The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has expressed "deep and abiding sorrow" for the persecution of Anabaptists nearly five centuries ago in Europe.
The ELCA’s church council, which issued the apology at its biennial meeting Nov. 11–13, hopes it will soothe relations between the ELCA and present-day Anabaptists, including the Mennonite Church USA.
"The council acted because past statements have become problematic for the ELCA’s present-day relationships with" Mennonites "and other Christians who trace their heritage to the 16th century Anabaptist reformers," the ELCA said in a news release.
During the 16th-century Protestant reformation, early reformers such as Martin Luther argued that Anabaptists and others who do not practice infant baptism should be punished by civil authorities. Moreover the Augsburg Confession, an expression of faith and doctrine written around 1530 and still honored by Lutherans, explicitly condemns Anabaptists for adult baptism and their theology of grace.
Scores of early Anabaptists, whose name means "re-baptizers," were executed for baptizing adults; Anabaptists believe one must be an adult to understand the implications of the sacrament. Some of the Anabaptists’ spiritual descendants, including the Amish and Old Order Mennonites, still bear a mistrust of civil authorities, and illustrated copies of the book "Martyrs Mirror" are found in many Amish homes and schools.
The ELCA council said that the condemnations in the Augsburg Confession do not apply to today’s Mennonite Church USA. The council also said it "rejects the arguments" by Luther and other early reformers "in which they hold that governmental authorities should punish Anabaptists for their teaching."
Since 2002, the ELCA and Mennonite Church USA have been engaged in dialogue about the historic tensions between their denominations.
Joseph Crippen, a member of the ELCA council, said the apology "is incredibly well done and has been received well by the Mennonite Church." (RNS)
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