MCH 101: So... Menno-what?

At this point, I recognize that most people do not have a clue about who Mennonites are. For most people, the first images that come to mind are closed communities with dress codes, horse and buggies, no electricity, and family farming—basically, the Amish. While not entirely off base, such images would be considered quite naïve by most Mennonites today. 

After all, I fall into none of those categories. If I walked down the street of your town or city, you probably would not even know I was Mennonite. Now, I do live in a small rural town in the Midwest, but my family not only has electricity but also television and computers and cell phones—mine is a smart phone to be exact—and neither my parents nor any of my aunts and uncles farm (my grandparents did…a long time ago). And I have a college degree, currently pursuing a Master’s (and dare I say, a Doctorate?)—which is something most Amish would never consider trying to obtain. 

But yet I am Mennonite. 

So what are the Mennonites, then? [WARNING: History Lesson Approaching!]

Well, quite simple. We are the descendents of the original 15^th & 16^th century Anabaptists—you know, the ones that Martin Luther disowned and persecuted, despite being influenced by them; the original starters of the Protestant Reformation. Furthermore, we share this heritage with—yes—the Amish, but also with the Baptists, Brethren, and the Reformed; we come from the same group of people (pretty much).

It all started in Switzerland in the city of Zurich when a minister named Ulrich Zwingli challenged the Western church’s theology with his reformed preaching. While Zwingli never went so far as to separate from the church, several of his pupils—namely, Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz—did. They continued Zwingli’s challenge of the church’s views on tithes, transubstantiation, and infant baptism. 

Before too long, many people were being attracted to this movement all across northern Europe—and the likes of Thomas Müntzer and Menno Simons (which the Mennonites now get their name from) were successful at promoting it. Eventually, the Amish and Hutterite movements were formed out of it.

The start of the movement was officially recorded as January 21, 1525—the day that Conrad Grebel baptized George Blaurock, who then baptized several others. Officially an act of heresy, the practice of re-baptism became the most controversial aspect of the movement (hense the name “Anabaptists”) and the primary reason why they were persecuted. The story of the persecutions of the early Anabaptists is recorded in the Martyrs Mirror, a book highly beloved by the Mennonites today.

Dirk Willems rescues his pursuer

Ok, enough of history for now. (I promise that any future history only be discussed in this blog when it is necessary.)

Theologically, then, Mennonites and the Amish are quite similar, it is primarily just our daily lives and practices that differ from each other.

Fast forward to today, the Mennonites still practice what we now call “Believer’s Baptism.” In other words, we wait for people to choose for themselves to become baptized as a public confession of faith—instead of being baptized as infants and later being confirmed.

Another strong conviction of Mennonite faith is what we like to call the “priesthood of all believers.” Essentially every man, woman, and child in the church is called preach the faith and serve the community around it. This is the basis for the lack of a hierarchical authority in the Mennonite church, as well as the basis for the church’s vast and long-held tradition of global civilian service.

Mennonites also, all the way back to the original Anabaptists, strongly believe in peace and nonviolence—traditionally referred to as Pacifism and nonresistance, but that has gotten us into a bit of trouble in the past. Most of us, but not all, are Conscientious Objectors who actively oppose the military—another thing that has gotten us into a bit of trouble in the past—and all forms of violent oppression and suppression of individuals for any reason.

This has traditionally been backed up through a literal translation of Scripture. Essentially, we try and live as much like Jesus and the Apostles as we possibly can.

And that is basically what you need to know about Mennonites.