Emerging around 1525, the Anabaptist and broader Radical Reformation movements represented a significant departure from both the established Roman Catholic Church and the emerging mainstream Protestant denominations. These groups sought a more thorough restoration of early Christian practices, often prioritising individual conscience and communal living over the institutional structures of the time.

The core tenets of these movements challenged the religious and political status quo of 16th-century Europe. By rejecting infant baptism in favour of adult confession of faith, they fundamentally altered the relationship between the individual and the church. Their primary beliefs included:

• The practice of adult baptism for believers.
• A commitment to voluntary discipleship.
• Strict separation between the church and the coercive power of the state.
• The promotion of pacifism and non-resistance.
• The establishment of autonomous, gathered congregations.

Because their insistence on the separation of church and state threatened the social order, early adherents faced widespread and severe persecution from both Catholic and Protestant authorities. Despite this hostility, their theological contributions persisted and eventually shaped the development of later Mennonite, Baptist, and various other free church traditions.