4 Legs of Christianity: Where Do Anabaptists Fit? Have We Forgotton our Renewal Side?
Sep 15, 2009 reflecting, reviews
As I watched a Historian Speak the other Day at a Music Festival I was attending, she addressed the four main “legs” of Christianity, and tried to systematically explain into which leg every mainline and common church denominations fit into. As she broke down where even some smaller church types fit into, she almost purposely skipped over the Anabaptist movement of the church. I watched on from the side stage of the festival; sitting under a large canvas tent as the rain fell harder and harder outside, waiting for her to make sense of our unique pietism and peaceful movement – however no explanation came on which leg we leaned. Was it spirit led? Was it justice based? Was it Sola Scripture? I began to drone out her discussion as I became memorized by the pouring rain and entered thoughts on our movement and the full spectrum approach it took at the time of our succession.
Tags: Anabaptist, Catholic Priest, Charismatic, Dirk Willems, Free Course, Gifts of the Spirit, Holy Spirit, Menno Simmons, Mennonite, Pilgram Marpeck, Prophecy, Renewal Church, South Germany, Speaking in Tongues, Spirtual Gifts, Swiss Brethren
The Tension & Balance of the Early Church on Non-Resistance
Sep 11, 2009 reflecting
I am committed to living a non-resistant lifestyle. To some of you that is no surprise – and yet to others that might be a shock, bad theology or it might be just confusing on what that means. Perhaps the bigger surprise for some, is that I believe Jesus not only demonstrated this lifestyle – but has called us as the church and as Christians that make up the church to live it out as well.
For some of you, like I said, you are going to view this as bad theology – but regardless please continue to bear a little longer with me as I continue this brief note. I would like to present to you perhaps some of my story, but more a few simple points to “chew on” in your thoughts.
Recently, I had a discussion with a reformed Baptist woman during my travels to California who believed that the ‘tradition’ of non-resistance and pacifism began and ended with the Anabaptist and Historic Peace Churches. She said sometimes she doesn’t know where the Historic Peace Churches (Mennonites, Brethren, Brethren in Christ, Amish, Quakers, etc) get their ‘traditions’ and why they continue to pass down a tradition that has no biblical evidence or mandate.
Tags: Anabaptist History, Anabaptist Movement, Christian Forefathers, Cyprian of Carthage, Dayspring Mennonite, Didascalia, Early Church, Historic Peace Church, Justin Martyr, Non-Resistance, Pacifism, Pacifist, Pastor Bob Yoder, Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Tertullian, Trypho
