Exploring Anabaptist History and Theology
An online short course
Taught by Jamie Pitts, PhD
Dates: Oct. 22 鈥� Dec. 9, 2025
Early registration deadline: Oct. 1, 2025
Final registration deadline: Oct. 15, 2025
This online short course, Exploring Anabaptist History and Theology, covers the birth and development of the Anabaptist movements in the 16th century, giving special attention to their theological, social, and political contexts. In addition to surveying the history and theology of the first Anabaptists, the course looks at various interpretations of “Anabaptism” and its meaning today. Students will be challenged to draw connections between the 16th century and their own life and ministry.
After a general introduction to the material, we will look at the history of early Anabaptism in the three primary central European areas where it first developed: Switzerland, south Germany and Austria and the Netherlands and north Germany. We will also see how Anabaptism spread through persecution and mission. Many Anabaptists settled and thrived in relatively safe places such as Moravia.
Studying this material will give us insight into the diversity of the early Anabaptist movements. Students will be challenged to offer an account of Anabaptism and its meaning for today that accounts for its historical diversity. We will end our time by examining some of the theological topics Anabaptists held most dearly: Jesus, the Holy Spirit and discipleship.
Short course students are expected to read assigned materials and complete short assignments, writing in an online discussion forum. Students manage their own time to meet weekly assignment deadlines.
This online short course includes an optional video conference meeting with the instructor every Tuesday evening from 6 to 7 p.m. ET during the six-week course. These meetings will be recorded for participants who aren鈥檛 able to attend.
Jamie Pitts, PhD, is Professor of Anabaptist Studies at bg真人.
Cost
- Early registration: $300 US per course
- Regular registration: $350 US per course
- Anabaptist Short Course Bundle: $995 US total for four courses!*
- Global South Scholarships are available. .
- Participants should expect to pay for one or two textbooks.
* ‘Challenging Christian Nationalism’ and ‘Biblical Interpretation Across the Two Testaments‘ are not included in the Anabaptist Short Course Bundle.
Anabaptist Short Course Bundle discount!
Only $995 US total for four Anabaptist short courses. Register online and select the bundle price.
Short course details
How short courses work
Courses are offered online and last six weeks each. Short course students聽are expected to complete coursework on their own and post to an online forum weekly. Short courses also include optional, weekly, live video conversations with instructors. These conversations are recorded for class members who cannot attend.
Short courses explore topics like Anabaptist history, biblical study,聽spiritual and ethical issues, and more. These non-credit聽courses involve readings from textbooks and online articles and include written forum discussion. You won’t receive a grade, but readings and discussion are comparable to seminary-level work, and professors assume you have critical thinking skills and some previous academic study.
Online course requirements
You will need:
- High speed internet access
- Access to a computer with a web browser, a word processing program, and a PDF file reader (such as Adobe Reader)
- An email account
- Basic computer skills
- One or two textbooks selected by the professor, available from a web source
Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are available. Upon the completion of course requirements, you can earn 2.4 CEUs. However, no academic credit is awarded and these courses do not meet any requirements in the bg真人 Master of Divinity or Master of Arts programs of study.
Before you register
Online learning is not for everyone. To help evaluate your skills and abilities to benefit from an online course, please follow provided by Washington Online. Question 5 asks about available time to devote to the course. Short courses require, on average, 5-10 hours per week rather than the 10-15 hours mentioned in the quiz. With this in mind, we encourage you to take the quiz and find out whether you are a good candidate for online learning.
Refunds
Before the early registration deadline, cancellations will be refunded, less US$50. After this date, cancellations will be granted credit, less US$50, toward a future short course within one year. Refund credits must be requested within one week of the beginning of the event.
Questions? Contact us!
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