Anabaptists

One of the first Protestant movements to spring up in the early days of the Reformation in Europe were the Anabaptist groups. They did not consist of a single, coherent organization, but a loose grouping of movements, all of whom rejected infant baptism and practiced the baptism of adults upon confession of faith. Their name was given to them by opponents- it literally meant 'rebaptizer.'

The Anabaptists movement quickly gained strength in Europe in the 1520s, in particular in Germany, where they took over the city of Münster. Unfortunately a wild, licentious lifestyle developed there, due to their belief that as the “elect”, they could do no wrong. Jan Matthys of Münster who was regarded by his followers as a prophet and who controlled the city declared that no unbaptized adult was allowed to remain in Münster.

It was soon discovered that the term 'Anabaptist' gave the authorities a legal precedent to persecute and execute them. By the mid 16th century central and northern Europe, the persecution of Anabaptist Christians was so prevalent that in many places anyone who did not drink to excess, curse or abuse his workmen or family could be suspected of being an Anabaptist and was harassed accordingly.

The Anabaptists were forced to find devious ways to avoid persecution. For instance Peter Peters of Amsterdam, a ferry boatman, loaded up his boat with Anabaptists and whilst pretending to ferry his company across the river, they would hold a Bible study. Persecution wasn’t always avoided and they were frequently killed and stuck outside the city gates on poles as a warning to the general populace. This had the opposite to the intended effect as many of the general population were impressed by the Anabaptist’s desire to die for their faith and were consequently drawn to God through their witness.

Dirk Willems was a Dutch Anabaptist whose devotion to his new and the baptism of several other people in his home, led to his condemnation by the Roman Catholic Church in the Netherlands and subsequent arrest. Willems escaped from his prison using a rope made out of knotted rags to climb out of the building onto the frozen moat. A guard noticed his escape and gave chase but fell through thin ice. Willems turned back to save the life of his pursuer, and this act of mercy led to his recapture. He was held and tortured until he was burned at the stake near his hometown of Aspere on May 16, 1569. Below is an etching of Dirk Willems saving his pursuer from the 1685 edition of Martyrs Mirror.

The radical Protestant group, the Mennonites developed from the Anabaptist movement. They took their name from their most prominent early leader Menno Simons who died in 1561. The Amish and Hutterites are also direct descendants of the early Anabaptist movement.

Anna Utenhoven was an Anabaptist servant in the Spanish Netherlands who was martyred for her faith. She was buried alive on July 17, 1597. During the burial, Anna was given repeated chances to recant her faith, convert to Catholicism and be freed, but she refused each time. She was the last person executed for heresy in the Low Countries.