Mennonite

The Mennonites are a group of Christians who originated from the Anabaptist movement of the sixteenth century. They are neither Catholic nor Protestant but believe in the trinity of God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, and share other Christian beliefs. Mennonites follow the teachings of the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Many live simply, dress modestly, and perform public service. More than one billion Mennonites exist worldwide. They are part of numerous sects—both conservative and contemporary—that make up a global community called the Mennonite World Conference. Mennonite Church USA is the largest Mennonite denomination in the United States with more than one thousand congregations and one hundred thousand members. Mennonites are sometimes confused with another Christian sect known as the Amish. Both groups come from the same Anabaptist background, but the Amish separate themselves from mainstream society and avoid secular involvements and modern technology.

Origins

The Mennonites grew from the Anabaptist movement during the sixteenth century in Europe. While Christians typically are baptized as infants, the group that later became known as the Anabaptists believed that the relationship with God is a very personal choice decided when a person becomes an adult; therefore, they believed that baptism should be performed on adults and not on infants. Parents of children raise them to believe in God in the hopes they will choose to follow Jesus Christ as adults.

Huldrych Zwingli was one of the leaders pressing for religious reformation in Zurich, Switzerland, in the early 1500s, and he worked with the Zurich city council for reform. Others who demanded change, such as Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz, joined Zwingli, but they soon disagreed with some of his views; for instance, they wanted a church free of government interference. Zwingli sided with the city council and parted ways with Grebel, Manz, and their followers over this and the issue of infant baptism. The Zurich city council denounced the new group's views and forbade them from trying to spread their message.

Members of the group met in Zurich on January 21, 1525, and rebaptized one other. They later adopted the name Anabaptists. The term Anabaptist means "rebaptizer." Followers of other Christian religions considered the practice of rebaptizing heresy, and across Europe, baptizing adults was seen as an act of civil disobedience.

The Anabaptists did not want to reform previous established churches; they instead preferred to form a new church full of pure believers. They wanted to adopt a democratic governance for the church. They believed that the entire congregation and not just one leader should make important decisions. They also believed in separation of church and state, and were against having state interference in their religious affairs. The Anabaptists were adherents of pacifism and opposed violence because of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

While their views seemed valid, the Catholics and Protestants persecuted the Anabaptists for what these groups felt were misguided ways. In the time that followed, some Anabaptist groups cast aside their pacifist ways and used violent means. Some accepted the practice of polygamy (having more than one spouse) and began to recant strange revelations that they claimed were from God. These views, while in contrast with the majority of Anabaptist followers, were very different from Catholic and Protestant views, and led to the execution and drowning of many Anabaptists. Some Anabaptists were driven from their homes and burned at the stake.

Despite the threats and persecution, the religion continued to spread—especially in German-speaking areas. Leaders within the different Anabaptist groups emerged to act as evangelists and spread the groups' message and beliefs. A former priest from the Netherlands named Menno Simons became associated with a particular group of Anabaptists around 1536. He became well known for his writings and teachings, and led the group that became known as the Mennonites. Other churches that grew from the Anabaptist movement included the Amish, Baptists, Dunkards, Hutterites, and Quakers.

The Mennonites and other Anabaptist groups continued to face persecution, so they spread to areas where they found acceptance. They migrated from the Netherlands, Switzerland, and German areas of Europe to places such as Prussia, Poland, and Russia. Known for their agricultural ways, they were encouraged to establish farms and villages in these locations. Some areas, however, refused to let these groups settle there. Large numbers immigrated to the American colonies during the seventeenth century for the promise of religious freedom. William Penn offered lands in Pennsylvania to those who wished to practice whatever religion they pleased. A group of Mennonites from Krefeld, Germany, arrived in Pennsylvania in 1683 and founded Germantown (near modern-day Philadelphia).

In the years that followed, other Mennonite and Anabaptist groups—most notably the Amish—migrated to Pennsylvania and settled on private family farms. By the American Revolution (1765–1783), these groups made up more than one-third of Pennsylvania's population. Lancaster County became the largest Mennonite settlement in the colony by 1710. The Mennonites then migrated to other states such as Ohio, Indiana, and Kansas—many of these states still have large Mennonite populations into the twenty-first century. Some even moved beyond farms and into urban areas. Some groups traveled outside of the United States to Central, South, and Latin American countries and locations in China, Africa, and Western and Eastern Europe. The Mennonites continue to have a strong worldwide presence into the twenty-first century.

Beliefs and Customs

The Mennonites believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ and follow the New Testament of the Christian Bible. Some of their tenets include baptism at adulthood, separation of church and state, service, nonviolence, and nonconformity. Some groups are very conservative, such as the Old Order, while others have become more liberal and modern throughout the years. Because of this, the practices and customs followed differ from community to community.

Some conservative Mennonite sects are sometimes confused with the Amish, who share many of the same Anabaptist beliefs, such as the beliefs in simplicity and pacifism. However, the Amish do not use modern technology, such as electricity or power vehicles, and remain mostly outside of the secular world, while the Mennonites use technology and have assimilated into mainstream society. Members of both groups generally maintain friendly relations and help one another in times of need. Some Amish people who choose to adopt less conservative ways become baptized Mennonite members.

Baptism was one of the first beliefs that led to the formation of the Mennonites. They believe that only adults should be baptized upon profession of faith. Adults who were baptized as infants in other religions can be rebaptized as Mennonites. Mennonites also strongly believe in separation of church and state. Their churches are independent of secular, state, and worldly affairs, and are part of larger regional, national, and international churches, or conferences, that govern one another.

Mennonites are pacifists and oppose violence. Some Mennonites are very strict and do not attend the movies or have televisions because of their opposition to violence, and some refuse to participate in wars. This was a major source of contention during the twentieth century, when Mennonites were jailed because they refused to serve in the military during the World Wars. Because of this, some Mennonites were regarded as German sympathizers. They were harassed and banned from speaking German; their schools were closed; and their homes were marked with yellow paint. As an alternative, Mennonites and other Anabaptist groups formed a service agreement called the Civilian Public Service with the US government. Instead of being forced into military service, the Mennonites performed civilian service, volunteering in hospitals and helping rebuild areas destroyed by war. Service is an important custom still performed by many Mennonite communities into the twenty-first century.

Conservative Mennonite sects, such as the Old Order, generally do not conform to mainstream society. Some groups do not encourage any interaction with non-Mennonites, while groups that are more contemporary interact freely with those outside the communities. Generally, Mennonites do not serve in any political capacities, meaning they do not take oaths, vote, or serve in public office. Many also chose to live simply and do not put stock in material value or wealth.

While they are not required to dress in a certain way, many conservative groups dress plainly and modestly. Less conservative Mennonites usually wear contemporary clothing such as jeans and t-shirts. Women in Old Order communities typically wear dresses and special coverings such as smocks, capes, bonnets, or veils. Although they are not required to grow their hair, many women choose to wear it long and pull it back from the face. Men in conservative sects typically wear slacks and button-down shirts. Some men may wear hats, but they are not required to grow beards. In addition, most Mennonites avoid the use of cigarettes, alcohol, and drugs because the Bible states that the body is God's temple and should not be harmed.

Issues in the Twenty-First Century

Into the twenty-first century, many Mennonite congregations struggle with contemporary issues such as education, women's roles, use of technology, birth control, same-sex marriage, and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning) members. While conservative groups typically follow the teachings of the Bible, other groups—especially contemporary ones—are split on these issues.

Most contemporary groups urge children to finish high school and attend college, while children from conservative groups usually end their education after eighth grade. This is because Old Order Mennonites need children to work on farms and in labor industries such as construction. Those from modern groups tend to leave the farms for urban areas to pursue employment opportunities in a range of fields.

In conservative groups, the role of women is very different from those of modern communities. Old Order women are expected to care for the family, work on the farm, bear children, and take care of their husbands. In the church, these women cannot hold any leadership positions. In contemporary sects, women balance careers and family, and some are permitted to hold leadership roles in the church. While some churches may allow women to serve in all leadership positions, such as Sunday school teachers, elders, and pastors, others may not allow women to serve as pastors.

Contemporary Mennonites use modern technology, such as electricity, computers, and cars, while Old Orders typically do not. Like the Amish, Old Orders use horses and buggies for transportation, shun electricity, and do not permit technology in their homes. Some Old Orders do permit the use of cell phones outside of the home because they believe they can control cell phones unlike regular landline phones that are controlled by the outside world.

Dating customs within the different sects vary, but generally, Mennonites can date non-Mennonites as long as they are Christian. Interdenominational dating and marriage is not forbidden, but it is cautioned against as it could create religious issues.

Most Mennonites are opposed to sex education being taught in schools and prefer abstinence to be taught instead. They also oppose premarital and extramarital sex and believe sex is reserved for married individuals.

The use of birth control also differs between Mennonite groups. Children are very important to Mennonites, but they understand that contraceptives are needed to control the overpopulation of the world. Birth control use is not mandated by the church, and it is up to individual Mennonites to make decisions regarding family size. Old Orders typically do not use contraceptives because they usually prefer to have more children because they need help on farms, while modern Mennonites may not want as many children because they live in urban areas and do not need this help. Abortion is generally opposed by most Mennonites.

In the United States, the most dividing issues within the Mennonite sects involve same-sex marriage and LGBTQ members in the church. According to the Bible, sexual intercourse is reserved for a married husband and wife, and any violation of the covenant of marriage is considered a sin. Most Mennonites believe that people who have different sexual orientations from this should remain celibate. However, some congregations are accepting and supportive of LGBTQ community members. Some congregations go against the teachings of the church to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies and allow LGBTQ members to serve in church leadership roles.

These issues have caused much division and even schisms within the church as individual congregations are called out and punished for going against church conduct. Congregations on both sides have chosen to leave regional, national, and international conferences, which threatens to break apart the Mennonite church as a whole. Some Mennonites feel the church should loosen its stance on same-sex marriage and allow LGBTQ members, while others feel all congregations should adhere to the Mennonite beliefs based on the Bible.

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