Europe in the Age of the Reformation

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The Anabaptists

Beginnings in Switzerland

There are a few other places where one might begin, but Switzerland is perhaps the best choice. By 1524, the reformers in Zürich, followers of Ulrich Zwingli, were much concerned with the question of baptism. As Bible scholars, they could find no reference to infant baptism, and all they read pointed toward adult baptism after a spiritual conversion. For some, this accorded closely with their own experiences, but they had all grown up with the Catholic view and had been themselves baptized as infants, and there were a number of strong arguments in favor of infant baptism.

Some in 1524 began to refuse to have their children baptized. When the city council ordered it, they openly refused. In January 1525, the question was debated with Zwingli and others. The Anabaptists were led by Conrad Grebel, Felix Manz, and Wilhelm Reublin. Zwingli would not budge, adn the dissidents were again ordered to baptize their children or face banishment from the city.