Schleitheim Confession

The so-called Schleitheimer article, actually: Brotherly vereynigung etzlicher children of God / Siben Artickel concerning that form first formulated confession of the Anabaptist movement. They are named after their place of origin Schleitheim, a Swiss commune near Schaffhausen.

Genesis

Michael Sattler, one of the leading personalities of the Swiss Anabaptist movement, was expelled on November 18, 1525 because of his belief the city of Zurich and came to Württemberg, where he developed an extensive missionary activity. To the young Anabaptist movement that had formed within a very short time in many places in southern Germany and Switzerland, independent communities, to give a theological direction, Sattler invited to a Baptist conference. These came together in Schleitheim on February 24, 1527. The delegates attending the Baptist congregations decided during this meeting, a creed, the first in the history of the Baptist movement. It was titled Brotherly vereynigung etzlicher children of God Siben Artickel concerning. They probably originate mainly from the spring Michael Sattler and are received as Schleitheimer article in the church 's history.

Between 1527 and 1529 Schleitheimer products in printed form the Younger in Worms published by Peter Schoeffer. Two copies of this edition are in the possession of the Bavarian State Library in Munich. An identical text was published in 1533, but complemented by a treatise on divorce. Editor of this edition printed was Jacob Cammerlander from Strasbourg. In 1550 appeared another German -language edition, which has been extended to include some short texts. Known are only two copies of this document, of which one is in the Mennonite Historical Library at Goshen College and the other in Schleitheimer local museum.

Content

In the following, the structure of the Fraternal vereynigung be maintained and summarized their doctrinal statements short.

• Baptism is subject to three conditions in Article 1 of Schleitheimer confession. First, the candidates for baptism to have been taught about repentance and amendment of life, and in fact believe that their sins are taken away by Christ. Second, they want them to walk in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and be buried in baptism with Jesus Christ, in order to resurrect him. Third, they are in such Meynung baptism by desire selps and demand from the Baptist. The infant baptism as the Bapsts highest and first Grewel is discarded.

• Parishioners who ettwann entschlipffen and fall into sin and eyn case should first be admonished twice in secret. If these warnings are to be fruitless, the community members are put on public speech after the established in the 18th chapter of Matthew rule of Christ. If the person concerned without remorse even here, there is excommunication, or spell. Such should be done before the celebration of the breaking of the bread, so that a sacred community may break into love of eynem bread and eat and drink of eynem chalice.

• At the Last Supper ( the Schlei Heimer article talking about the breaking of bread ) may only attend those who have become earlier by receiving the baptism of believers members of Christ's body, whose head is Jesus Christ. Also required by the sacrament participants that they live in obedience to the commandments of Christ.

• In the view of the world expect the Schleitheimer article that the members of the Anabaptist movement segregate and have no fellowship with those who are not in Christ. The secretion refers primarily to the social intercourse outside the community, the political acceptance of responsibility and belonging to the papal and Reformed Church.

• The pastor or shepherd is to be a man of good repute. He is appointed by the local community ( prescribed ). His office consists primarily read ( biblical writings; erg ), and vermanen sized, manen, tone up, banish the gemeyn ... all brothers and sisters to improve vorbeten, dz lift to break bread .... For the livelihood pastor the church has to take care, however, not (as in the churches usual) Durchen taxes and feudal. If a pastor suffers martyrdom, should immediately another shepherd take his place, so that the church is not destroyed.

• Although God outside the church of Christ the sword for the preservation of law and order used ( Romans, chapter 13). Within the municipality there may be only the spell as an educational and pastoral action. The members of the Baptist church, it is forbidden to wield the sword and to perform military service. They are based on the example of Christ and his non-violent life.

• Christians may charge the hand to swear, under any circumstances, because Jesus Christ expressly prohibits the oath for his disciples. Can swear only God alone, since he is subject to no limitations and can execute his intentions perfectly.

Effects

The Schleitheimer articles found very quickly spread and acceptance - not only in the circles of the Baptist, but also beyond. Thus, Huldrych Zwingli was obliged to deal with them. In the second part of his Elenchus (published in 1527) he undertook a refutation.

John Calvin also spoke about the Schleitheimer article. In his 1544 published polemic against the Anabaptists A brief instruction to all the good faithful against the errors of the communist sect of Anabaptists to arm it goes into the Anabaptist confession.

For the Hutterites and parts of the Mennonite movement Schleitheimer item form to the present day an important confessional basis of their teaching. For many free church movements, most notably the Baptists, forms the Fraternal vereynigung an early proof of the request made by them to the separation of church and state and the postulate of freedom of religion.