Schleitheim Confession - Definition and Overview

The Schleitheim Confession was a declaration of Swiss Anabaptist belief, endorsed unanimously by a meeting of Swiss Anabaptists in 1527 in Schleitheim (Switzerland). The meeting was chaired by Michael Sattler.

The Confession consisted of seven articles:

• Baptism
• The Ban (Excommunication)
• Breaking of Bread (Communion)
• Separation from Evil
• Pastors in the Church
• The Sword
• The Oath

The Seven Articles were written during a time of severe persecution. They were not meant to be a full statement of Christian doctrine, but rather a statement against what the Anabaptists felt were unsound doctrines during that period.

External links

• The Schleitheim Confession (http://www.anabaptistnetwork.com/schleitheimconfession) - full text of all seven articles and the opening and closing letters