The history of the Anabaptist movement, persecuted and hated for decades, had not finished in the sixteenth century, there were many groups, as considered in the corresponding chapter, survived in small communities in Switzerland, Germany, Slovakia, Moravia and especially in Russia. Although already considered in an extensive chapter origins Anabaptist movement, now delve into the evolution of some religious groups have emerged from more direct sources. If someone wants it before knowing the origins of the Anabaptist movement can click here .
in Switzerland and Austria in the late seventeenth century, there would be further divisions within the Mennonite Anabaptists, due in part to the tightening of its rules and customs. A mid-century (between 1644 and 1656, according to different sources), born Jakob Amman, a Mennonite leader with strong convictions and strict character. Amman lived in the area of \u200b\u200bSainte-Marie-aux-Mines, Upper Alsace, until 1696. On 27 February of that year, he signed a petition against compulsory military service. He was probably the leader of that congregation and soon emerged as leader of the Mennonites of Switzerland
In 1693, Jakob Ammann dialectical clashed with some leading Swiss Mennonites, including Hans Reist and Benedict Schneider, who had lowered some standards related to the treatment of the expellees, all those who renounce their faith after baptism, according to custom Mennonite, should be rejected, no treatment was allowed, nor eat with the expelled, the situation was going to call meidung, which were remote for a while and were not accepted back unless they demonstrate long true repentance.
This lack of discipline was observed because they had softened the meidung time, in some cases not being applied, or as was a friend or family member was the person with more kindness. They had left at least this time, which from the point of view of Amman was inconceivable and undermined discipline and could mean the relaxation of the rules of purity they sought.
Furthermore Jakob Ammann, ceremonies instituted within Mennonite practice foot-washing in connection with communion, which had not been practiced by the Swiss Mennonites until then. This led to a division within the group to the extent that others considered to be deported to Amman and his followers.
Later, Jakob Amman to observe the rupture that had succeeded with his hardline stance, he wanted a reconciliation with his former colleagues, coming to offer their own position and step on him and his congregation at the situation to change meidung unit, but because there was no agreement, was formed to continuing its work and hold together with those remaining. They considered themselves Mennonites, but the others were called amanita or Amish, but they would not recognize that title and saw themselves as the Swiss Brethren, soon progressed and were thousands who joined the movement.
In 1710, things had become very difficult in Switzerland, Austria and Germany, so many Mennonite communities were moving north, reaching Moravia. While the followers of Amman decided to head to distant lands and many began to travel to America. Their leader, Jakob Amman, moved up there with hundreds of Amish settling in the land the Quaker William Penn, had succeeded in southern New Jersey, which is now known as the state of Pennsylvania. There were well received and settled, but without mixing with others, formed their own communities, kept their language and customs, but suffered no pressure, or difficulty.
The memory of the harsh persecution suffered and of their strict anti-militarism is maintained until today, when many Amish communities, deny certain outfits, like the mustache, because he had the soldiers of the time, or the use of buttons in others, for the same reason. From the time of the bloody persecution and to avoid imitating the opulence of the great religions, avoid the construction of temples or churches, which typically meet in homes or adjoining rooms, prepared for this, but without any kind of ostentation.
Over time they arrived most Amish in Pennsylvania and Kansas, and this had led to different scattered groups or communities who were called Ordnung, led by a body of elders, who established the various standards or guidelines to follow, but no definitive hierarchical system and general government between the Ordnung, so there is little connection between them. This has led to substantial differences, though not in doctrine, if accepted norms and customs between different Ordnung.
But the rift with his former colleagues, and the effort to remain intact and without outside influence, was a struggle that had for decades, as many Amish began to have a relationship with Baptists, Methodists, Quakers and others who had settled there. Later arrival of Mennonites fleeing Europe also meant another influence that was changing the traditional lifestyle of the Amish, many left the communal life and joined the Mennonites on the other side were also approaching Pentecostal influences positions were emerging within Methodism.
Therefore, from the sixties of the nineteenth century, a general conference of the Amish communities, decided to establish a strict separation and isolation, which made them away from using modern ways and new technologies were emerging, which has meant that today the common vision we have of them. Some communities living in the past, without making use of modern transportation, and modern techniques for cultivation of the field, in some cases rejecting the electricity, the costumes of centuries past and anchored in a system life times away from current.
Living together does not preclude you have made many, but not because they preach or convert to other, that was one of the first customs abandoned by the Amish, they prevailed their struggle to maintain the purity and therefore avoided introducing members from other nations or races, and thus, do not proselytize. But often their families are large and growth has been great, but this has given rise to problems of mixing between close relatives, bringing numerous birth defects, consanguineous marriages.
The practice of voluntary adult baptism, remains the basic rule of the Amish, in fact there is a period of time that young age to decide for baptism, they may choose. It's known for rumspringa , derived from the German term in Pennsylvania for "chase" or jumping. This is a period in adolescence of some members of the Amish, which begins around the age of sixteen and ends when the couple decides their baptism into the Amish church or choose to leave the community. Some choose to mingle with their neighbors that are common to the English calling on cities, drink alcohol, in some cases practice premarital sex, drugs and other things common in young worldly.
However, there is an obligation, nor is an invitation to hac
the rumspringa er is simply a personal decision that many parents suffer when their children reach that age. But note that in most cases, these young people return to their community and accept baptism, integrating back into their group. Few definitely leave the simple life of the commune. That despite the proven life in their communities, where there are no diversions of the big cities where restrictions are placed on even the physical appearance presented because they believe that any member who displays considerable interest in the mundane appearance is in danger, then that interest should concentrate on spiritual matters rather than physical. For this often quoted from the Scriptures, when they say in 1 Samuel 16:7: "J ehová said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or his height above .... The mere man sees what appears to eyes, but as for Jehovah, he sees what the heart. also cite Paul's letter: I want women to adorn themselves in neat dress, with modesty and wisdom, not with braided hair styles and gold or pearls or costly attire. " (1 Timothy 2:9.)
can not be doubt that the Amish have taken to the extreme ideas of Menno Simons and Jakob Hutter, but have come to today, after centuries of maintaining high standards and strict moral and mental cleansing. Its simplicity denote villages as the Christians had understood the first time. So at home, do not use light bulbs, but oil lamps, instead of cars, using a horse-drawn carriages, and instead of running water, a well and a windmill. Also often have no television, no radio, sing themselves, but until there are communities where the song is prohibited. No mobile phones, let alone computers. But that decision
to maintain an isolated life, also affected other groups of Mennonites, who still retain their identity, were isolated and formed communities in South America, imitating the simple life of the Amish.
The arrival of the Mennonites to America occurred several decades after the Amish. Russia had taken in the late eighteenth century, many communities, especially Hutterites, Mennonites and later on, that especially in Ukraine, there had been numerous. While in Slovakia the Thirty Years War between Protestants and Catholics, Hutterites decimated communities that could not escape, especially for his efforts to maintain neutrality, were massacred from one side as another. Some fled to Hungary, but as the area was won by the Catholics, many Hutterites, were forced to convert to Catholicism, but it was apparent conversion, they were known as the habans. The Habans were a group of about 230 Hutterites who ceded to the forcible conversion in order to stay on their land and not be bothered.
This name comes from the Hebrew word aha-banim a term used to children, but it also corresponds with the German title Die Haushaben , referring to the tenants of community houses. The main reason why they succeeded was staying and was tolerated in their abilities and diligence in many domains. Rxcelentes they became artisans, artists, therefore, doctors and the lords were happy to use their services. During the seventeenth century the renewed vigor of Roman Catholicism, who distrusted the apparent conversion of these, forced the Moravians Habans groups, seek peace offered by the tolerant Hungary and others crossed into Transylvania.
The community, which was composed mainly of artisans, was famous for its pottery. The shape and decoration of glazed ceramics from the Habans (jars, jugs, plates, bowls, tiles, and even small barrels) had at first Tyrolean and Italian influences, but then developed his own style. Some, mainly from Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands and settled in southern Moravia and western Slovakia territory. But they became over time, rather than a religion, in a community or tribe. They maintained their traditions and customs, however well into the nineteenth century, but were absorbed by society. Unlike
way had to follow those who refused to compromise their ideas, and after wandering like nomads from one place to another, forced by religious hatred in 1788 at the invitation of Catherine the Great, Empress of Russia, groups Mennonite farmers of Prussia, emigrated to Ukraine in southern Russia. Finally found peace in Ukraine, where they arrived at the beginning just Hutterites, Mennonites but also later. And if the latter lived in cities, drew more attention, which brought them problems.
The Mennonites and Hutterites situation in Ukraine, however, was for several decades and a century of some prosperity, this was to grow to become several hundred thousand. But mid-nineteenth century, changes in Russian laws, put them back in the spotlight. Established the compulsory military service as the pacifism of these made him reject all violence and use of weapons, placed them in the point targeted by the Russian authorities, who soon became the target of threats and persecution for the cause.
why the flight of most of the members of the community was swift. In the case of the Hutterites is said to have sent scouts to North America in 1873, along with a Mennonite delegation. Later another mass migration occurred from 1874 to 1879 when about 18,000 Hutterites came to the New World in response to the new law on military service in Russia. Among them were Schmiedeleut, Dariusleut and Lehrerleut, leut, names based on Hutterite leaders who run these communities. All of these were initially set in the Dakota Territory, then colonies Dariusleut moved to central Montana.
The community collaborates in the construction of houses and barns, part of the collaboration that holds the Amish.
In this case, each group reestablished the traditional Hutterite communal lifestyle, though not as extreme as the Amish, as these if they accept the electricity and motor locomotion, but they are simple and extreme life , for example, reject the use of photographs consider idolatry. They call themselves brothers Hutterites, established in communities in England, Western Canada, and South Dakota, USA.
The most widespread
however has become that of the Mennonites, but has evolved and there is some confusion on the ownership of the name by certain evangelical churches in recent times.
pure Mennonites still living in communes and villages of their own, or in small towns in different countries. Practice like the Amish, an austere and simple life, but do not reach the ends of these in relation to contact with the outside or the use of modernity, in some cases if they use certain technology. Almost everything we consume is produced Mennonites themselves, but sell the surplus in foreign markets, earning substantial revenues. In communities Mennonites, depending on age and sex roles are well defined and all part of the production processes and missions of the Church. They have their own education to teach in old German, which is the language they use to communicate. Each family pays a fee to send their children to school during seasons that do not help in the field.
The cultural isolation of the Mennonite communities is based on a rejection of the concept of nation in an unqualified criticism against war and military service. According to a report published in early 2007 by the Mennonite World Conference, there are approximately 1,480,000 members worldwide, distributed in 82 countries. It must be remembered These statistics do not include children, but only baptized adult members. While those figures have different branches of Mennonites with little in common.
In the first time, the Mennonites were located mainly in the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, where their number has been reduced dramatically in North America, but in recent decades have seen a remarkable growth in other continents, and the early years of Century XXI only 37% live in Europe and North America. There are more Mennonites in Africa than in any other continent.
Since the late eighteenth century, there were divisions within the Anabaptists Mennonites, especially in 1778 when he founded the group known as the Brethren in Christ or River Brethren, which subsequently led to other groups with clear approach to the evangelists and in some cases have appropriated the name Mennonite, without nothing in common with them, subject to certain doctrines and adult baptism.
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