Regent University Homeland Security Discussion

Please respond to the following discussion post replies. The format is Turbian and please use academic sources. Thank you.

Discussion Post Reply 1:

The Anabaptists were adamant about adult baptism and would not budge on this and other subjects. Catholics and Lutherans started to listen to the Anabaptists; some even sided with them and were converted. Isn’t it strange how the persecution of the Anabaptists seemed to make them grow in numbers and strengthen? Even the bystanders did not like how they were treated and sympathized with them because they were peaceful and non-violent people.

Discussion Post Reply 2:

The Anabaptists brought a different wave in the movement of the reformation. The term of “anabaptist” was used loosely and often related to that of abuse.[1] There were many theological debates Anabaptists brought to the table, but mostly agreed to denounce the baptism of infants.[2] Anabaptists moved in a way to separate themselves from the historical traditions of the Church. Compared to the Catholic Church that would often use state law to enforce some of its punishments, the Anabaptists believed no secular law was needed when enforcing things such as ex-communication.[3]

The Anabaptists challenged the established order of the Catholic Church.[4] They challenged the relationship of Church and State. The Anabaptists, known to be radicals, were not in unity perse. There were many different forms of Anabaptists, far left and far right, and reformers of the reformed.[5] But they all wanted to restore the church of Acts. Found in some small groups and in many different factions, the Catholic Church found them scattered with teachings that would touch the very heart of those who would become leaders in the movements.

Catholics and Lutherans both harassed the movement of the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists movement soon found itself as a fire that could not be stopped. The question then became: If you begin to reform, how far should you reform?[6] And when would you consider the reform to be successful? This movement brought countless theological debates, often setting apart one reformation from another. The act of extreme change in other words, brought with it the difficulty of how Churches should respond in an already separate time. For example, Anabaptists at one point were known to have 13 different factions. This alone showed that Anabaptists were more of a movement rather than a denomination, and the Catholic Church and Lutherans were still at odds with each other. To me, when the Anabaptists mostly met in small groups they continued to grow fiercely and in greater numbers. Similarly, and in more unity, small groups still meet today within the unity of the community Churches.

Discussion Post Reply 3:

The Anabaptists brought the ideas of believer’s baptism, restoration, and rejection of the church hierarchy. The Anabaptist’s non-compliance, pacifism, and persecution impacted the reformation.

The Anabaptists were a distinct group of people, but they were not a denomination. The word Anabaptist means re-baptize or, in other words, adult baptism. They believed that only an adult could be baptized because of their faith. So, infant baptism was not something they were practicing or tolerated.

They wanted to restore the church to its earlier form (Lecture 7) and not reform it. They believed the church was not operating as it was in the beginning. So, they separated themselves from the catholic church to go back to the basics. Their concept was that all you need is the basics, and you will have all you need. They were no-nonsense people, which is what the catholic church did not like. The Anabaptists disagreed with numerous things the Catholic Church did, including infant baptism, violence, and hierarchy.

The hierarchy was another thing the Anabaptists disagreed with during this period. In their world, a government would not need to control the masses because they believed the people could govern themselves and live peaceful lives. They thought everything would be handled in decency and order, peaceably amongst each other, and courts would not need to settle these matters. Violence would have no place in their society because everyone should be looking out for one another.

They would not even use violence to defend themselves when they were being oppressed and persecuted. The Anabaptists would flee to another country (place) that would tolerate them and their beliefs.

Each response should be 75-100 words a piece.