BOOK REVIEW
by Charles Kiker
The Naked Anabaptist: The Bare Essentials of a Radical Faith
by Stuart Murray.
Paperback: Herald Press, 2010.
by Stuart Murray.
Paperback: Herald Press, 2010.
In fulfillment of the promise of the subtitle, the author outlines seven core convictions of Anabaptism relevant for today:
- Jesus is example, teacher, friend, redeemer and Lord.
- Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation.
- Western culture is slowly emerging from Christendom.
- The frequent association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate for and damages the witness of followers of Jesus.
- Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission.
- Spirituality and economics are interconnected. Anabaptists are committed to finding ways of living simply, sharing generously, caring for creation, and working for justice.
- Peace is at the heart of the gospel. Anabaptists are committed to finding nonviolent alternatives and to learning to make peace between individuals, within and among churches, in society, and between nations.
Subsequent chapters elaborate on these convictions.
Murray names the big three among traditional Anabaptists as Mennonites, Amish, and Hutterites. (He fails to elaborate on the diversity among Mennonites.) Non-traditional Anabaptists include neo-Anabaptists—Christians who identify with Anabaptist tradition but have no historic links to any Anabaptist-related denomination—and hyphenated Anabaptists—Christians who find inspiration in the Anabaptist tradition but do not identify themselves as Anabaptist. Examples could include Baptist-Anabaptists, Methodist-Anabaptist and various other Denomination-Anabaptist varieties. The distinction between hyphenated and neo-Anabaptists is somewhat strained. For example, if I am an active, participating Methodist with Anabaptist convictions, am I neo or hyphenated?
A recurring theme of this book is the end of Constantinian Christianity. Murray not only acknowledges, but celebrates the demise of Christendom.
This is a helpful book for understanding Anabaptism. It provides a historical overview of the movement that can serve as a refresher course for many of us who have become a bit rusty in our church history, and as an introduction to those who have no previous knowledge of the radical reformation. The author paints the origins of Anabaptism warts and all. Radical reformers and their spiritual heirs are usually thought of as pacifists, but some among early Anabaptists resorted to violence, i.e., the instigators of the Peasants Revolt. While the historical section of this book is no more than a sketch, hopefully it will pique the interest of some to dig deeper into the witness of this important part of the Christian family.
Charles Kiker is a retired American Baptist Minister
