Strength to Strength welcomed Edsel Burdge to discuss the early Anabaptists’ understanding of separation.
This message explores the roots of early Anabaptism, the 500th anniversary of believer’s baptism in Zurich (1525), and the Schleitheim Articles of 1527. Learn how Michael Sattler and the Swiss Brethren emphasized separation from the world, non-resistance, discipleship, and living as a distinct people under Christ’s kingdom.
Join us to discover:
- Why the term “Anabaptist” was a nickname and why many rejected it
- The story of the first believer’s baptism in Zurich in 1525
- How the Schleitheim Confession (Seven Articles) shaped Swiss Brethren life
- Michael Sattler’s powerful defense of faith and separation
- The Biblical call from 2 Corinthians 6 to “come out and be separate”
This teaching challenges modern Christians to reconsider what it means to be truly set apart from the world while faithfully following Jesus.
An interactive question-and-answer period follows.
Edsel Burdge works at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College.
He and his wife Jennifer are members of the Shippensburg Christian Fellowship.
They are blessed with six children and four grandchildren.
The Strength to Strength podcast is available through many outlets. Listen online, download episodes, or subscribe through your preferred provider.
Use our Dial-A-Message service to listen by phone, code 9254#. Click here for more information.
This presentation is part of a series called “Sacred Roots: Rediscovering the Ancient Faith.” Be sure to follow the entire series:
AD 0–100 (Apostolic era):
- Talk 1 — “Sacred Roots: Why Study Church History” by David Anderson
- Talk 2 — “Sacred Roots: The Book of Acts: The Kingdom of God Fills the Earth” by Finny Kuruvilla
- Talk 3 — “Sacred Roots: The Book of Acts: Descriptive or Prescriptive?” by Finny Kuruvilla
- Talk 5 — “Sacred Roots: Why ‘Above All’ Matters: Moses, Jesus, James, Paul, Maximilian, and You” by Zack Johnson
AD 100–300 (Ante-Nicene era):
- Talk 4 — “Sacred Roots: Why Study the Early Christians” by David Bercot
- Talk 8 — “Sacred Roots: Practical Distinctives of the Early Church” by David Anderson
- Talk 16 — “Sacred Roots: Canonization of the New Testament” by Philip Hess
- Talk 6 — “Sacred Roots: Gnosticism: The First Serious Threat to the Church” by Stephen Russell
- Talk 7 — “Sacred Roots: Neo-gnosticism: Today’s Most Serious Threat to the Church” by Stephen Russell
- Talk 14 — “Sacred Roots: Nature of the Church: ‘Assembly of the Saints’ vs. ‘Hospital for Sinners'” by David Anderson
- Talk 10 — “Sacred Roots: Beyond the West: How Africa Shaped Christianity” by Anan Twijjukye
300–800 (early Medieval era)
- Talk 11 — “Sacred Roots: Trinity and Christology – part 1” by David Anderson
- Talk 12 — “Sacred Roots: Trinity and Christology – part 2” by David Anderson
- Talk 9 — “Sacred Roots: Development of the Relationship Between Church and State” by Stephen Russell
800-1400 (late Medieval era)
- Talk 15 — “Sacred Roots: Monasticism: Holiness and the Communal Rhythm of Life” by David Anderson
- Talk 13 — “Sacred Roots: Medieval Europe: The Dark Ages, or…?” by Stephen Russell
1400–1600 (Reformation era)
- Talk 17 — “Sacred Roots: Setting the Stage for the Reformation” by Stephen Russell
- Talk 18 — “Sacred Roots: Panel discussion Q&A on church history” by Stephen Russell, Finny Kuruvilla, David Anderson, and Philip Hess
- Talk 19 — “Sacred Roots: The Radical Reformation: A Model for Our Time” by Dean Taylor
- Talk 20 — “Sacred Roots: The Anabaptists, the Sacraments, and the Words of Jesus” by Dean Taylor
- Talk 21 — “Sacred Roots: Q&A on the Anabaptists’ Understanding of the Sacraments” by Dean Taylor
- Talk 22 — “Sacred Roots: Martyrs Only in the Past: What About Us?” by Stephen Gingerich
- Talk 23 — “Sacred Roots: Faith at the Stake: Michael Sattler and the Cost of Discipleship” by Finny Kuruvilla
- Talk 24 — “Sacred Roots: Separation—a Swiss Brethren Article of Faith” by Edsel Burdge
- Talk 25 — “Sacred Roots: How the Reformers Slipped in Soteriology” by Philip Hess