Radical Roots by Gareth Brandt celebrates the 500th anniversary of Anabaptist origins, but you don’t have to be Anabaptist or a history nerd to appreciate this collection of paintings, stories, and poems.
Gareth is a gifted storyteller, preacher, painter, and poet—the only one I know who can put my Yamasaki name in a poem called “How I Became an Anabaptist,” have it make sense, and even rhyme! It’s available in print in his new book and spoken on his youtube channel. He shared it in person with our writerly group, and it was a real treat!
One example from Radical Roots
The Schleitheim confession of faith dates from 1527 and outlines the main distinctives of the emerging Anabaptist movement. The full translation is available here, and in Radical Roots, Gareth summarizes and simplifies it this way:
THE SCHLEITHEIM CONFESSION
(Much Abridged Modern Version)
- Baptism is a choice to follow Jesus.
- Be accountable to each other.
- Eating together is a sign of unity.
- Be counter-cultural in your lifestyle.
- Gatherings should have a leader.
- Don’t kill or harm anyone.
- Keep your speech simple.
I appreciate the way Gareth provides this historical anchor and is able to expess it in language for today. The Schleitheim confession is part of the historical roots of Anabaptism, and Gareth’s version sounds like good grounding for the church in our day too.
Enter the book draw
I’m happy to host a draw for a free copy of this book, which is a creative and accessible introduction to the early Anabaptist movement. To enter, please leave a reply to this post by December 20 when the contest closes.
Gareth Brandt describes himself as “a freelance artist, itinerant speaker, and independent scholar.” He has served a number of Mennonite congregations across Canada and taught spiritual formation and Anabaptist history as a college professor for more than two decades.
When You Work for the Church 
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