The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism [Paperback]

William Roscoe Estep (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1996

Incorporates latest research.

Product Details

• Paperback: 332 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub Co; 3 Rev Sub edition (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802808867
• ISBN-13: 978-0802808868
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #71,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > Christian Books & Bibles > Protestantism > Baptist

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good historical review of the early Anabaptists., October 25, 2000

By 

Mark Howells (Puyallup, Washington State, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism (Paperback)

Gives the historical background, foundation, and progress of the "re-baptizers" as their critics called them. The ministries of the early Anabaptist leaders are followed in detail in both Switzerland, Germany, and Holland. After a historical review of each leader's influence on the movement, the latter half of the book provides a detailed examination of these leaders' positions on matters of doctrine such as infant baptism, the trinity, pacifism, the swearing of oaths, the ban, and civil authority.

Perhaps the most interesting sections of this book relates to the ongoing and violent persecutions which befell the early Anabaptists. Not only the dominant Catholic hierarch but their fellow Reformers made martyrs out of the early Anabaptists. The arguments and misrepresentations made against the Anabaptists by their Catholic and Protestant tormentors helps to define what these people did, in fact, believe in.

A great book for understanding where the Mennonites, Hutterites, and other Anabaptists came from.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A positive but realistic introduction to the topic, October 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism (Paperback)

This book helps to trace the remarkable strands of this brave movement. All of today's Christians owe a great deal to these pioneers in the demolition of sacralism. Today, if we choose to let our children decide for themselves whether or not to be baptised into the faith, we must credit the people described in this book with the opportunity to do so. As monumental as their thinking was, they are accurately portrayed in this book as the same sort of flawed human beings that we are. The writing is simultaneously sympathetic and honest - an excellent balance.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good tribute to the unsung heroes of the reformation, June 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Anabaptist Story: An Introduction to Sixteenth-Century Anabaptism (Paperback)

I read this book for an Anabaptist history class at a denominational school with direct lineage to the Anabapist movement. I myself did not grow up in this tradition, but have grown to love many aspects of it. This book has surely contributed to this. Estep does a great of job cutting out the fluff and writing a straight forward book on the movement. I particularly liked the last section of the book which focused on the probable Anabaptist connection to the Baptists. Since my theology leans more towards Baptist thinking, particularly the Reformed variety, this was most interesting to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about the Anabaptist movement and its contributions to modern Christianity.