mennonites and brethren 1775

The local population and its mayor supported[80] the local Mennonites. [100] Mennonite organizations in South Africa, initially stifled under apartheid due to the Afrikaner government's distrust of foreign pacifist churches, have expanded substantially since 1994. Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University 1949).Google Scholar. Church Music and Worship among the Mennonites (Scottdale, Pa, 1981) Letkemann, Peter. The Mennonite religion currently has about 1.5 million followers (2006). For more information, contact Annabeth Roeschley at the BMC office or email bmc@bmclgbt.org. The Amish and Mennonites are both Anabaptist sects that formed as part of the Protestant Reformation, but separate from it. Following WWII, a conservative movement emerged from scattered separatist groups as a reaction to the Mennonite churches drifting away from their historical traditions. Nebst beygefgten Kurzen und cinfltigen Antworten auf diesclben ([n.p. Outreach and help to the wider community at home and abroad is encouraged. Matthew 24:37-39 (NIV), Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;and to knowledge, self-control;and to self-control, perseverance;and to perseverance, godliness;and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. Worship styles vary greatly between different congregations. In 1972, Mennonites in Altona, Manitoba, established the MCC Thrift Shops[95] which has grown to become a worldwide source of assistance to the needy. A small sum, based on membership numbers, is paid to the denomination, which is used to support central functions such as publication of newsletters and interactions with other denominations and other countries. The Moravian Brethren were generally pacifist. 469470). They insisted that religion came from . The German term is Tufer or Wiedertufer ("Again-Baptists" or "Anabaptists" using the Greek ana ["again"]). In baptism we publicly testify to our salvation and pledge allegiance to the one true God and to the people of God, the church. In 1859, Joseph Httmann, a former associate of Wst met with a group of Mennonites to discuss problems within the main Mennonite body. Mennonite, member of a Protestant church that arose out of the Anabaptists, a radical reform movement of the 16th-century Reformation. India, Democratic Republic of Congo, SE Asia, Canada, United States of America. Mennonites in Canada and other countries typically have independent denominations because of the practical considerations of distance and, in some cases, language. The decisive influence on Horsch's interest in Mennonite history was the archivist and historian Ludwig Keller with whom he continued in close touch for ten years (18851895), even after his emigration to America, and who directly influenced him to dedicate his life to a revival of the ancient Anabaptist principles in the Mennonite brotherhood. Since then there has been a steady flow of Mennonite emigrants from Latin America to North America. Larger groups of Dutch/North German Mennonites came to North America from the Russian Empire after 1873, especially to Kansas and Manitoba. 115123Google Scholar. 17. The total population of Old Order Mennonites groups including children and adults not yet baptized normally is two to three times larger than the number of baptized, adult members, which indicates that the population of Old Order Mennonites was roughly between 60,000 and 80,000 in 2008/9. In the 1990s the governments of Kazakhstan, Russia and Ukraine gave these people the opportunity to emigrate, and the vast majority emigrated to Germany. However, disagreements in the United States and Canada between conservative and progressive (i.e. Seidensticker remarked that it seems strange that the trusteesshould use their trust funds for Printing Rules and Articles of War. They retained their German language, partly for its religious significance and partly to insulate themselves against their social environment. There is no formal liturgy; services typically consist of singing, scripture reading, prayer and a sermon. [116], In 2015, there were 2078 Mennonites in France. Presbyterians took over the assembly. 72. In contemporary society, Mennonites are described either as a religious denomination with members of different ethnic origins,[74][75] or as both an ethnic group and a religious denomination. Because many of the professions were closed to them, the Mennonites turned to business, in the process becoming wealthy and urbanized. Mennonite migrations continued during the 20th century, primarily from Russia to North and South Americato Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, Mexico, and British Honduras. Ph.D.dissertation, Boston University Graduate School 1955)Google Scholar; and Willoughby, William G., The Beliefs of the Early Brethren, (unpub. Men are said to be the heads of their households while women are expected to be submissive to their husbands. 66. Sums, up Jones, the political Quaker was dying hard, and was never beyound hope of resurrection (p. 556).Google Scholar. [40] Some progressive Mennonite Churches are part of moderate Mennonite denominations (such as the Mennonite Church USA) while others are independent congregations. From 1812 to 1860, another wave of Mennonite immigrants settled farther west in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. In 1788 many Mennonites emigrated from the Vistula delta to the southern regions of the Russian Empire (Ukraine), where they acquired land and escaped military conscription. The Old Order Mennonites and Amish have the same European roots and the language spoken in their homes is the same German dialect. The wife's role is to serve her husband and raise their children, while men can become leaders in the church . Political rulers often admitted the Menists or Mennonites into their states because they were honest, hardworking and peaceful. The Mennonites emigrated from Switzerland in several distinct groups, including those who went to Russia before coming to America and those who traveled down the Rhine to Holland . Irouically, those copies of theMartyrs' Mirror still on hand at the time of the Revolutionary War were seized by the American forces over the protests of the pacifist Ephrata Brethren, and used for wadding in cartridges. A partial English translation is found in Origins, pp. For assessments of De Treytorrens and the situation in Bern at this time, See Wernle, P., Der schweizerische Protestantismus im XVIII. As we experience grace and the new birth, we are adopted into the family of God and become more and more transformed into the image of Christ.11 We thus respond in faith to Christ and seek to walk faithfully in the way of Christ. The Mennonite Brethren movement spread throughout the Mennonite colonies and produced many distinguished leaders, particularly in Molotschna. James points out that Quaker influence came back in a side door through the Friendly Association for Regaining and Preserving Peace with the Indians by Pacific Measures. In the spring of 1757, they were active in enlisting the German pacifists to their program of peaceful approaches to the Indians. While Mennonites in Colonial America were enjoying considerable religious freedom, their counterparts in Europe continued to struggle with persecution and temporary refuge under certain ruling monarchs. [63], Total membership in Mennonite Church USA denominations decreased from about 133,000, before the MC-GC merger in 1998, to about 114,000 after the merger in 2003. They teach the symbolic understanding of the Lords Supper, and, in imitation of Jesus, some practice foot washing. The Mennonites refusal to serve in the military led to hardships during World War I, but many were legally able to avoid service under generous conditions for conscientious objector status during World War II. [29] With regard to salvation, Mennonites believe:[30], When we hear the good news of the love of God, the Holy Spirit moves us to accept the gift of salvation. The customs of Old Order Mennonites, the Amish communities and Old Colony Mennonites have a number of similarities, but the cultural differences are significant enough so that members of one group would not feel comfortable moving to another group. A strong emphasis on "community" was developed under these circumstances. is a program of the Brethren Mennonite Council for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Interests. "An Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups", Intercourse PA 1996, pages 122123. Persecutions that continued in Switzerland into the 18th century drove many Mennonites to southern Germany, Alsace, the Netherlands, and the United States. A trickle of North German Mennonites began the migration to America in 1683, followed by a much larger migration of Swiss/South German Mennonites beginning in 1707. During the American Civil War, rather than fight, some hired substitutes or paid an exemption fee of $300 in the North and $500 in the South. Note: Alarmed by the increasing threats of war, two religious sects, the Mennonites and the Brethren, addressed the colonial Pennsylvania Assembly in the hope that the assembly would recognize their opposition to war while stating what they were willing to do if war should occur. There are some 400,000 Russian Mennonites in the world, including children and not yet baptized young people. Crouse admitted the validity of baptism by immersion, but maintained that as baptism is only a symbol, the Mennonite [63] In May 2021 the main page of their website stated a membership of about 62,000. [99], In Latin America growth is not as high as in Africa, but strong because of the high birth rates of traditional Mennonites of German ancestry. Service in the military is generally not permitted, but service in the legal profession or law enforcement is acceptable. Durnbaugh, Donald F., ed., Two Early Letters from Germantown, The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, LXXXIV (1960), 2: 219233.Google Scholar, 22. People through all history have turned away from God, breaking the relationship God intended with us. This early group of Mennonites and Mennonite-Quakers wrote the first formal protest against slavery in the United States. Relationships of the Brethren with the Mennonites and Quakers - JSTOR "useRatesEcommerce": false "[5], In 1911, the Mennonite church in the Netherlands (Doopsgezinde Kerk) was the first Dutch church to have a female pastor authorized; she was Anne Zernike.[34]. 8586, contains the action of the Maryland Convention. In the Soviet Union their organizational structures ceased to exist by 1930 due to Communist persecution. [96], Since the latter part of the 20th century, some Mennonite groups have become more actively involved with peace and social justice issues, helping to found Christian Peacemaker Teams and Mennonite Conciliation Service. The conference was established among Plautdietsch-speaking Russian Mennonites in 1860. 381387Google Scholar; and Bridenbaugh, Carl, Mitre and Sceptre: Transatlantic Faiths, Ideas, Personalities, and Politics (New York: Oxford University Press, 1962), pp. U.S. Mennonite Brethren have a rich spiritual heritage that can be traced back to the heart of the 16th century Reformation. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. God brings us into right relationship without coercion. Administrative history: The Missionary Church was formed in 1969 by a merger of the United Missionary Church (known by the name of Mennonite Brethren in Christ Church from 1883 to 1947) and the Missionary Church Association. Such gradual embrace was a boon to Mennonites and Brethren in Christ in the 1980s, as both groups increasingly welcomed African Americans, Latino/as, and Hispanics into their church communities. Many Mennonites interested in theological education and missions in the late 19th century attended Rochester Theological Seminary. Contributions of Mennonites during this period include the idea of separation of church and state and opposition to slavery. But the Society,, while professedly charitable and religious, had also political aims (p. 49). This period of persecution has had a significant impact on Mennonite identity. Instead, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in all your conduct;for it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 1 Peter 1:13-16 (NRSV), It is Gods willthat you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own bodyin a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lustlike the pagans,who do not know God. Edwards, Morgan, Materials toward a History of the American Baptists (Philadelphia: Joseph Crukehank and Isaac Collins, 1770), I, 66Google Scholar. Yet not all Mennonites favored the merger. In 1854, according to the new Russian government official invitation, Mennonites from Prussia established colonies in Russia's Volga region, and later in Orenburg Governorate (Neu Samara Colony). 38. The Tunkers (Dunkards) believed almost exactly as the Mennonites on war and the state and, being small in numbers, before the Revolution, identified themselves with the Mennonites in most of their public actions." (p.25). They have no church rules, but they rely solely on the Bible as their guide. [59][60], Old Order Mennonites and Amish are often grouped together in the popular press. FAQ about Mennonites - Home | Mennonite Church USA In later years, other schisms among Amish resulted in such groups as the Old Order Amish, New Order Amish, Kauffman Amish Mennonite, Swartzentruber Amish, Conservative Mennonite Conference and Biblical Mennonite Alliance. [112][113] These Mennonites descend from a mass migration in the 1920s of roughly 6,000 Old Colony Mennonites from the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. He questioned the doctrine of transubstantiation but was reluctant to leave the Roman Catholic Church. As the Mennonite population has become urbanized and more integrated into the wider culture, this visible difference has disappeared outside of Conservative Mennonite groups. Rakestraw, 1842), VI, 297Google Scholar; see also Brumbaugh, pp. They stress the importance of believers baptism and the public confession of faith. Marriage Beliefs in the Mennonite Religion - Synonym 71. 3. Johann Michael Miller (Mueller) the Second (1692-1771), Brethren The most basic unit of organization among Mennonites is the church. The original church building was built in 1883 and added onto in 1944. BMC provides programming, support and advocacy for lgbtq individuals and their families and friends in. Many of the modern churches are descended from those groups that abandoned traditional Mennonite practices. 168197.Google Scholar. Its most distinguishing feature is the rejection of infant baptism, an act that had both religious and political meaning since almost every infant born in western Europe was baptized in the Roman Catholic Church. Durnbaugh, Donald F., ed., European Origins of the Brethren: A Source Book on the Beginnings of the Church of the Brethren in the Early Eighteenth Century (Elgin, III. 1. Over the years Mennonite farmers and businesses were very successful. 9, 10, 11; for the Brethren books, see A Brethren Bibliography, 57, 71, 75, 105. Mennonites believe in the importance of a church built on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Beginning in 1663, Mennonites emigrated to North America to preserve the faith of their fathers, to seek economic opportunity and adventure, and especially to escape European militarism. Mennonite | History, Beliefs, Practices, & Facts | Britannica Anabaptist groups originating in Western Europe. Elders of this group were Daniel Ricken 1712-1736, Peter Teune 1736-1763, Jacob Sthly 1736-1757, Hans Hupster 1769-1792, and finally a Dutch Mennonite, Jan Hans Hoosen 1805-1822. 197198.Google Scholar, 62. Memoirs of Samuel M. Janney, Late of Lincoln, Loud on County, Va. A Minister in the Religious Society of Friends (4th ed., Philadelphia: Friends' Book Association, 1890), pp. Unable to persuade the rest of the Amish, they separated and formed a number of separate groups including the Conservative Mennonite Conference. [108], As of 2012, there were an estimated 100,000 Old Colony Mennonites in Mexico. 101156; Sanger, Samuel F. and Hays, Daniel, The Olive Branch of Peace and Good Will to Men. The Germantown Mennonite Church in Germantown, Pennsylvania is one example of such a progressive Mennonite church.[39]. [19] In 1536, at the age of 40, Simons left the Roman Catholic Church. They stay separate from other Mennonite groups because of their emphasis on the one-true-church doctrine and their use of avoidance toward their own excommunicated members. The non-resistant branches often survived by seeking refuge in neutral cities or nations, such as Strasbourg. The vast majority of Anabaptists of Swiss/South German ancestry today lives in the US and Canada, while the largest group of Dutch/North German Anabaptists are the Russian Mennonites, who live today mostly in Latin America. Migrations continued for decades as Mennonites built prosperous colonies. Dunker Church : WHO ARE THE DUNKERS? The split was still obvious in the Revolutionary War period when open advocates of legitimate wars of defense were to be heard. [87] Girls and women, including infants, elderly women, and relatives to the perpetrators, reported these attacks, but were at first dismissed as "wild female imagination", or else attributed to ghosts or demons. Many times these divisions took place along family lines, with each extended family supporting its own branch. Jacob Gottschalk was the first bishop of this Germantown congregation. Prior to emigration to America, Anabaptists in Europe were divided between those of Dutch/North German and Swiss/South German background. 240280; Durnbaugh, , Brethren Beginnings, pp. In the late 1700s and early 1800s Swiss Mennonites from Pennsylvania settled in southern Ontario. Blaupot ten Cate, Steven, Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Friesland (Leeuwarden: W. Eckhoff, 1839), p. 200Google Scholar; Origins, pp. [68] Initially the men worked on road building, forestry and firefighting projects. Bridenbaugh quoted from a published letter of Smith's giving an excellent picture of the establishment Smith favored: As to the Political Uses of national Establishments, he must indeed be a very shallow politician who does not see them. [30], Traditionally, Mennonites sought to continue the beliefs of early Christianity and thus practice the lovefeast (which includes footwashing, the holy kiss and communion), headcovering, nonresistance, the sharing of possessions and nonconformity to the world; these things are heavily emphasized in Old Order Mennonite and Conservative Mennonite denominations. [8] There is the Nationwide Fellowship Churches (UK) and the larger Brethren in Christ Church United Kingdom. See the Journal of the Committee of Observation of the Middle District of Frederick County, Md. Maryland Historical Magazine, X (1915) 4:301ffGoogle Scholar., for information on how a typical committee followed the regulations. Some progressive Mennonite Churches place a great emphasis on the Mennonite tradition's teachings on pacifism and non-violence. Music of the Mennonites | The Canadian Encyclopedia PDF Document D: Address [Excerpt] to The Pennsylvania Assembly by The They became well known as artists, writers, and patrons of social programs. Regeln und Articuls zu besserer Regierung und Aufhrung Ihro Majestt Garden zu Pferde und zu Fusze Auf Ihro Majestt Befehl ffentlich herausgegeben und auf Veranstaltung der General Trustees, so zur Aufrichtung englisher Schulen unter den Teutschen in Pennsylvanien verordnet sind, zum Besten der unter Ihrer Majestt regulren und Provinzialen Truppen in Nord Amerika stehenden Teutschen aus dem Englischen ins Teutsche bersetst (Philadelphia: Gedruckt von B. Frnklin und A. Armbruster, 1757). A German translation was also printed. 41. 50. [5], The majority of the early Mennonite followers, rather than fighting, survived by fleeing to neighboring states where ruling families were tolerant of their belief in believer's baptism. BRETHREN, MENNONITES, AND QUAKERS Mennonite minister, Jan Crous (1670-1729), has been preserved. After World War II several Mennonite Brethren churches emerged in that region. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 22:12. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 (NIV). [100] In recognition of the dramatic increase in the proportion of African adherents, the Mennonite World Conference held its assembly in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, in 2003. Further migrations of these Mennonites led to settlements in Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Belize, Bolivia and Argentina. This played a large part in the evolution of Anabaptist theology. Anti-war History of the Brethren and Mennonites, the Peace People, of the South, during the Civil War, 18611865. THE MENNONITES AND BRETHREN, NOVEMBER 1775. 1 was here. (The Wisler Mennonites are a grouping descended from the Old Mennonite Church.) [120], Mennonites have been portrayed in many areas of popular culture, especially literature, film, and television. Address: PO Box 1538 Shafter, CA 93263 County: Kern Area Code: 661 TimeZone: PST FIPS: 06029 MSA: 0680 Coordinates: Lat: 35.4888 Long: -119.3164. 30. Many believed that God did not condone killing or the use of force for any reason and were, therefore, unwilling to fight for their lives. Pennsylvania Amish History & Beliefs | Discover Lancaster See Bender, Wilbur J., Pacifism among the Mennonites, Amish Mennonites, and Schwenkfelders of Pennsylvania to 1783 M.Q.R., I (1927), 3:2340Google Scholar: Besides the Mennonites and Amish there were several other groups in Pennsylvania with similar ideals, mostly of German blood. Brumbaugh, pp. Simons consolidated and institutionalized the work that the moderate Anabaptist leaders of Europe had begun and confirmed the Anabaptist tradition of pacifism. Resist all you can with vigour and practical efficacy but do it morally, said one. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Their main concern was to be allowed to worship God according to their conscience and pacifist tradition. [115], The Mennonite presence remaining in the Netherlands, Algemene Doopsgezinde Societeit or ADS (translated as General Mennonite Society), maintains a seminary, as well as organizing relief, peace, and mission work, the latter primarily in Central Java and New Guinea. [110][111] Another 78,892 of that number are from the Mennonite Church USA. Today, Mennonites also reside in Kishacoquillas Valley (also known as Big Valley), a valley in Huntingdon and Mifflin counties in Pennsylvania. The men in some of these Brethren groups wear beards, which easily leads outsiders to confuse them with the Amish. Brethren and Mennonites - Third Way [64], Pennsylvania remains the hub of the denomination but there are also large numbers of members in Ohio, Indiana, Kansas, and Illinois.[65]. The Palatinate region had been repeatedly overrun by the French in religious wars, and Queen Anne had invited the Germans to go to the British colonies. The quotations used above are found on pages 340 and 342343. However, they refrain from forcing their Mennonite faith on their children, allow their children to attend public schools, and have permitted the use of automobiles. 209210, 213214.Google Scholar. As early as 1775 the Pennsylvania Assembly passed a law exempting the Mennonites and Qua kers from military service under certain circum stances. By 2015, the majority of Russian Mennonites and their descendants live in Latin America, Germany and Canada. The range is similar to the Mennonitessome more conservative, some more liberal. These two faith traditions emphasize peace and non-violence, the priority of spiritual over material values, disaster relief and voluntary service, care for neighbors, stewardship of the land . Part memoir, part tour of the apocalypse, and part call to action. Mennonites reconnect with UMC founder - United Methodist News Service Although these spiritual groups have similarities, the Amish are the most conservative, emphasizing humility, family, community and separation from the non-Amish world, which . the possibilities are endless. They also have Sunday school, hold revival meetings, and operate their own Christian schools/parochial schools. After May 1943, as a labour shortage developed within the nation, men were shifted into agriculture, education and industry. 34. Eventually a group of colony men were caught in the act. 9398. Founded inthe German village of Schwarzenau, the Brethren began in 1708, about 15 years after the Amish had formed. Mennonite congregations are self-supporting and appoint their own ministers. 28. Mennonites had to build their churches facing onto back streets or alleys, and they were forbidden from announcing the beginning of services with the sound of a bell. [28] Its seven articles covered: The Dordrecht Confession of Faith was adopted on April 21, 1632, by Dutch Mennonites, by Alsatian Mennonites in 1660, and by North American Mennonites in 1725. For the most part, there is a host of independent Mennonite churches along with a myriad of separate conferences with no particular responsibility to any other group. The story of the Pennsylvania Amish community dates back to the 16th century Reformation in Europe, when the Anabaptist movement spurred the creation of three "plain" communities: the Amish, Mennonites and Brethren. The province threatened to invoke youth protection services if the Mennonite children were not registered with the Education Ministry; they either had to be home-schooled using the government-approved material, or attend a "sanctioned" school. The Mennonite World Conference was founded at the first conference in Basel, Switzerland, in 1925 to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Anabaptism. Initially the Pennsylvania government complained when Marylanders settled this area, but since no one else except the Indians were . Romans 13:13 (NIV), Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. Because this notion implied religious diversity, the authorities, both ecclesiastical and political, sought to suppress the movement. The Quaker Meeting house with its two doors, its axis through the short side of the house, its shutters and general resemblance to a Georgian house rather than a church was copied by Mennonites and Brethren and spread west, south, and north with the Dutch [German] Diaspora. Many of these immigrants settled in the Midwest of the United States and in Manitoba, Canada. Their isolation encouraged the sectarian virtues of frugality, hard work, piety, and mutual helpfulness but also frequently led to schism. [121] Notable novels about or written by Mennonites include A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews, Peace Shall Destroy Many by Rudy Wiebe, The Salvation of Yasch Siemens by Armin Wiebe, A Year of Lesser by David Bergen, A Dream of a Woman by Casey Plett, and Once Removed by Andrew Unger. This guarantee of many freedoms was the impetus that created the two original Old Colony settlements near Patos Nuevo Ideal, Durango, Cuauhtmoc, Chihuahua and La Honda, Zacatecas as well as many communities in Aguascalientes. The Brethren Mennonite Council for LGBT Interests' Oral History Project, one avenue for fruitful research, makes available videotaped oral history records pertaining to individuals from multiple Anabaptist groups; see https://www.bmclgbt.org/center-history. Mennonite Brethren Studies | Fresno Pacific University 2328.Google Scholar, 20. Zigler, D. H., A- History -of the Brethren in Virginia (Elgin, Ill: Brethren Publishing House, 1908), p. 98.Google Scholar. Other AMG member groups include: Ruland-Deutschen Mennoniten, Mennoniten-Brdergemeinden(Independent Mennonite Brethren congregations), WEBB-Gemeinden, and the Mennonitischen Heimatmission. 300301. For Kline's pamphlets, see A Brethren Bibliography, 158, 163; Brunk, Harry A., History of Mennonites in Virginia, 17271900 (Staunton, Va.: McClure Printing Company, 1959), I, 125134, discusses the interchange.Google Scholar, 67. 16. Quoted in Rothermund, Dietmar, The Layman's Progress: Religious and Political Experience in Colonial Pennsylvania, 17401770 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1961), pp. Progressive Mennonite churches allow LGBTQ+ members to worship as church members and have been banned from membership, in some cases in the moderate groups as a result. The Quebec curriculum was unacceptable to the parents of the only Mennonite school in the province. Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center - Tripadvisor During the Colonial period, Mennonites were distinguished from other Pennsylvania Germans in three ways:[57] their opposition to the American Revolutionary War, which other German settlers participated in on both sides; resistance to public education; and disapproval of religious revivalism. Originally, calling themselves Neue Taufer (New Baptists) in order to better distinguish themselves from older Anabaptist groups, such as the Mennonites and the Amish.