Baptists tried to follow Paul's rules for church growth. Whereas Anabaptists went back to the very early days after Pentecost where everyone was throwing their goods into the pot, sharing equally and living communally. Please note I say "may be". Really don't know, and feel I should :-( :-(

Anabaptists consider the Bible to be their only rule for life and religion ....... and have been persecuted by both Protestant and Catholic religions


Anabaptist really means "re-baptising" ........................ the early members of the religion had been baptised into either a Catholic or a Protestant religion as babies, but the Anabaptists believe in adult baptism ................ so they were re-baptised.


It seems as though "Anabaptist" might even have been a derogatory term originally used by other Protestants back in the 16th century, but the Anabaptists later came to embrace it


There is no single defining set of beliefs, doctrines, and practices that characterizes all Anabaptists.


Groups existing today with early Anabaptist roots include the Mennonites, Amish, Dunkards, Landmark Baptists, Hutterites, and various Beachy and Brethren groups

I googled kibbutz


it seems that the origin of kibbutz goes back to around 1909, when jewish people moved to tarts of Palestan, onto land that had been bought by contributions from jews around the world.

They wanted to be farmers, but were not farmers, and did not have money to support themselves as farmers .................... individually, that is.


Someone realised that if they worked together a) they would have enough combined money to support themselves, b) they would be able to combine together to do the work, and c) living together would be safer in what was a dangerous place.

The first kibbutzim were built around the Sea of Galilee.


Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism.


More recently, some kibbutzim have been privatized, and changes have been made in the communal lifestyle

Call me silly if you like, but what has any of this thread got to do with solicitors.

http://www.longmores-solicitors.co.uk/site/people/profile/abb

Or is it I got the wrong Anna Baptist??







































































:-P

Patrick....This thread has nothing to do with solicitors & Anna Baptist :-|
Its with regards to Anabaptists re religious sects....Thanks.

K/Regards,
A/Canuck.

Well, I've waded through a couple of sites re the history of this community and found it quite heavy going so, I changed tack slightly and found this:


http://www.anabaptists.org/doctrine.html


It's easier reading but there is SO much of it to read but it's very helpful if anyone wants to compare the way the Anabaptists perceive Scripture and the more orthodox perceptions.



Personally, I would like to hear a conversation between senior clerics from the three main branches of Christianity (Catholic - Orthodox - Protestant) and the Anabaptists/Mennonites, on the difference of the interpretation of Scripture.


I say 'between senior clerics', because it is not unknown for many lay folk to given their own interpretation of their faith, which isn't actual correct - it's more their personal view than the official view, If you know what I mean :-S

I don't know very much about scripture but I think they believe in trans-substansiation which was very much at the root of the Reformation and much religious persecution.

Maybe those of you with better knowledge than I can expand my own knowledge a little.

It is their lifestyle that interests me and the pragmatism that it entails.

I think any communal lifestyle can be very attractive. A cousin lived on a kibbutz during her student days (about 1960) and she absolutely loved the experience.

And where I lived formerly in Northamptonshire there was a commune formed by a Baptist pastor. When we left Northants, the commune (the Jesus Army, I think) had 83 residential properties and a few businesses - mainly in Daventry/Towcester area. And a big chapel in an old cinema in Northampton. They did a lot of good work amongst the homeless and addicts, but had no ties with any other churches or chapels in that area. The pastor (remember his name was Noel) was quite elderly when we left in 2007.

And there have been many communes that have no religious base - just care for each other. Sometimes it is just a big house with some land and several families live together in harmony. Extension of "The Good Life" with Felicity Kendall and late Richard Briers.

But these Hutterites impress me - as do the other Anabaptist groupings. Just think about being in a commune. It would be nice probably, but how many of us could keep a commune going for more than a generation - let alone 500 or 600 years.

I was musing on point made by Cynthia about church leaders. I think by the nature of these Anabaptist groups, church leaders would know no more than us church followers. Probably less as this thread unfolds. I can imagine what my church leaders would know about it - but I will ask them anyway :-)

How odd that you should mention The Jesus Army today, John.

Coinicidence?

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/the-jesus-army-wants-you-1617501.html

HEAVY.

I have just read that article. It is big enough and heavy enough to warrant a thread of it's own.

One of the big differences between groups like that and most ,if not all,Anabaptist groups is that Anabaptists don't recruit or interact very much with the outside world.

There does not seem to any type of threat to anybody from them, apart from that perceived by the outside world because their values are not the same.

HEAVY.

I have just read that article. It is big enough and heavy enough to warrant a thread of it's own.

One of the big differences between groups like that and most ,if not all,Anabaptist groups is that Anabaptists don't recruit or interact very much with the outside world.

There does not seem to any type of threat to anybody from them, apart from that perceived by the outside world because their values are not the same.

Sharron a very interesting read and good to see thread still going.

I did look up some stuff but must admit found it heavy going so
decided to learn from thread rather than confuse myself by googling.

Emma

We all have our bit to contribute.

If we all read a bit and put in a little it saves us all reading great lumps of heavy literature.

I like the way the Amish live and stick to methods that have served them well over a long period of time.

I find it particularly appealing that they are not wasteful people.

Like yourself I like the Amish way of life, more so I think
their beliefs which never seems to faulter.
The programme I watched on the Hutterites seemed that they were
on a collision course with one another, especially the mother and
daughter, I think the daughter wanted to be free to enjoy her life as
other young people.

Emma

I don't know if the Hutterites have the rumspringa or even if it applies to girls in reality.

Of course,any one of them can go and live in the outside world but it would mean they didn't have the protection of the community anymore.

I had never even heard of the Hutterites until someone posted that there was a program on the BBC about them, so switched the t.v on immediately to watch this. Fascinating! Had no idea what Anabaptists meant, until I looked I googled it. Fascinating!!! Have no comment about any life-style of such people, each to their own, we just should treat everyine with respect. Having said that, I am still annoyed by the Jehova Witness people that cold call. A weeka ago, the doorbell rang VERY early in the morning, I only looked out of an upstairs window, saw a very old man tottering away with his rollator..but, have never been annoyed by any Anabaptisen-ever...so, live and let live, I say.

John re Baptists. There is no Christening, Godparents etc just a dedication service where babies are welcomed into the church. Baptists believe in Adult baptism by full immersion as an adult or often teenager when the person is able to make their own decision to commit to a life following Christ. Again no Godparents.

I've just found this site, which may be an interesting one to explore ...............


http://www2.etown.edu/amishstudies/Index.asp


I was looking for information on rumspringa ....... and found the site. It seems to be clearly written :-D


I did note that according to this, rumspringa seems to be an Amish practice, but not in all communities, and girls MAY also participate.

Gwynne. That article about Jesus Army was 1995. It said leader Noel Stanton was 67, yet I remember seeing him as a quite old man being driven round Bugbrooke. We left that area in 2007. If he is still alive, he will be about 85 now.

That worried me about Jesus Army. He was quite a charismatic leader, and there was nobody obvious to take over from him. One of the deacons of my old chapel used to buy supplies form one of their businesses in Towcester and got quite friendly with a couple of the men. Invited them to one of our mid week Bible studies.

They seemed very keen to come, but then made lots of excuses. As the article said, they had no contact with any other church group and still don't, as far as I know.

I find it quite difficult to draw a comparison between the Jesus Army and Anabaptism. They are so fundamentally different and I am wondering if the do not require entirely seperate threads.

Anabaptists are maintaining a very long tradition and not wanting to interfere with the outside world whereas the Jesus Army appears to be a cult that is exploiting the helpless.like that gypsy family who were recently jailed.