Menno Simons

Menno Simons 1496-1561 

A Dutchman, he was ordained Roman priest in 1524, before embracing reformation truth. 

Advocated pacifism, though was himself a hunted man for much of his life.

Prolific church planter and preached against violence, at a time when some anabaptists engaged violently, and most sixteenth-century rulers saw them as a bloody, combative group. 

Opposed the ultra-charismatics, teaching against private revelations, which sometimes plagued many anabaptist congregations:

“Are you claiming hat the teaching of Christ and his apostles was imperfect but that your teachers are now bringing forth the perfect doctrine?”

“I have no visions, no angelic inspirations. In fact I do not even desire them, in case I should be deceived. The word of Christ alone, that is enough for me!”

He did have some odd beliefs, for example, the 'heavenly flesh'. This is the idea that Christ got his flesh from God not from Mary, so that he might be sinless and not corrupted by Adam and Eve's guilt. 

Furthermore, he accepted the apocrypha as scripture, and rejected predestination: man’s free will cooperated with God’s grace. Today we would describve him as an Arminan. 

His followrers, the Mennonites, are now found in 87 countries across six continents.