Sept. 6, 2010 issue
Swiss family returns to Anabaptism
By Lewis OverholtPage:
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Three hundred years of Anabaptist history came full circle Aug. 8 when Simon and Regula Fankhauser of Trub, Switzerland, were baptized.
In 1710, Simon’s ancestor, Christian Fankhauser, a leader in the Anabaptist movement, was banished from Bern and shipped down the Rhine River toward Holland. Under threat of death, he was warned never to return.
But secretly he did return to Switzerland later that year because he could not bear to be separated from his family.
All who have visited the Anabaptist barn and hiding place at the Hinter-Huetten farm at the end of Trub Valley will remember Simon and Regula Fankhauser with their three children and their joyful story 12 generations removed from their ancestor, Christian.
The Fankhauser barn, with its secret hiding place under the floor of the hay mow, is now on Switzerland’s national registry of historic sites. Every time we visit we sense history unfolding before our eyes.
On three tours this summer we were deeply touched by Simon’s stirring testimony as he shared the history of his Anabaptist ancestors and their journeys of faith.
Because of a family tragedy, both Regula and Simon, who come from the Swiss Reformed church tradition, have only in the past several years come to a personal faith in Christ.
They became active in a Swiss Reformed church in the village of Trub. Regula was soon in charge of the children’s Sunday school class. But tensions began to surface when the pastor began criticizing Regula for her vibrant style of storytelling and for concentrat- ing on Jesus so strongly.
Sensing they were no longer welcome, the Fankhausers became a part of a house church in Langnau. There they blossomed in their faith.
As Simon joyfully shared his newfound faith with our group, a tour member asked if he was now an Anabaptist. He affirmed this.
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