Though the Protestant Reformers changed much within the church in the 16^th century, they left Christendom intact. Not only that but they also persecuted those who took the Reformation deeper and further and who wanted to dismantle the church-state system built since the fourth century. They were known as the Anabaptists – the ‘second baptisers’ – labelled as such because of their practise of baptising those who joined their ranks even though they had once been baptised as babies under the Christendom system.

The Anabaptists followed a similar path cut out by the earlier marginalised groups such as the Waldensians. Determined to push through the reforms even further than people like Luther and Calvin, they found themselves well and truly on the margins not only of secular life but church life too. Stuart Murray identifies three areas where these radical reformers were distinctly different.

First, their approach to biblical interpretation was to allow all the members of the congregation to participate in understanding the Bible as community. There was less emphasis on a monologue sermon and therefore an opportunity to communally discuss and learn from each other. They believed that the Bible, and especially the New Testament, should guide their ethical, everyday living and that the teachings of Jesus should be the norm not only for one class or believers set apart as monks, but for all. They believed their status on the margins helped them gain insight into the Bible that those in the centre of power could not have. Restoring Jesus to the centre of Christian life resulted in an emphasis on non-violent, peaceful living, on rejecting oath-taking, and on a simple life in terms of economics.

Second, the emphasis on church was that of a gathered community of believers in contrast to all who were born into society becoming baptised into the church. They therefore rejected infant baptism and were themselves re-baptised as believers even though this was punishable by death from 1529. But to them church membership was meant to be a voluntary thing. They also believed that church should be free from state control. Central to their church life was the principle of the priesthood of all believers which they followed through on in contrast to other Reformers such as Luther and Calvin.

Third, their emphasis on mission was very different since they rejected the belief that Europe was Christian. Though they were for religious liberty for all, they did passionately believe in evangelism and persuading people to become disciples of Jesus. Engaging with culture and the economic system was done through modelling a different way of doing things and then commending these principles to others.

Because they rejected the Christendom system they were viewed suspiciously by both the state and the church and faced much persecution. Remaining on the margins was the only option for them but in their response there is much to commend us as we too find ourselves on the margins of society today.