Discussion Questions

Dean Taylor describes “Christian humanism” in Holland as Erasmus trying to argue that “these teachings of Jesus actually make sense,” yet without preaching repentance, new birth, or the cross; what does that combination suggest about how God relates to human reason, and where might Christians today subtly replace “biblical repentance” with “Christianity makes sense”? JumpstartAnother way to ask: If Erasmus said Jesus’ teachings “make sense” but skipped repentance, new birth, and the cross, what does that say about the limits of human reason in knowing God? Where do Christians today swap “repent and believe” for “Christianity is reasonable”?

The Brethren of the Common Life stressed the inner life and produced writings like *Imitation of Christ* (“What good does it do for us to debate on the Trinity if we don’t have the Trinity within our heart?”); how would early Christians have evaluated that emphasis on inner devotion alongside visible obedience, and where do modern churches drift toward either empty externals or private spirituality? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How would early Christians judge a strong focus on inner devotion if it isn’t matched by visible obedience? Where do churches today lean toward empty religious actions or, on the other side, a private faith with little obedience?

The transcript contrasts Holland’s high literacy and “metropolitan” feel with Switzerland’s mountain communities and autonomy; how did those social realities shape what kind of church structure and instincts seemed “obvious,” and what does that imply about how God works through (and despite) culture to preserve a faithful people? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How did Holland’s educated city life versus Switzerland’s independent mountain towns shape what kind of church setup felt normal to people? What does that show about how God works through culture—and also beyond it—to keep a faithful people?

Charles V’s crackdown and the Spanish Inquisition in Holland pushed the Reformation into a “grassroots movement”; how does the lesson’s portrayal of top-down vs bottom-up reform challenge modern evangelical assumptions about influence, political access, and what “success” in Christian renewal should look like? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does the story of harsh government crackdowns pushing the Reformation into a grassroots movement challenge our ideas about power, politics, and influence? What should “success” in Christian renewal look like if it isn’t mainly top-down?

Dean highlights that by 1530 there were no known Anabaptist records in Holland, yet Hoffman’s arrival “lit” a fire and the movement caught quickly; what does that rapid spread—followed by chaos—teach about God’s patience and the danger of zeal without grounded formation in Scripture? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does the fast spread of Anabaptism in Holland after Hoffman—followed by confusion—teach about zeal without being well-taught in Scripture? How might it also show God’s patience with immature movements?

Obe and Dirk Philips “rejected revelation over the scriptures,” and Dean warns it’s easy to laugh at Münster while we ourselves read “three sons” or personal signs as God’s will; where do Christians today practically treat subjective guidance as “more sure” than Scripture (2 Peter 1:19), and what disciplines would actually keep the Word as the final authority? JumpstartAnother way to ask: Where do Christians today treat personal signs, feelings, or “God told me” as more trustworthy than Scripture? What habits would help keep the Bible as the final authority (2 Peter 1:19)?

The Battenbergers argued “everything belonged to God,” so they felt justified taking property, killing, polygamy, and “sharing their wives”; how does that grotesque logic expose the difference between God’s ownership and human entitlement, and what respectable forms of the same attitude appear when Christians spiritualize greed, power, or control? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does the Battenbergers’ claim that “everything belongs to God” show the difference between God owning all things and people thinking they are entitled to take what they want? What more “respectable” versions of this show up when Christians excuse greed, power, or control?

Obe Philips was baptized and the next day ordained because “they all thought the world is ending”; what does that decision reveal about how fear and end-times urgency can warp church practice, and how should a biblical view of God’s timing shape training, ordination, and accountability? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does baptizing and ordaining someone almost immediately because people feared the world was ending show about how panic can twist church decisions? How should trusting God’s timing shape training, ordination, and accountability?

Dirk Philips is presented as a theological “straight shooter” who emphasized the visible church, nonresistance, and especially the ban—yet later Mennonite voices criticize him as “too strict” and interest in him declined when the ban became more lenient; what does this tension reveal about God’s holiness and mercy, and how do we discern when firmness is faithfulness versus when it becomes a refusal to bear with brothers? JumpstartAnother way to ask: What does the debate over Dirk Philips being “too strict,” especially about the ban, teach about God’s holiness and mercy? How can we tell when being firm is true faithfulness versus when it becomes unwillingness to be patient with other believers?

Menno Simons admits he was “scared of the scriptures,” questioned transubstantiation, then concluded infant baptism lacked biblical foundation after testing Augustine, Luther, Bucer, and Bullinger—yet later confessed his preaching was driven by greed, reputation, and sensual living; how does his journey confront modern evangelical confidence in being “right on doctrine,” and what would it look like for the new birth to produce the kind of visible fruit Menno says was missing even while his Bible knowledge increased? JumpstartAnother way to ask: How does Menno’s story challenge the idea that being right on doctrine means our hearts are right with God? What would it look like for the new birth to produce clear fruit in someone’s life, not just more Bible knowledge?