trip to Switzerland, advice apprichiated.

Hello brothers and sisters

In a few weeks Ive been blessed with the opportunity to visit Switzerland. I do not have so much time for "freetime" but i might have one afternoon and one evening in Zurich. I will be going there for work but to be honest to tread the land where men and women like Felix Mantz, Conrad Grebel among others walked, where the first adult baptism took place in "modern history" excites me more then the work part. From the christian history perspective this is a town filled with "milestone" events and amazing movement from almighty god.

As a christian believer i have found it fascinating to read church history, and the group that most challenged me and that i found to be a wonderful move by God where the anabaptists, and seeing this move of God was birth in Zürich I would if time allows perhaps visit some of the places that are still around that has some history to them, I know the place where the first martyr by the reformers hand is in the middle of Zürich in the river that flows through the town and is marked out (Felix Mantz). But i was wondering if anyone has visited some of these historic places with connection to the anabaptist and the reformation? if anyone has any recommendation or has visited Zürich or lives nearby feel free to email me, email is found in my profile.

Thank you in advance.

Brother Christian

Zürich is one of my favourite cities! You might find these links to be helpful:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alan.pibworth/anabaptists/

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=onBZhX0H9YkC&pg=PA176&dq=switzerland+tourism+christian&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VeaaT9PPEMW40QWhx52-Dw&ved=0CE4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=switzerland%20tourism%20christian&f=false

You might want to take the train to the nearby canton Schaffhausen (about an hour by train from Zurich Hauptbahnhof). There is supposedly an Anabaptist exhibition there:

http://amishmennoniteineurope.blogspot.co.uk/2008/06/schleitheim.html

Look out for the stunning Rhine Falls during the train ride!

If you're keen on visiting the Rhine falls too: from Schaffhausen station, take Bus No. 1 to Neuhausen am Rheinfall; stop at Zentrum, it's then a 10 minute walk to Schlössli Wörth.

I might as well ask a quick question...

What are the differences between Anabaptists and Baptists? And historically, how are the two groups related?

thank you for that link, i will try find out that spot of the river also and a few other sites, it would be nice to find Grebels house also where they had their bible studies and the first baptism took place.

as for the difference between anabptists and baptist are many, baptists as we know them today come in many groups, the closest i think to embrace the heritage of the anabaptist would be the Mennonites and amish are groups that has descended from the anabaptists.

But many of them where martyred for being baptized a second time as adults, the catholics and reformers did not embrace this doctrine in practice and so if you are in a group of believers that believes in baptizing after you repented you can "theologically" trace your roots back to these men and the movement that started in Zurich.

If God had not moved through these men we could all be living under the Catholic darkness still in theory that is...

You'll be visiting my homeland! I am from the nearby city of Winterthur and my brother still lives in Zurich. We became Christians and were baptized on the confession of our faith (by a Mennonite church)after emigrating to Canada,so I feel a strong connection to the Annabaptists based on the same heritage and faith. Unfortunately, while still living there day in and day out, we did not value the places, people and stories of the reformation, it was "just" part of local history. Therefore I'm not sure I can help you out much but I will email you so that you can ask if you have any questions.