Biography Menno Simons

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 roman catholic church
1.3 anabaptists

biography
early life

menno simons born in 1496 in witmarsum, friesland, holy roman empire. little known concerning childhood , family except grew in poor peasant environment. father s name simon, simons being patronym, , had brother named pieter.

simons grew in disillusioned war-torn country. friesland ravaged war in late 15th , 16th centuries. landsknecht soldiers haunted frisian lands in 1490s force free frisians accept duke of saxony-meissen head of state. duke governor of netherlands habsburg family. 1 of archenemies of habsburgs, duke of guelders, invaded friesland in 1515 , conquered half of it. saxony ceded other half habsburgs. frisians tried regain freedom weak , accepted imperial authority of habsburg emperor charles v.

simons learned latin , greek, , taught latin church fathers during training become priest. had never read bible, either before or during training priesthood, out of fear adversely influenced it. when later reflected upon period in life, called himself stupid.

roman catholic church

he ordained roman catholic priest in 1515 or 1516 @ utrecht. appointed chaplain in father s village pingjum (1524).

around 1526 or 1527, questions surrounding doctrine of transubstantiation caused menno simons begin serious , in-depth search of holy scriptures, confessed had not studied, being priest. @ time arrived @ have termed evangelical humanist position.

the house near bad oldesloe in simons believed have worked

menno s first knowledge of concept of rebaptism , said sounded strange me , came in 1531 after hearing of beheading of sicke freerks snijder @ leeuwarden being rebaptized [ snijder , meaning tailor , not family name, since freerks patronym form of freerk , sicke was, in fact, tailor trade). renewed search of scriptures left menno simons believing infant baptism not in bible. discussed issue pastor, searched church fathers, , read works of martin luther , heinrich bullinger. while still pondering issue, transferred witmarsum. here came direct contact anabaptists, preaching , practicing believer s baptism . later, of münsterite disciples came there well. while regarded them misled , fanatical, drawn zeal , views of bible, church, , discipleship.

in 1535, brother pieter among group of anabaptists killed near bolsward because of participation in violent takeover of catholic monastery known oldeklooster (or bloemkamp abbey). monastery, near bolsward in dutch province of friesland, seized on 30 march 1535 300 anabaptists of friesland, both men , women, led jan van geelen, emissary of anabaptists of münster. thereby won strong position , here tried conquer entire province. imperial stadholder georg schenck van toutenburg put in charge of capturing old monastery anabaptists. supposed able easily, found himself compelled conduct regular siege. on 1 april decided bombard monastery heavy artillery , tried storm it. 4 times had lead soldiers fire. on third assault succeeded in taking several positions. of fortifications , church remained in anabaptist possession. on 7 april monastery stormed after severe battle. 300 anabaptists killed. of ones did not lose lives in storming, 37 @ once beheaded , 132, both men , women, taken leeuwarden, 55 executed there after short trial. jan van geelen escaped.

after death of brother pieter, menno experienced spiritual , mental crisis. said prayed god sighs , tears give me, sorrowing sinner, gift of grace, create within me clean heart, , graciously through merits of crimson blood of christ, graciously forgive unclean walk , unprofitable life...

anabaptists

menno simons rejected catholic church , priesthood on 12 january 1536, casting lot anabaptists. exact date of new baptism unknown, baptized not long after leaving witmarsum in 1536. october 1536 connection anabaptism known, because in month herman , gerrit jans arrested , charged having lodged simons. ordained around 1537 obbe philips. obbe , brother, dirk philips, among peaceful disciples of melchior hoffman (the more radical of hoffman s followers having participated in münster rebellion). hoffman introduced first self-sustaining anabaptist congregation in netherlands, when taught , practiced believers baptism in emden in east frisia. menno simons rejected violence advocated münster movement, believing not scriptural. theology focused on separation world, , baptism repentance symbolized this.

for true evangelical faith of such nature cannot lie dormant; manifests in righteousness , works of love; dies unto flesh , blood; destroys forbidden lusts , desires; cordially seeks, serves , fears god; clothes naked; feeds hungry; consoles afflicted; shelters miserable; aids , consoles oppressed; returns evil; serves injure it; prays persecute it; teaches, admonishes , reproves word of lord; seeks lost; binds wounded; heals diseased , saves sound. persecution, suffering , anxiety befalls sake of truth of lord, glorious joy , consolation.

menno evidently rose become man of influence. before 1540, david joris, anabaptist of inspirationist variety, had been influential leader in netherlands. 1544, term mennonite or mennist used in letter refer dutch anabaptists.

twenty-five years after renunciation of catholicism, menno died on 31 january 1561 @ wüstenfelde, holstein, , buried in garden. married woman named gertrude, , had @ least 3 children, 2 daughters , son.