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Anabaptist History Unit.Qxd

Anabaptist History Unit.Qxd

The Anabaptist Family Tree

BACKGROUND Theological differences sometimes caused new Anabaptist groups to emerge, such as the , Brethren in , and . One example of this was in the 17th century, when the issue of discipline was hotly debated. In the early , Jacob Ammann, a from Markirch, had emerged as an important leader among the Anabaptists of , , and the Palatinate. Ammann felt that the church needed to become less worldly. He called for firmer discipline and the practice of shunning, which severed all ties, both family and social, to any person in the group who sinned. Ammann insisted on holding communion twice a year instead of once a year, attempted to introduce footwashing, and did not allow the wearing of fashionable clothes, or cutting the beard for men. By 1698, two factions had appeared. The followers of Ammann became known as the Amish. Those who opposed Ammann were led by Senior Bishop Hans Reist. As the issues were debated, a chasm grew between the two groups. Eventually some conciliatory actions were taken. The Amish, however, would only return to the Mennonite Church on their own terms. The Amish wanted to keep their prac- tices of shunning and footwashing. These terms were unsatisfactory to the . Today the Anabaptist subgroup known as the Amish consists of approximately 100,000 members. Another example of theological differences is the 1881-82 triple-branching of the German Baptist Brethren. There were several reasons for these differences. One difference was in whether or not the church should begin Sunday schools. At that time, Sunday schools were considered worldly and unscriptural. Another dif- ference was in whether or not to support separate educational institutions such as colleges or high schools. Still other differences included whether churches should support revival services, mission work, trained and salaried ministers, and the printing of church materials. Other reasons for branching in the Anabaptist family tree are included in the lesson called “So Many Branches.”

Anabaptist History: The Anabaptist Family Tree 170 The Anabaptist Family Tree

LESSON 10: SO MANY BRANCHES Objective To learn the origins of the many branches of the Anabaptist family tree. John 17:22-23—The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

Key Concepts • Students will examine the branches of the Anabaptist family tree by identifying when each denominational group began. • Students will look closely at some of the issues that caused the groups to branch. • Students will discuss the benefits and drawbacks of branching into new groups.

Estimated Lesson Time: 50 minutes

Materials • Branch from a tree or bush • “Tiny Timeline” two-sided handouts (pp. 175-176) • “A Church Divided” handouts (pp. 178-179) • (Optional) Copy of The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss, for “What are the belly stars today?” Extend the Lesson exercise

Teacher Preparation 1. Cut a small branch from a tree or bush, to demonstrate the idea of a common trunk with many branches. 2. Make enough copies of “Tiny Timeline” handout for each student to have one. Note that the handout has two sides—a fill-in-the-blank timeline on one side, and 13 clues on the other. 3. Make enough copies of “A Church Divided” handout for each student to have one copy.

INTRODUCING THE LESSON Branch question. Place the branch from a tree or bush in front of the class. Ask, “What does this branch have to do with the Anabaptist community?” Invite wild to mild guesses. When students have exhausted their list, mention that you have brought the branch as a symbol of the many expressions of a common —the branches, and core principles—the main trunk or stem. Say, “The branch we will focus on today is just one limb of the larger tree of . It has strengths and weaknesses, and specific contributions to offer the larger church.

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 171 LESSON STEPS 1. Tiny Timeline. Divide the class into groups of three and pass out copies of the Tiny Timeline handout. Read the directions from Timester: “Your assignment is to figure out the thirteen Anabaptist branches contained in the Tiny Timeline. Use the clues below to figure out which groups go where. There is only one solution that will make all of the following clues work correctly. Use the dates to help you determine which group branched off from which other group. Remember, the trunk is .” Allow students five to ten minutes to work on the project, as needed. If a group finds this exercise particularly challenging, offer a couple of hints from the completed Answer Sheet (p. 177). When all of the groups are finished, place the Answer Sheet on an overhead projector and allow students to correct their answers. Congratulate all of the groups who filled in all answers correctly. 2. “Because” branches. Working in the same small groups, assign students to write down five reasons that might have caused groups to branch off from anoth- er. If students are familiar with historical reasons, they may include them on their list, but also encourage them to simply imagine some of the reasons and include those on the their list as well. Make a cumulative list on a chalkboard, marker board, or flip chart by inviting small groups to read their lists. Ask the class to identify the top five reasons by nominating ten reasons from the cumulative list and then voting by a show of hands for the reasons they think are most plausible. Write down the following underlined words with the reasons for branching dur- ing the 1881-82 triple branch of the German Baptist Brethren: • whether or not to have Sunday school (Sunday school was considered to be worldly and not scriptural) • whether or not to support separate educational institutions like colleges or high schools (some thought their children should be involved in public schools and others that they should be kept separate) • whether churches should support “revival” services (this method of holding special meetings, often outside of church buildings, struck some people as excessive and unnecessary) • how active congregations should be in mission work (some wanted to focus close to home, others around the country and world, others only by practical witnesses) • how strict churches should be in controlling dress styles (some wanted a dis- tinctive dress style to set members apart from the world) • whether ministers should receive training and a salary or work another full- time job (some did not want ministers set apart from the congregation by being paid to preach, and wanted the money to go to pay for other expenses) • whether the church should be involved in printing church materials (some opposed this because of the associations with larger Christianity and suspicion of education) • how authority should be expressed in the church (some wanted clear lines of authority, while others wanted to have leadership shared throughout the church) As time allows, mention other reasons for branching among Anabaptist groups, such as how foot washing should be practiced; whether various technologies (like

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 172 cars or electrical appliances) should be used; how key passages should be interpreted (such as those regarding women in ministry, , the importance of , etc.). 3. Pondering the reasons. Discuss with your students: • What are the differences and similarities between the two lists? • What are reasons that church groups split and start new religious communities today? • How do you think the leaders of these groups felt about leaving their congre gations? • What are the results of these many branches in the history of the Anabaptist community? (Discuss the gifts of variety, the strains and discouragement of division, learning to leave rather than to find ways to work together, having multiple perspectives from a similar root, a witness to the world of division rather than unity.) • How might these splits have turned out differently? • How do these multiple branches relate to John 17:22-23? The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Is it possible to be “one” while having many branches? 4. Amish and the Mennonites. Distribute the “A Church Divided” handouts. When students have finished reading the story, each small group may choose between writing an alternate ending to the story that avoids a split, acting out an alternate ending to the story, or drawing pictures of a scene from the story. Direct students in their decision-making, as needed. Allow adequate time for their cre- ative work. Each group should have an opportunity to show their work to the class, either during this class period or at another time. 5. Talking to a tourist. Ask the students, “Based on the information you read in ‘A Church Divided,’ how would you respond if a tourist came up to you and asked, ‘How are Amish and Mennonites connected? Is it because they both wore beards?’ ” Be sure the students’ responses include: —the Amish have historically stressed confessing sin in public more than the Mennonites —the Amish practice shunning, whereas Mennonites do not —the Amish have stressed distinctive dress patterns, whereas Mennonites have a wide variety of practice in dress —both Mennonites and Amish do not practice communion on a regular basis —many Mennonite communities practice footwashing, as the Amish do —the Amish maintain strict regulations on types of technologies used, and do not drive cars or trucks, whereas most Mennonites use technologies freely (although some Mennonite groups do place restrictions on things like radio and television, or the kind of car a church member can drive) 6. Timeline additions. Close by assigning each group of three to add one or more branching dates from the Tiny Timeline handout to the central timeline: —1528, branch off the Mennonite Church —1693, Amish branch off the Mennonite Church —1708, German Baptist Brethren join with radical pietists to form new church

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 173 —1778, River Brethren branch off the Mennonite Church by bringing in Methodist influences —1848, General Conference Mennonite Church branches off the Mennonite Church —1860, River Brethren split into the Brethren in Christ and the —1870s, Mennonite Brethren branch off the Mennonite Church —1881-82, German Baptist Brethren divide into the “Old Orders,” or Old German Baptist Brethren, the “Conservatives,” or German Baptist Brethren, and the “Progressives,” or —1890s, the Old Order Mennonites branch off the Mennonite Church —1926, the branch off the —1937-40, the Fellowship of the Grace Brethren Churches branch off the Brethren Chruch

EXTEND THE LESSON (These activities will extend the lesson to longer than 50 minutes.)

• “Literal” and “symbolic” debate. Select a passage of scripture, such as Matthew 18:8 (If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and to be thrown into the eternal fire) or another text open to literal or figurative interpretation. Divide your class into two groups. Assign Group 1 to decide why this passage should be interpreted literally. Assign Group 2 to figure out why this passage should be interpreted symbolically. Have each side present their reasons and then allow each group to argue against the other group’s reasons. After two rounds of debate, tell students, “You may now step outside your debating roles. Let’s talk about how this kind of debate can lead to a new branch in the church.” Discuss what people can learn when they recognize that scriptures can be interpreted from more than one perspective. • What are the belly stars today? Read “The Sneetches” from The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss. Ask, “What does this story have to do with a lesson about Anabaptist branches?” Discuss with students other identifying marks, or “stars on their bellies,” people have (marks like their position on military partici- pation, homosexuality, the death penalty, women’s leadership, how to respond to racial tensions, etc.). You do not need to introduce any particular issue, but if issues do come up, be honest with your students that these are live issues in the church today that could potentially lead to another branching.

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 174 500 1,000 5,000 30,000 42,000 19,000 15,000 15,000 65,000 70,000 42,000 102,000 150,000 (1926) (1908) (1937-40) (1860) (1848) (1890s) (1528) “Conservatives” G.B.B. 5-6,000 60,000 4-5,000 1881-1882 Methodists Mennonites 1708– Radical Anabaptists (1525) Anabaptism Tiny Timeline

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 175 Tiny Timeline Clues

Your assignment is to figure out the 13 Anabaptist branches contained in the Tiny Timeline. Use the clues below to figure out which groups go where. There is only one solution that will make all of the following clues work correctly. Use the dates to help you determine which group branched off from whom. Remember, the trunk is Anabaptism. - Timester

Clue 1 —The Hutterites branched off before the General Conference.

Clue 2 —The German Baptist Brethren joined Anabaptism and another movement.

Clue 3 —Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches have 42,000 members.

Clue 4 —The Dunkard Brethren are grandchildren of the German Baptist Brethren.

Clue 5 —The Mennonite Brethren have 42,000 members.

Clue 6 —The Mennonite Church has six twigs off its trunk.

Clue 7 —The Brethren in Christ are siblings with the Old Order River Brethren. Both groups have Methodists as a grandparent.

Clue 8 —There is one branch between the Old Order Mennonites and the General Conference Mennonite Church on the Mennonite Church trunk.

Clue 9 —The Amish branched off 165 years after the Hutterites did.

Clue 10 —The Old Orders or Old German Baptist Brethren were part of a triple branch.

Clue 11 —The Brethren Church were considered “progressives,” in contrast to the “conservatives” and “old orders” in the same family branch.

Clue 12 —The Church of the Brethren changed its name without splitting off.

Clue 13 —The River Brethren split off one branch and joined with another 253 years after Georg Blaurock was baptized.

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 176 Answer Sheet 30,000 Tiny Timeline Hutterites (1528)

Amish (1693) 70,000

General Conference Mennonite Church (1848) 65,000

Mennonite Brethren (Russian) (1870s) 42,000

Old Order Mennonites (1890s) 15,000

Anabaptists (1525) The Mennonite Church 102,000

Mennonites River Brethren (1778) The Brethren in Christ 19,000

Methodists Old Order River Brethren (1860) 500 Anabaptism

“Old Orders” Old German Baptist Brethren 5,000 4-5,000

1708–German Baptist Brethren “Conservatives” G.B.B. Church of the Brethren (1908) 150,000

nbpitHsoy SoMany Branches Anabaptist History: 60,000 1881-1882 Dunkard Brethren (1926) 5-6,000 1,000 “Progressives” The Brethren Church 15,000

Fellowship of Grace Brethren churches

177 (1937-40) 42,000 A Church Divided

The wind blows outside a small house in Germany, in the late 1600s. Inside, a lantern burns and casts a flickering shadow on the darkened walls. Dressed in a warm fur coat and traditional German hat, a bearded man sits in a straight-back chair. He frowns. In front of him, a far younger man stands, gesturing as he speaks. He moves as he talks energetically—arms spread wide, fingers clenching and releasing. We catch the word “Mennonite,” as phrases rise and fall in the low-ceilinged room. Heinrich, the younger man, smiles as he addresses his elder, this white- bearded man named Joseph. “Reist and Amman have not stopped quibbling,” he says to his grandfather. With a slow shake of his head, Joseph replies, “The fellowship of believers does not need more quibbling on the inside.” “It is worse than a quibble, I fear, Grandfather.” Heinrich pauses and looks straight at Joseph. “Amman has let it be known he will leave if others do not come around to see things his way.” For a moment, neither man speaks. “What are the problems, then? What causes such unrest in our fellowship?” Joseph gazes intently at his grandson. “There are many reasons. To begin with, Amman wants the church to follow a more detailed list of regulations. He offers little room for disagreement. He says that if someone sins and refuses to confess in front of the entire congregation, that person must leave. The minister or bishop would be able to excommunicate that person without getting the congregation to approve his decision. Once a per- son is shut out of the fellowship, not even family members could talk or eat with him or her. Neither could any member of the congregation. Amman thinks this rule of shunning would make people more accountable to each other.” Joseph closes his eyes as his grandson continues, but he sits with his back straight. Heinrich knows that the old man is thinking. He continues. “Reist doesn’t agree with Amman. He that we Mennonites have been faithful to the Bible’s message. Reist talks about how we practice going first to a sister or brother in love, and only if that person does not listen do we bring it before the congregation. Accountability should be a matter of love and , not shunning and punishment. Reist does not believe Amman’s strict approach is based on love or forgiveness. He thinks it gives the ministers too much power.” Without opening his eyes, Joseph asks, “And which of these men do you side with, Heinrich?” Instead of answering the older man’s question, Heinrich continues. His eyes flash and his hands wave as he talks. “Amman doesn’t stop there. He also challenges Reist and the other Mennonite leaders to enforce a more modest dress code. He quotes scripture and says that we should be in the world but not of the world.” As if waiting for windstorm to blow, Heinrich suddenly stops, stands still, and lowers his voice. “Amman says that we should dress in such a way that anyone who looks at us will know we are .” The storm blows as Joseph opens his eyes and mouth to bellow, “Ridiculous! For the last hundred years, we Mennonites have had to travel from one place to another, ever on the run, trying to be faithful without being totally destroyed. He might as well have us all wear a sign that says, “Mennonite—come and arrest me.” Joseph brushes away his grandson’s gentle touch on his shoulder as Heinrich says, “Grandfather, Amman speaks many truths.”

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 178 “Do you mean you agree with this Amman? You would follow him on this dan- gerous path?” Joseph’s look of deep concern deepens the wrinkles around his eyes. “He does speak truths,” Heinrich says, “but he takes them to such extremes that I cannot follow how he applies them.” “For that I am grateful.” Joseph stands up and slowly walks to the fire in the opposite corner of the room. He warms his hands over the flames and settles into a rocking chair. “Come, sit. I will listen.” His eyes show a mixture of sadness and love. “I know I have become an old man, and I am not always the easiest one to speak with.” “Oh, grandfather, you are neither as harsh as you try to be or as old as you think you are.” Heinrich smiles and put his hand on Joseph’s shoulder. This time the old man does not brush it away. Heinrich goes on. “Amman is also asking that we practice communion two times a year, so that we can also confess in public more often.” “Yes.” Joseph pauses and then settles back further in his chair. “From his per- spective, I understand why that would seem important.” Heinrich walks over to a soft chair across from his grandfather, “But that is not all. Amman also feels that the Mennonites, and our sisters and brothers, the , have become too friendly with those around us who have helped us during times of persecution. He says we must work for their salvation, not socialize with them.” Joseph rocks gently and nods his head. Heinrich continues, “He also feels that we have not been faithful in our , because we do not practice footwashing.” “Well,” says Joseph, “He must have no issue with the churches in Holland. They have long practiced footwashing, but that has not kept us from being in communion with each other. Had I been born in Holland, I would no doubt do the same. I would not be opposed to looking at these issues again after more careful study of the scriptures.” “So, that is what I know,” Heinrich says. “What do you think, Grandfather?” “As much as I do not agree with Jakob Amman’s answers to the questions he raises, I do think some of these issues need further attention. Are our two brothers— Jakob Amman and Hans Reist—in conversation with each other? 'Yes, but I fear conversation is not going well. The letters traveling back and forth between Mennonite congregations throughout has led to the people taking sides—some with Amman and some with Reist.” The look of love and sadness returns to Joseph’s face. “This church I love… This church I love…” He murmurs the phrase a few more times and then looks up at his grandson. “I fear that our church may divide over this issue.” Heinrich also looks sad. “Amman has already spoken of leaving the church to start his own congregation.” The two men sit in front of the fire. The flames burn down until only the embers glow. In a clear night sky, the stars flash. Smoke puffs lazily out the chimney of the small house, and out across the land where other Mennonites and Swiss Brethren finish similar conversations. Within months, Jakob Amman and his followers leave the Mennonite Church, and begin their own fellowhip, the Swiss Mennonite Church. The year is 1693, and this new branch will soon be called the Amish.

Anabaptist History: So Many Branches 179

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