Pacifism is a term that generally means that peaceful rather than violent or
aggressive relations should govern human interaction and that arbitration, surrender, or
relocation should be used to resolve disputes. The idea of pacifism is one of the many
ideologies that set the Anabaptist movement apart from the rest of the Protestant
movement. Many people during the early stages of the Anabaptist Movement
considered them radical reformists and they strongly believed that Pacifism was an
essential portion of what they considered “THE” form of Christianity. In September
1524, Conrad Grebel had discussed with his “Church of Believers
Sword which had seemed to lead these “Anabaptists” to embrace the idea of Pacifism.
That statement by Grebel stated; “The gospel and its adherents are not to be protected
by the sword, nor should they protect themselves... True believing Christians are sheep
among wolves, sheep for the slaughter. They must be baptized in anguish and
tribulation, persecution, suffering and death, tried in fire, and must reach the fatherland
o f eternal rest not by slaying the physical but the spiritual. They use neither worldly
sword nor war, since killing has ceased with them entirely.” This statement by Grebel is
saying that his group of believers or “Anabaptists” should not relate themselves with
the government or try to use as many ways as possible to solve disputes without violent
confrontations as humanly possible.
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