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Bible Dictionaries
Mennonite Bodies
1910 New Catholic Dictionary
or
A religious group which began in Holland about the time of the Reformation. The members held the doctrine of believers' baptism and opposed infant baptism. A leader in the organization of the church was Menno Simons, a former Catholic priest. Although the name "Mennonite" dates from 1550, the usual name in Holland is "Doopsgezinde," or "Dooper," the Dutch equivalent for the English "Baptist." On account of almost universal religious intolerance in Europe, early in the 17th century a band of Mennonites came over to America. The first Mennonite colony was formed in 1683 at Germantown, Pennsylvania. They soon spread northward and westward. A number of minor divisions have" taken place since settlement in this country. "A Declaration of the Chief Articles of our Common Christian Faith," was made in Dort, Holland, in 1632. These 18 articles are accepted by the great majority of Mennonite churches today. Nearly all congregations observe the Lord's Supper twice a year, and the majority of them "observe the ordinance of washing the saints feet in connection with and immediately after the Lord's Supper." Baptism is by pouring in nearly all Mennonite bodies. With two exceptions the church government in different Mennonite bodies is the same, i.e.,the local church is autonomous, deciding all matters affecting itself. The Mennonite churches include:
- Amish Mennonite Church
- Central Conference of Mennonites
- Church of God In Christ (Mennonite)
- Conservative Amish Mennonite Church
- Defenseless Mennonites
- General Conference of the Mennonite Church of North America
- Kleine Gemeinde
- Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church
- Mennonite Brethren Church of North America
- Mennonite Brethren in Christ
- Mennonite Church
- Old Order Amish Mennonite Church
- Old Order Mennonites (Wisler)
- Reformed Mennonite Church
- Stauffer Mennonites
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Entry for 'Mennonite Bodies'. 1910 New Catholic Dictionary. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/ncd/m/mennonite-bodies.html. 1910.
