To the Anabaptists, seclusion is a way of life. Anabaptists live in communities that share common beliefs, common goals, and common standards of living that center on faith in Jesus Christ, while keeping distance from the rest of the world. The Anabaptists live Holy lives and strengthen their communities by living with people that share common ideals. However, seclusion from “worldly” people and the Anabaptists’ use of the ban contradict the Great Commission and Christ’s loving nature. Banning members of their communities who sin only pushes the people further away from God. While Anabaptists believe that shunning all that is ungodly is righteous and recommended in scripture, their seclusion contradicts Christ’s commandments and does nothing to enhance the Christian community at large.
Initially, the Anabaptists reformed so that they could interpret scripture in their own way; however, by staying away from the unreligious, they ignore Jesus’ great commandment in Matthew 28:19 to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” If they reformed their beliefs to align with scripture, the Anabaptists overlooked one of Jesus’ most powerful commandments to spread the Good News with the world. The reasons the Anabaptists believe they are to be separated from sinners are described in Article IV of Schleitheim’s Confession which states, “To us, then, the command of the Lord is also obvious, whereby he orders us to be and to become separated from the evil one” (2 Corinthians 6:17). The Anabaptists over-analyze this verse, which should be interpreted as a commandment to do one’s best not to sin, not to shun all sinners.
Not only do Anabaptists separate themselves from everything that contradicts their values, but they also ban members of their communities that compromise their religious ideals. Banning sinners directly contradicts Christ’s loving nature and gives the shunned people a warped view of what Christianity stands for, which is to bring people closer to God, not further away. In Article II of the Seven Articles, the Anabaptists say they are motivated to ban imperfect Christians from their communities “so that [they] may all in one spirit and in one love break and eat from one bread and drink from one cup” (4). The Anabaptists ban the wayward Christians from their families and expect the sinners to repent on their own accords.
Overall, Anabaptist separation and ban beliefs may shield their communities from evil in the world, but the standards also keep the Anabaptists from contributing to the greater good of Christianity. Christ commands his followers to spread the Good News, not to separate themselves from all temptations and unreligious people. It is the Christian mission to spread God’s love. Although it is possible to support almost any idea with a Bible verse, the Anabaptists take extreme interpretations from mild Biblical commandments, such as 2 Corinthians 6:17, to form their doctrine. It takes living Christians to spread the word of God, and the Anabaptists deny Christ’s Great Commission and his loving nature by secluding themselves and banning sinners from their Christian communities.
Bibliography
The Schleitheim Confession (1527). http://w3.ime.net/~wchesley/anabaptist/schleitheim/.
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