The Anabaptist Vision

by Harold S. Bender

H. S. Bender defines the spirit and purposes of the original Anabaptists. Three major points of emphasis are: the transformation of the entire way of life of the individual to the teachings and example of Christ, voluntary church membership based upon conversion and commitment to holy living, and Christian love and nonresistance applied to all human relationships.

Genres: Theology, History, Christian

44 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1944

Reviews

[Diana Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read that made me proud of my Anabaptist heritage. He uses a lot of sources from Anabaptist contemporaries (both negative and positive), to describe the core beliefs and subsequent lifestyles of the early Anabaptists, as well as the history of the movement. I’m always surprised again at how even the writers who hated the Anabaptists vouched for their morality and Godly lifestyles.

[Caleb A. Gerber · Rating 2 out of 5]

An analysis on the teachings and legacy of what the author calls “The Bolsheviks of the Reformation” Used a lot of primary sources and the author was very knowledgeable, but, of course, I completely disagreed with most of what he said. Argued for radical pacifism, a life of works, in contrast to Luther, and the abolition of private property.

[Marvin Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A worthwhile short read. I wonder what Bender’s critique of 21st century anabaptists would be? Have we kept the original vision, improved upon it, diluted it, or abandoned it?

[Ethan Rodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting to hear some of the history of the Ananbaptist movement...

[JaLynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice short booklet

[Ike Unger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, and a quick overview of the three major points and emphasis of the Anabaptist.

[Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bender describes the Anabaptist vision as having three aspects: (1) the call to discipleship, (2) the call to community, and (3) the call to non-violent love.

You can actually find the original lecture that this book is based on here: http://www.mcusa-archives.org/library...

As a Canadian Baptist, I read this book as part of the background research for my dissertation on James Wm. McClendon Jr., who expands this vision as a entire third mode of theology called the "baptist vision." McClendon argues as a moderate Southern Baptist (with thinkers such as John Howard Yoder, Don Durnbaugh, Glen Stassen, Nigel Wright, etc.) that Baptist and Anabaptist are historically synonymous. While immersion-believer baptist was an innovation of the General and Particular Baptists, these men were highly influenced by the Anabaptists (Stassen even shows how the London Confession has verbatim quotations from Menno Simmons in it, especially in its doctrine of Baptism). Anabaptists were called among themselves "baptists" ("taufer" or "dunkards"). That being said, McClendon argues for an expanded "baptist vision" in which includes (1) living the biblical pattern (which means interpreting and living the Bible through Christ's pattern), (2) liberty (in which he places separation of church and state and working toward liberation of others), (3) community, (4) discipleship, (5) and mission. The vision, essentially, makes a space for all "third way" or "radical expressions" of Christianity, who don't fit into Catholicism or Reformed Protestantism, to fit into each other, whether it is baptists, anabaptists, brethren, congregationalists, Pentecostals, methodists, etc.

For those interested in the "baptist vision," read McClendon's Systematic Theology, Yoder's The Priestly Kingdom, his Body Politics, Nigel Wright's Free Church, Free State, or Don Durnbaugh's The Believer's Church.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was looking for a brief and accessible introduction to the history and theology of the Anabaptists. This book which, as I understand it, is basically the transcript of a lecture given by the author and originally published in 1943, fit the bill admirably. At the time of its writing the author stated that the definitive history of the Anabaptists was yet to be written. I have no idea if that work has been undertaken in the intervening 70 plus years but this book, at a mere 36 pages, remains a convenient and informative introduction. While it is extremely light on the history of Anabaptism, it does an adequate (barely) job of setting its context in the midst of the Reformation and its radical adjunct. More thorough is the author's presentation of what he terms the Anabaptist vision which includes three major points of emphasis. First, the core essence of Christianity is discipleship. Second, the church is to be understood and experienced as a brother/sisterhood (voluntary membership rather than State Church. Third, an ethic of love and non-resistance as the recognizable expression of a non-conformist church

[Alan Stucky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, originally a speech, single-handedly changed the way that the wider academic Christian community saw, understood and valued the Anabaptist role in the radical reformation. While it's one of the most important Anabaptist works of the 20th Ce. it's understanding of Anabaptist history has been challenged and greatly revised in light of current scholarship. For more on that see the article "From Monogenesis to Polygenesis" in the Mennonite Quarterly Review.

[Denise Kettering · Rating 3 out of 5]

This essay is a classic in Anabaptist studies and provides a key perspective for understanding some of the initial aspects of the Zurich Anabaptist circle. The essay is easy to follow and provides a strong and persuasive argument for some of the key elements of early Anabaptism that defined it over and against the other prevailing religious attitudes of the day. This is a good introductory point for those interested in learning about Anabaptism.

[Benjamin Merritt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found the full text for this online after Scot McKnight recommended it as the most important 20th century intro to anabaptism. More of an essay than a book, Bender covers a brief history if the movement, and sketches three basic components of it's vision: discipleship, brotherhood, and nonviolence. Very informative!

[Jonny Gerig Meyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

An important book in the modern historiography of Anabaptists/Mennonites.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

5 stars for saying what he needs to say in 36 pages - minus a star for bias and writing style. A concise, informative review of anabaptism. A great introduction.

[Rui Coelho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe the best synthesis of the Anabaptist faith.