from the Columbia Bible College Anabaptist Pilgrimage, July 2013

There were impressive cathedrals in Germany… Koln

Einsedeln

beautiful scenes in the Swiss Alps…

lively entertainment in Austria…

and engineering marvels in the Netherlands… Afsfluitdijk construction overseen by a Mennonite, Cornelius Lely

Canals in Amsterdam

but we were there primarily to encounter stories from 16 th century Anabaptism Trachselwald Castle where Anabaptists were imprisoned

Stocks in a cell in Trachsewald where Anabaptists were kept

In the reformed city of Zurich, Ulrich Zwingli…

met for Bible study with a group of young radical students…

who baptized each other as an act of obedience to Scripture but rebellion towards the authorities. The water source for the first “Anabaptism” in Zurich

who baptized each other as an act of obedience and rebellion The water source for the first “Anabaptism” in Zurich This act had drastic consequences as Felix Manz was given his “third baptism”--- by drowning. The Limmat River near the spot he was thrown in from a fishing platform

His mother stood on the shore exhorting him to stand strong.

Hutterite missionary, Leonard Dax was imprisoned at Alzey Castle. He testified boldly of his faith in this castle courtyard.

Our group testifying through song in the Alzey castle courtyard under more amiable conditions.

In Bern, Switzerland…

Anabaptists were bound, put in boats, and sent down the Aare River.

In the city of Augsburg…

an Anabaptist congregation met in this house for an Easter sunrise worship service in All 88 members were arrested.

485 years later on Easter morning this plaque was unveiled We were the first North American pilgrimage group to see it!

The road to Schleitheim, where an important meeting took place. We went up by tractor and wagon, and on foot

“Anabaptist path”

A monument put up to commemorate the meeting that took place at Schleitheim in 1527 to develop some unity of Anabaptist convictions.

The Anabaptists had to worship in caves for fear of being apprehended. Cave near Baretswil, Switzerland

view from the cave

In 1529 the Protestant canton of Zurich and the Catholic canton of Zug lined up for battle here on the border between their territories.

Instead of fighting, a peace treaty was enacted with “milch suppe” and bread, so the bloodshed was averted.

In this house the Amish bishop, Jakob Kupferschmidt, hosted Napoleon’s army general with food and songs of the Gospel. In the hills near Salm, France

He planted this oak tree nearby in gratitude for the exemption from military service that was granted.

While Menno Simons was a Catholic priest … …in this church in his hometown of Witmarsum

in the city of Munster the Anabaptist movement went horribly awry.

Some leaders who thought themselves prophets and kings called on followers to take up arms in preparation for God’s kingdom. Close-up of a sculpture in Munster: Note apocalyptic images, a walled Munster and tools of violence.

It was not long before the powers of church and state put down the revolution as violently as it arose. The three main leaders were executed, and their remains hung from the tower of St. Lambert’s Cathedral in three cages which hang there to this day.

Why do human beings do such violence in the name of Christ … Peace inlay in a Munster street in order to remember that horrific event

when Jesus absorbed and abolished violence centuries earlier ? The same sculpture as seen earlier with Jesus Christ on the cross surrounded by WW2 era religious figures; on the right is John the Revelator holding Munster plates, weapons below.

Menno Simons was so moved by this event at Munster, and by the example of Christ he found in Scripture that he left the priesthood and joined the Anabaptists. The Menno Simons monument near Witmarsum

Centuries later Hitler also tried to set up a pure “kingdom of God” by exterminating Jews, journalists, homosexuals, the disabled, artists, intellectuals, and anyone who would speak out in protest. Dachau Concentration Camp

It too was defeated by bigger and better armaments… And sadly, it has happened again.

What lessons are we learning from history? Mennonite Church sign in Amsterdam