"Anabaptists’ Roots: Brethren, Amish, & Mennonites" by Chester Weaver

Marking Anabaptism's 500th anniversary, Chester Weaver traces the shared roots of the Swiss Brethren (including the Amish), Dutch-Russian Mennonites, Brethren, and Hutterites. He argues that the movement's core is wholeness: when the Holy Spirit works freely, faith and life, belief and practice, are united.

This rejects both Catholic sacramentalism and a Protestant faith that leaves life unchanged. Drawing on Michael Sattler, he contrasts servile obedience with filial obedience and warns that many churches have settled into fear-driven fundamentalism. He highlights gelassenheit, the yielded spirit that made martyrs' deaths compelling, and recounts Hans Landis forgiving his executioner. He also confesses shameful chapters, including Münster, Mennonite complicity with Nazism, and separating money-making from faith.

After reviewing key leaders and migrations, he names shared essentials: Christ and Scripture as authority, believers' baptism, discipleship, church-state separation, and two-kingdom theology. He fears these, especially two-kingdom theology, are eroding and urges their recovery.