Anabaptist Beliefs: 7 Key Principles You Should Know

Anabaptist Beliefs: 7 Key Principles You Should Know

Have you ever seen a picture of an Amish family in a horse-drawn buggy and wondered, «What’s their story? What do they really believe?» Or perhaps you’ve heard of the Mennonites and their incredible commitment to peace and service work around the world.

These groups, along with others like the Hutterites, are all part of a deep and powerful stream of Christianity known as Anabaptism. It’s a faith that was born in fire, forged in persecution, and has held fast to a radical vision of what it means to follow Jesus for 500 years.

The name «Anabaptist» might sound a bit strange or old-fashioned, but their core ideas are as challenging and relevant today as they were in the 1500s. They ask us tough questions: What does it really mean to be a disciple? Is our faith a private belief or a public, community commitment? How should we respond to violence in the world?

Here at oracioncristiana.org, we believe that understanding all the branches of the Christian family tree enriches our own faith. The Anabaptist story is one of incredible courage and conviction. So, let’s dive into the 7 key principles you need to know about this fascinating and often misunderstood movement.

1. What Does «Anabaptist» Even Mean? (The Name Says It All)

Let’s start with the name, because it was actually an insult. «Anabaptist» comes from Greek and literally means «re-baptizer.»

This name was given to them by their enemies during the Protestant Reformation in the 1520s. Why? Because the Anabaptists’ single most radical belief was about baptism. In the 16th century, everyone—Catholics, Lutherans, and Calvinists—practiced infant baptism. It was the unquestioned norm. A baby was baptized into the faith, which automatically made them a citizen of the Christian state.

The Anabaptists read the New Testament and came to a shocking conclusion: Baptism is for believers only. They argued that baptism must be a voluntary, conscious decision made by an adult who has repented of their sins and confessed Jesus as Lord. A baby can’t do that. Therefore, they said, infant baptism is not a true baptism at all.

So, when adults who had been «baptized» as infants came to join their movement, the Anabaptists would baptize them again. Their enemies seized on this and called them «Anabaptists» or «re-baptizers,» a crime that was often punishable by death. But for the Anabaptists themselves, they weren’t «re-baptizing» anyone. They were simply giving them their first real, biblical baptism.

2. The Church is a Voluntary Community (Not a State Institution)

This belief about baptism led directly to their second, equally radical idea. The Anabaptists believed the Church should be a voluntary community of committed disciples, completely separate from the state.

This was a direct attack on the entire social and political structure of 16th-century Europe. At the time, Church and State were two sides of the same coin. If you were born in Germany, you were a Lutheran. If you were born in Spain, you were a Catholic. Your citizenship and your church membership were the same thing.

The Anabaptists said, «No.» They believed that the true church is not made up of every citizen in a country. It’s made up only of those who have chosen to follow Christ. The Church is a «gathered» community of believers, not an «inherited» institution of citizens.

This led to two revolutionary ideas:

• Separation of Church and State: The government’s job is to maintain order in the world. The church’s job is to live out the Gospel. The two should never be mixed. The state has no right to dictate faith or punish heretics.
• Religious Freedom: Faith, they argued, must be a free choice. You cannot force someone to be a Christian. This belief in freedom of conscience was centuries ahead of its time.

As the historical resource Britannica notes, this stance put them in direct opposition to both Catholic and Protestant authorities, who saw their vision of a «free church» as a threat to social stability.

3. The Way of Peace: A Radical Commitment to Nonviolence

If there is one Anabaptist belief that has had the most profound impact on the world, it is this one. Anabaptists are deeply committed to pacifism and nonviolence, based on Jesus’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount.

They take Jesus’s commands literally:
> «You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.» (Matthew 5:38-39)

> «Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.» (Matthew 5:44)

Because of this, Anabaptists believe that violence is never the answer. A follower of Jesus cannot, in good conscience, go to war, carry a sword (or a gun), or use violence to solve problems. This belief is often called nonresistance.

This has had huge practical implications throughout their history:

• They have consistently been conscientious objectors, refusing to serve in any military.
• They refuse to swear oaths, including oaths of loyalty to a government that might command them to kill.
• They focus on being agents of peace and reconciliation in a violent world.

This commitment is powerfully lived out today by organizations like the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), an Anabaptist relief, development, and peace agency that works in over 50 countries, often in the most war-torn and difficult places on earth.

4. The Centrality of Community (Discipleship is a Team Sport)

In our modern, individualistic world, this Anabaptist principle is more challenging than ever. Anabaptists believe that the Christian life cannot be lived alone; it must be lived in a visible, accountable community.

For them, the local church isn’t a place you «go to» for an hour on Sunday. It is your primary family. It’s the place where discipleship happens. This belief is rooted in the New Testament’s picture of the early church, where believers shared their lives, their resources, and their struggles together (Acts 2:44-47).

This leads to several key practices:

• Mutual Aid: The community takes care of its own. If a family’s barn burns down, the church comes together to rebuild it. If someone is sick or unemployed, the church provides financial and practical support.
• Church Discipline: This is a concept that makes many modern people uncomfortable, but it’s central to Anabaptism. If a member is living in open, unrepentant sin, the community will lovingly confront them, calling them back to the right path. The goal is always restoration, not punishment. It’s about accountability.
• Communal Decision-Making: Major decisions are often made by the whole congregation, not just a pastor or a board, to seek a unified mind.

This intense focus on community is most visible in groups like the Amish and Hutterites, who live in tight-knit, often physically separate, communities. But even for more modern Mennonites, the local church remains the essential center of their spiritual and social lives.

5. A Simple Life: Resisting the Pull of the World

Anabaptists have always been wary of the «world’s» values. They are called to a life of simplicity, humility, and separation from the materialistic and power-hungry culture around them.

This is not because they think the physical world is evil, but because they believe that wealth, fashion, and entertainment can easily become idols that pull our hearts away from God. This is based on biblical commands like:

> «Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.» (Romans 12:2)

This principle of «nonconformity» looks very different in different Anabaptist groups:

Group	Expression of Simplicity
The Amish	The most well-known example. They practice a radical separation, rejecting modern technology like public electricity, cars, and fashionable clothing («plain dress»).
The Hutterites	They live in communal colonies where all property is owned by the community. They embrace modern farming technology but maintain plain dress and a simple community life.
Mennonites	The expression varies widely. Some «Old Order» Mennonites live much like the Amish. Most modern Mennonites, however, live and work in the modern world but try to practice simplicity by resisting consumerism, living modestly, and focusing on service.

6. The Persecuted Church: A History Written in Blood

To truly understand the Anabaptist soul, you must understand their history of suffering. The Anabaptist movement was born in one of the most brutal persecutions in church history.

Because their beliefs challenged the very foundation of the state-church system, they were seen as dangerous radicals by everyone. They were hunted down, imprisoned, tortured, and executed by both Catholics and Protestants alike. The stories of their martyrdom are collected in a famous book called the Martyrs Mirror, which is second only to the Bible in importance for many Anabaptist families.

Thousands were killed in horrific ways:

• Drowning: This was a cruel, mocking form of execution. The authorities would say, «You want a third baptism? We’ll give it to you.» Felix Manz, one of the first Anabaptist leaders, was publicly drowned in Zurich in 1527.
• Burning at the stake.
• Beheading.

This history of persecution profoundly shaped their theology. It’s why they are so committed to nonviolence and the separation of church and state. They know, from their own scarred history, what happens when the state has the power to enforce religious belief.

7. The Two Kingdoms: Understanding Their Place in the World

Finally, how do Anabaptists see their role in a world they are called to be separate from? They believe in a «Two Kingdoms» theology.

This is the idea that God rules over the world in two distinct ways:

1. The Kingdom of the World: This is the realm of government, law, and the «sword» (coercive force). Its job is to restrain evil and maintain order for all people, believers and non-believers alike.
2. The Kingdom of Christ (The Church): This is the realm of grace, love, and nonresistance. Its job is to live out the ethics of the Sermon on the Mount and be a witness to the world of God’s love.

A Christian, they believe, is a citizen of the Kingdom of Christ first and foremost. This means they should obey the laws of the land (pay taxes, be a good neighbor) unless those laws conflict with the commands of Christ. When there is a conflict, a Christian must obey Christ.

This is why Anabaptists typically do not run for high political office, serve as police officers, or become judges. They see these roles as part of the «Kingdom of the World,» which necessarily involves using force and coercion—things they believe a follower of Jesus cannot do.

What Can We Learn from the Anabaptist Witness?

The Anabaptist story is a challenging one. Their radical commitment to the teachings of Jesus, their courage in the face of persecution, and their unwavering witness for peace can feel like a high and difficult standard.

They force us to ask ourselves: What does it truly mean to be a disciple? Is my faith a comfortable part of my culture, or does it call me to live differently? How seriously do I take the commands of Jesus to love my enemies and be a peacemaker?

Whether we agree with all of their theological points or not, the Anabaptist witness is a powerful and necessary voice in the global Christian family. They are a living reminder of the radical, counter-cultural call of the Gospel.

Now, I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

→ Which of these 7 Anabaptist principles do you find the most inspiring or the most challenging?
→ How does their commitment to nonviolence make you think about your own role in the world?
→ What’s one thing the wider Church (including us at oracioncristiana.org) could learn from the Anabaptist tradition?

Let’s discuss!