Menno Simons Research

Research in the realm of Mennonite thought, history and biography has been increasing since the beginning of this century and particularly since World War II. Approximately 120 doctoral dissertations alone were written in Europe and America since World War II dealing with some aspect of Anabaptism-Mennonitism. Numerous factors could be given as reasons. In Europe some confessional and denominational prejudices are disappearing because of the changing pattern of the European religio-cultural and political life. Some liberal Protestant theologians have become interested in the Left Wing Reformation and stimulated research in this field. On the other hand, the more tradition- bound scholars also have inspired the younger generation to investigate Anabaptism. The improved status of the Free Church in Europe has, since the great upheavals resulting from World Wars I and II, stimulated research. The old notion that the state church is the church and the splinter groups are sects is on its way out in European thinking. In America the theological and denominational atmosphere has more or less been of the nature of "to believe and let believe." Anabaptism, as a Left Wing of the Reformation, has found more attention in the realm of research than any other group of its size since World War II

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