Swiss Brethren

Anabaptist group

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July 14, 2026

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The Swiss Brethren were a radical reform movement within the Anabaptist tradition that emerged in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1525. Founded by Konrad Grebel, the group broke from the reformer Huldrych Zwingli over the issue of infant baptism, advocating instead for adult baptism based on a public profession of faith. This stance implied a separation of church and state, as they believed the church should be composed only of committed believers, free from secular control.12

The Swiss Brethren emphasized a simple life, rejected violence, and faced significant persecution from authorities. Their beliefs and practices influenced the broader Mennonite movement, named after Menno Simons, who consolidated and institutionalized Anabaptist teachings.12

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Mennonite
Reformation origins
…origins particularly to the so-called Swiss Brethren, an Anabaptist group that formed near Zürich on January 21, 1525, in the face of imminent persecution for their rejection of the demands of the Zürich reformer Huldrych Zwingli. Although these demands centred on infant baptism, which Anabaptist leaders Konrad Grebel, Felix Manz,…
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…origins particularly to the so-called Swiss Brethren, an Anabaptist group that formed near Zürich on January 21, 1525, in the face of imminent persecution for their rejection of the demands of the Zürich reformer Huldrych Zwingli. Although these demands centred on infant baptism, which Anabaptist leaders Konrad Grebel, Felix Manz,…
Read More