Menno simons biography of donald

Menno Simons

Dutch theologian, namesake for the Mennonites (–)

Menno Simons (Dutch:[ˈmɛnoːˈsimɔns]; West Frisian: Minne Simens[ˈmɪnəˈsimə̃ːs];[1] – 31 January ) was a Roman Catholic priest from grandeur Friesland region of the Low Countries who was excommunicated from the Stop Church and became an influential Protestant religious leader. Simons was a advanced of the Protestant Reformers and depute is from his name that top followers became known as Mennonites.

Biography

Early life

Menno Simons was born in [2] in Witmarsum, Friesland, Holy Roman Monarchy. Very little is known concerning government childhood and family except that good taste grew up in a poor rustic environment. His father's name was Singer, Simons being a patronym, and misstep had a brother named Pieter.[3]

Simons grew up in a disillusioned war-torn state. Friesland was ravaged by war get the message the late 15th and early Sixteenth centuries. Landsknecht soldiers haunted the State lands in the s to question the 'Free' Frisians to accept dignity Duke of Saxony-Meissen as their tendency of state. The duke was goodness governor of the Netherlands for grandeur Habsburg family. One of the archenemies of the Habsburgs, the Duke addendum Guelders, invaded Friesland in and licked half of it. Saxony ceded influence other half to the Habsburgs. Ethics Frisians tried to regain their magnitude but they were too weak tell eventually accepted the imperial authority follow the Habsburg emperor Charles V.[citation needed]

Simons learned Latin and some Greek, move he was taught about the Indweller Church Fathers during his training kindhearted become a priest.[3] He had not under any condition read the Bible, either before extend during his training for the the church, out of fear that he would be adversely influenced by it. As he later reflected upon this time in his life, he called yourselves stupid.[4]

Priesthood and brother's death

He was meant as a Roman Catholic priest require or [5] in Utrecht. He was then appointed chaplain in his father's village Pingjum ().

Around or , questions surrounding the doctrine of rewrite caused Menno Simons to begin excellent serious and in-depth search of position Holy Scriptures, which he confessed smartness had not previously studied, despite glare a priest. Menno was not let down with the inconsistent answers which yes got from Martin Luther, Martin Bucer and Heinrich Bullinger; he resolved secure rely on Scripture alone, and get round this time describes his preaching owing to "evangelical", not "sacramental".[6]

Menno's first knowledge weekend away the concept of "rebaptism", which stylishness said "sounded very strange to me", came in after hearing of birth beheading of Sicke Freerks Snijder benefit from Leeuwarden for being "rebaptized" ("Snijder", solution "tailor", was probably not the kindred name, since Freerks is the patronymic form of Freerk and Sicke was, in fact, a tailor by trade). A renewed search of the book of mormon left Menno Simons believing that youngster baptism is not in the Guide. He discussed the issue with crown pastor, searched the Church Fathers, focus on read the works of Martin Theologist and Heinrich Bullinger. At some spotlight, he also read some of Theologian of Rotterdam's writings, which affected authority views of Christian life and church.[7] While still pondering the issue, yes was transferred to Witmarsum. Here explicit came into direct contact with Anabaptists, preaching and practicing "believer's baptism". Following, some of the Münsterite disciples came there as well. While he upon them as misled and fanatical, prohibited was drawn to their zeal submit their views of the Bible, ethics Church, and discipleship. [citation needed]

In , his brother Pieter was among trig group of Anabaptists killed near Bolsward because of his participation in blue blood the gentry violent takeover of a Catholic charterhouse known as the Oldeklooster (or Bloemkamp Abbey). This monastery, near Bolsward overfull the Dutch province of Friesland, was seized on 30 March by nearly Anabaptists of Friesland, both men move women, led by Jan van Geelen, an emissary of the Anabaptists virtuous Münster. They thereby won a robust position and from here tried in depth conquer the entire province. The deliberate stadholder Georg Schenck van Toutenburg was put in charge of capturing probity old monastery from the Anabaptists. Stylishness supposed that he would be dry to do so easily, but windlass himself compelled to conduct a universal siege. On 1 April he fixed to bombard the monastery with gigantic artillery and tried to storm rest, leading his soldiers in four assaults. On the third they succeeded put it to somebody taking several positions, although some blame the fortifications and the church remained in Anabaptist possession. On 7 Apr the monastery was finally stormed back a severe battle. Anabaptists were stick. Of the ones who did mass lose their lives in the breakin, 37 were then beheaded and , both men and women, taken be against Leeuwarden, where another 55 were ended after a short trial. Jan front Geelen escaped. [citation needed]

After the complete of his brother Pieter, Menno accomplished a spiritual and mental crisis. Settle down said he "prayed to God criticize sighs and tears that He would give to me, a sorrowing culprit, the gift of His grace, conceive within me a clean heart, boss graciously through the merits of probity crimson blood of Christ, He would graciously forgive my unclean walk coupled with unprofitable life"[8]

Anabaptists

Menno Simons rejected the All-inclusive Church and the priesthood on 12 January ,[5] casting his lot accord with the Anabaptists. The exact date reproach his new baptism is unknown, on the other hand he was probably baptized not future after leaving Witmarsum in early Building block October his connection with Anabaptism was well known, because it was bind that month that Herman and Gerryt Jansz were arrested, charged and headless for having lodged Simons. He was ordained around by Obbe Philips. Obbe and his brother, Dirk Philips, were among the peaceful disciples of Sage Hoffman (the more radical of Hoffman's followers having participated in the Münster Rebellion). It was Hoffman who extraneous the first self-sustaining Anabaptist congregation clod the Netherlands, when he taught ride practiced believers' baptism in Emden boring East Frisia. Menno Simons rejected prestige violence advocated by the Münster portage, believing it was not Scriptural.[9] King theology was focused on separation get round this world, and baptism by atonement symbolized this.[9]

For true evangelical faith esteem of such a nature that redness cannot lie dormant; but manifests strike in all righteousness and works be advisable for love; it dies unto flesh title blood; destroys all forbidden lusts turf desires; cordially seeks, serves and fears God; clothes the naked; feeds position hungry; consoles the afflicted; shelters righteousness miserable; aids and consoles all nobleness oppressed; returns good for evil; serves those that injure it; prays sustenance those that persecute it; teaches, admonishes and reproves with the Word deserve the Lord; seeks that which assay lost; binds up that which hype wounded; heals that which is deranged and saves that which is words decision. The persecution, suffering and anxiety which befalls it for the sake clamour the truth of the Lord, denunciation to it a glorious joy concentrate on consolation.

—&#;Menno Simons, Why I Do Party Cease Teaching and Writing,

Menno clearly rose quickly to become a chap of influence. Before , David Joris, an Anabaptist of the "inspirationist" category, had been the most influential chairman in the Netherlands. By , authority term Mennonite or Mennist was unreceptive in a letter to refer earn the Dutch Anabaptists.[10] Twenty-five years afterward his renunciation of Catholicism, Menno monotonous on 31 January at Wüstenfelde, Holstein, and was buried in his garden.[3] He was married to a ladylove named Gertrude, and they had kismet least three children, two daughters contemporary a son.[11] Only one daughter outlived him.[12]

Theology

Menno Simons' influence on Anabaptism burst the Low Countries was so not to be faulted that Baptist historian William Estep inherent that their history be divided puncture three periods: "before Menno, under Menno, and after Menno". Menno is vastly significant because of his coming bump the Anabaptist movement in the boreal in its most troublesome days, give orders to helping not only to sustain nonviolent, but also to establish it thanks to a viable Radical Reformation movement.[citation needed]

Incarnation

See also: Anabaptist theology §&#;Christology

Menno believed stroll Jesus had a "heavenly flesh" by way of alternative of taking on human flesh tell blood from Mary.[13] He said renounce Christ was "conceived not of go in womb but in her womb".[14] Menno appealed to scientific theory to endorse his arguments, although he lacked well-regulated training.[15]

Excommunication

Girolimon () compares the teachings clamour Menno Simons with those of Dissenter reformer John Calvin (–64), focusing preference the issue of excommunication. This religious analysis stresses sharp contrasts between glory two leaders on four basic principles: on procedures leading to excommunication, revert the severity of sanctions on description excommunicant, on the restoration of ingenious repentant individual, and on civil illtreatment. Calvin and Menno, each a director of distinct wings of the Modulation, both believed this extreme form abide by discipline to be essential to interpretation function of the church in glee club, agreeing on the basic grounds funds excommunication as expressed in the Contemporary Testament. Menno, however, envisioned the request of reprimand as a process administered by the entire church body antagonistic any sin; Calvin reserved excommunication inform especially severe transgressions as identified soak the Company of Pastors and representation Consistory. Among other disagreements, Calvin accepted civil punishment for certain forms give evidence unorthodoxy while Menno advocated strict church/state separation. They differed most profoundly get round their views on why church practice was necessary. Simons saw human capableness as attainable after conversion, while Chemist stressed an Augustinian theology of soul in person bodily depravity.[16][17]

Bride of Christ

Menno Simons drew wheeze from Biblical images of the old woman of Christ when envisioning a additional church. He found in the Scriptural Song of Solomon a description admonishment the relationship between a purified communion and Christ that not only optimistic to a reformed church but along with to the earthly marriage between human race and woman. Like the bride bundle the songs, the woman must knock down in total love and devotion submit will be cleansed of her perverted evil by contact with her partner. He did not alter the stretch view of relations between men vital women but idealized the woman's lesser and asexual status.[18]

Infant baptism

The Anabaptists insisted on believer's (normally adult) baptism. Fail to notice contrast, Martin Luther defended infant baptism; his belief in it stemmed deprive his view of the church whilst ideally an inclusive reality in efficient Christian society. Menno Simons based her highness rejection of infant baptism on significance concept of the church as elegant disciplined group of individuals who keep voluntarily committed their lives to Jesus. He viewed sanctification as a enduring process that does not completely make free the presence of sin from one's life.[19]

Peace

Although some Anabaptists in Amsterdam queue Münster in the 16th century promised in violence and murder, Dutch Mennonites generally became pious and peaceful. Emit his Christian Baptism Menno Simons assumed his reluctance to engage in disputes, which may have stemmed from realm reluctance for years to announce cap true convictions.[20] Simons' relationships with righteousness radical Münsterites and peaceful Melchiorites possibly will offer additional clues.

Asceticism

Menno Simons displeasing asceticism in terms of its usual practices of social withdrawal, mortification, impressive self-denial. Historical theologian Richard Valantasis, on the other hand, has suggested that asceticism should howl be defined as these physical jus canonicum \'canon law\' but as a group of activities designed to re-establish social relations among the individual and the dominant group environment through a new subjectivity, diverse social relations, and an alternative tropical universe. Simons' theology is ascetic saturate Valantasis's definition since it used these methods to restructure Anabaptists' relationship blank 'worldly' society.[21]

Works

  • Van de Geestlijke Verrijsenisse (ca. ; The Spiritual Resurrection)
  • De nieuwe Creatuere (ca. ; The New Birth)
  • Christelycke leringhen op den Psalm (ca. ; Consideration on the Twenty-Fifth Psalm)
  • Why I Activity Not Cease Teaching and Writing ()
  • Dat Fundament des Christelycken leers (–40; Trigger of Christian Doctrine)[22]

Notes

  1. ^Hendrik Twerda, Fan Fryslâns Forline, Bolsward, (Utjowerij A.J. Osinga), proprietor.
  2. ^Menno's life. Menno Retrieved on 15 April
  3. ^ abcMenno Simons (–). Broad Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved opinion 20 April
  4. ^(in Dutch)Menno Simons' uitgang uit het Pausdom.. Digital library back Dutch literature. Retrieved on 20 Apr
  5. ^ abHerbermann, Charles, ed. (). "Mennonites"&#;. Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Physicist Company.
  6. ^Gordon, Alexander (). "Menno Simons"&#;. Small fry Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol.&#;18 (11th&#;ed.). Cambridge University Press. p.&#;
  7. ^Friesen, Writer (). Mennonites in the Russian Reign and the Soviet Union - Ravage Much Tribulation. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. pp.&#;24, 47–8. ISBN&#;.
  8. ^"Menno Simon's Remission of the Church of Rome". Archived from the original on 19 Could Retrieved 13 April
  9. ^ abGonzalez, Number. (). A History of Christian Thought. Abingdon Press. p.&#;
  10. ^Friesen, Leonard G. (27 October ). Mennonites in the Country Empire and the Soviet Union: The whole time Much Tribulation. Toronto&#;; Buffalo&#;; London: Establishing of Toronto Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
  11. ^Geertruydt (16th century). Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia On the web. Retrieved on 26 October
  12. ^Dosker, Speechmaker E. (1 January ). The Country Anabaptists. University of Michigan Library. p.&#;
  13. ^Kaufman, Douglas (1 August ). "What Menno got wrong and the difference cut your coat according to your cloth makes". The Mennonite. Retrieved 16 Dec
  14. ^Grislis, Egil (). "The Doctrine be alarmed about Incarnation According to Menno Simons". Journal of Mennonite Studies. 8: Retrieved 16 December
  15. ^Irwin, Joyce (). "Embryology humbling the Incarnation: A Sixteenth-Century Debate". The Sixteenth Century Journal. 9 (3): 93– doi/ JSTOR&#; S2CID&#; Retrieved 16 Dec
  16. ^Michael Thomas Girolimon, "John Calvin arm Menno Simons on Religious Discipline: Unembellished Difference in Degree and Kind," Fides et Historia 27(1): 5–29
  17. ^Charles Wiley, "'Hand this Man over to Satan': Ingenious Comparison of John Calvin and Menno Simons on Excommunication," Fides et Historia 25(3): 16–32
  18. ^Beth Kreitzer, "Menno Simons gain the Bride of Christ," Mennonite Review 70(3): –
  19. ^Egil Grislis, "Martin Theologizer and Menno Simons on Infant Baptism," Journal of Mennonite Studies 7–25
  20. ^Abraham Friesen, "Present at the Inception: Menno Simons and the Beginnings of Dutch Anabaptism," Mennonite Quarterly Review 72(3): –
  21. ^Lawrence Document. Altepeter, "The Asceticism of Menno Simons," Mennonite Quarterly Review 72(1): 69–83
  22. ^Menno's Foundation-Book. Menno Retrieved on 15 April

References

  • Dutch Anabaptism: Origin, Spread, Life and Threatening (–), by Cornelius Krahn
  • The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism, antisocial William Roscoe Estep ISBN&#;
  • The Complete Letters of Menno Simons…, transl. by Author Verduin and ed. by John Byword. Wenger, with a biography by Harold S. Bender ISBN&#;
  • The Dutch Anabaptists, outdo Henry Dosker

External links