Discussion Questions

Dean Taylor says Holland’s Anabaptist beginnings were “started on a very bad foot,” creating “desperateness” that later shaped Menno Simons’ severity; what does this suggest about how God sometimes allows a movement to begin with deep disorder, and how should that affect the way Christians judge messy awakenings? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If this movement started in chaos and later shaped Menno Simons to be harsh, what might that say about God allowing messy beginnings? How should Christians respond to “messy” revivals instead of judging them too quickly?

Milchor Hoffman boldly told political lords, “If all the emperors, kings, prince, popes, bishops, and cardinals should be together… the truth shall and must be known”; what view of God’s authority and truth is driving that courage, and where might that same impulse become dangerous when detached from humility and accountability? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What did Hoffman believe about God’s authority and truth that made him speak so boldly to rulers? When can that same boldness become dangerous if it isn’t shaped by humility and accountability?

Hoffman later said, “I stand alone in the word of God. Let each do likewise”; how does that statement sound like radical faithfulness, and how might it also conflict with the early Christian assumption of the church as a guarded “deposit” of faith (“once for all delivered”) rather than isolated individuals interpreting alone? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does “I stand alone in the word of God” sound like strong faith? How could it also clash with the early Christian idea that the faith is protected and shared by the church, not just decided by individuals?

The lesson highlights Hoffman’s adoption of “divine flesh” Christology (Jesus “placed in Mary” rather than taking Mary’s flesh), partly tied to concerns about purity and atonement; what does this reveal about the human impulse to protect God’s holiness with speculative theology, and how should Christians discern when “defending purity” starts reshaping the incarnation beyond Scripture? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does Hoffman’s “divine flesh” view show about people trying to protect God’s holiness by making up detailed ideas? How can Christians tell when “defending purity” starts changing what Scripture teaches about Jesus becoming human?

In Emden, a revival included “burgermeisters… and peasants, lord and servants,” raising the question of “What do you do with these magistrates when they get born again?”—how would the early church’s refusal to baptize officials who “wear the purple” or participate in executions confront modern assumptions about Christian citizenship, policing, military service, and political power? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If government leaders and people with power became Christians, what should they do about jobs that involve violence or executions? How does the early church’s hesitation to baptize officials challenge how we think about politics, police work, and military service today?

After executions in Holland, Hoffman proposed stopping baptism and communion because Jesus would return soon: “When Jesus gets here, we’ll talk to him about it”; what does that reveal about how eschatology can suspend obedience, and where do modern Christians subtly adopt the same logic (“God will sort it out later”) in discipleship? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does stopping baptism and communion because “Jesus will return soon” show about end-times beliefs being used to avoid obedience? Where do Christians today live like “God will deal with it later” instead of obeying now?

Dean Taylor calls Hoffman’s publishing of dreams and prophecies a “dangerous door,” because it put ongoing revelations “in par with the scripture”; using his in-class questions (Holy Spirit speaking vs. misinterpretation), what concrete practices should a church adopt to “judge these inner feelings” without quenching the Spirit or enthroning private impressions? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What should a church do to test “inner feelings,” dreams, or prophecies without shutting down the Holy Spirit? What practical steps help keep private impressions from being treated like Scripture?

Hoffman went “willfully and cheerfully and happily to prison,” cutting off his hose and vowing bread and water until he could “point out… the one who had sent him”; how do you distinguish genuine martyr-like surrender to God from theatrical certainty fueled by false prophecy, and what criteria would you use in a real community when someone claims a dramatic divine commission? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How can you tell the difference between real surrender to God and a dramatic act driven by false prophecy? If someone claims a big message from God, what tests should the church use before trusting it?

Dean argues it’s unfair to label anyone who practices adult baptism as “Anabaptist,” just as it’s unfair to call all infant-baptizers “Catholic”; what does this imply about how God views movements by their “ethos” and center, and how should Christians resist guilt-by-association narratives (like blaming all Anabaptists for Münster) in today’s denominational conflicts? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If it’s unfair to label all adult-baptizers “Anabaptist,” what does that teach about judging groups by stereotypes instead of their true center? How can Christians avoid guilt-by-association stories in church and denominational fights today?

In Münster’s build-up, reform became fused with violence, wealth promises (“the poorest… dressed as finely as the highest”), and a focus on “rebaptism” as an end-times mark rather than the new birth; where do you see modern Christianity tempted to offer similar “kingdom now” outcomes (status, security, equality-through-power) and what would it practically look like for your church to re-center on Dean’s test: “If it doesn’t circle around Jesus… it’s not Christianity”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where is Christianity today tempted to promise “kingdom now” results like status, safety, or equality gained through power? What would it look like for your church to refocus on Jesus as the center—because if it doesn’t circle around him, it isn’t Christianity?