Persecution during the Reformation The term Anabaptist means “rebaptizer” and was used by criticsof these sixteenth-century radical reformers. The Anabaptistsbelieved the Bible taught “believer’s baptism,” while the churchfollowed infant baptism. They did not think of themselves as rebaptizinganyone, since the first baptism done to infants, they believed, was illegitimate. The Anabaptists simply called themselves “believers” or “brethren” or “Christians.” These reformers did not form a communion orchurch, such as the Lutherans, but were rather a collection of differentmovements, which today range from the Amish, Hutterites, and Mennonites (who trace from Menno Simons) to English Baptists, and in the most general sense to all who restrict baptism to adult believers. Moreover, some Christians in the first centuries followed this practice, yet theAnabaptist movement has its origins in the Reformation. In Zurich in 1525, three men—Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, andGeorge Blaurock—met to continue the reforms they believed had stalledin compromises made by Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli. Grebel andcompany wanted nothing to do with an established church and its half-hearted followers. For them, a commitment to follow Christ was totaland meant not only belief but also practice. The sign of one’s joiningChrist’s church was baptism, which only adults could receive. Theseradicals therefore
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