This is the long and detailed biography of Menno Simons (1496-1561), the most prominent Anabaptist Christian leader and teacher in Netherlands and North German states during the 16th century. His followers became known as Mennonites (Mennisten). The Short Biography of Menno Simons was published already earlier. This is the Longer and more detailed article about his life, development of his views, relationship with other Christian

Menno Simons (1496-1561) was the most outstanding Anabaptist Christian leader of the Low Countries during the 16th century. His followers became known as Mennonites (Mennisten). Menno Simons was a prolific expounder of Christian and specifically Anabaptist doctrines and teachings and here you can read a collection of his thoughts and explanations on a number of crucial subjects and problems of Christian living and Religious practice.

The Amish division was the most serious and the only major schism which occurred in the South German Anabaptist-Mennonite groups, when a considerable minority under the leadership of Elder Jakob Ammann, of Erlenbach, canton of Bern, Switzerland, in 1693-1697 divided from the main body. Jakob Ammann has three issues on which Hans Reist, the leader of the opposing side, would not agree with them, namely:

The Hutterian Brethren, also called Hutterites, the Austrian branch of the great Anabaptist movement of the 16th century, was characterized by the practice of community of goods, as first established in Moravia in 1529 and re-established on more solid grounds by Jakob Hutter in 1533. In contradistinction to the other Anabaptist groups the Hutterites had the unique chance to develop their communal life in comparatively

It is a false assumption to consider the simple and unlearned hat maker Jakob Hutter the founder and beginner of the Anabaptists in Tyrol; for the Anabaptist movement had long been thriving when Hutter entered it. But it is certain that none in the eastern Anabaptist movement was so successful in creating and reforming.He was also the founder of that peculiar organization which preserved itself

Conrad Grebel (ca. 1498-1526), can be considered the chief founder of Swiss-South German Anabaptism. He is historically very significant, for without him Anabaptism in its historical form would probably never have come into existence and he represents original Anabaptism in the form in which it has been perpetuated to the present day. Grebel was viewed as the outstanding leader of original Swiss Anabaptism (properly called

Felix Manz, one of the founders and first martyr of the original Swiss Brethren congregation in Zürich, Switzerland, was born about 1498. On 21 January Swiss Anabaptists performed the rite of adult baptism and held a communion service among themselves, thereby making their break with the Zwingli Reformation church final and establishing their brotherhood as a distinct Christian body. The movement spread rapidly through the

The Schleitheim Confession was the most representative statement of Anabaptist principles, endorsed unanimously by a meeting of Swiss Anabaptists in 1527 in Schleitheim (Switzerland). The Confession consisted of seven articles, written during a time of severe persecution. The articles we have dealt with, and in which we have been united, are these: baptism, the ban, the breaking of bread, separation from abomination, shepherds in the

Those who unite with them will be received into their church by rebaptism and repentance and newness of life. They henceforth lead their lives under a semblance of a quite spiritual conduct: They denounce covetousness, pride, profanity, the lewd conversation and immorality of the world, drinking and gluttony. In short, their hypocrisy is great and manifold. The people are running after them as though they