Anabaptists are Christians who believe in delaying baptism until the candidate confesses his or her faith in Christ, as opposed to being baptized as an infant. The Amish, Hutterites, and Mennonites are direct descendants of the movement. ... They said that baptizing self-confessed believers was their first true baptism.

What were the Anabaptists known for?

Anabaptists (meaning "re-baptizers") represent a radical Protestant tradition tracing its history to the 16th century C.E. reformer Ulrich Zwingli. ... Another defining characteristic of Anabaptists is their belief in the separation of church and state, and the concept that the church represents the community of saved.

What did the Anabaptists do and why?

Most Anabaptists were pacifists who opposed war and the use of coercive measures to maintain the social order; they also refused to swear oaths, including those to civil authorities. For their teachings regarding baptism and for the apparent danger they posed to the political order, they were ubiquitously persecuted.