# Menno Simons

Menno Simons’s ministry, 1536–1561 · Overview

Menno Simons was a former Dutch priest who became an influential Anabaptist teacher. The Mennonite name preserves his association with the communities he helped strengthen; it does not make every later branch the work of one founder.

A revealing passage in Martyrs’ Mirror occurs in Herman Vleckwijk’s prison disputation. Pressed about Menno and other teachers, Herman answers that his trust rests in God rather than in any man. The exchange shows both Menno’s public prominence and the believer’s insistence that Scripture and Christ stood above a teacher’s reputation.



- [Mennonite Church USA: history and traditions](https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-mennonites/faq-about-mennonites/)
- [Disputation between herman vleckwijk, imprisoned by the lords of the country van den vrye in bruges, and friar cornelis, in the presence of mr. jan van dam, on the 1oth of may, a. d. 1569.](/en/stories/mm-disputation-between-herman-vleckwijk-imprisoned-by-the-lords-of-the-country-van-den-vrye-in-bruges-and-friar-cornelis-in/)

---

Page: https://history.truechristian.church/en/people/menno-simons/

[Contribute a correction or addition](https://github.com/trueChristian/history.truechristian.church/issues/new?title=Correction%3A+Menno+Simons&body=%23%23+Page+or+topic%0AMenno+Simons%0A%0APage%3A+https%3A%2F%2Fhistory.truechristian.church%2Fen%2Fpeople%2Fmenno-simons%2F%0A%0ARecord%3A+menno-simons%0A%0ADate+currently+shown%3A+Menno+Simons%E2%80%99s+ministry%2C+1536%E2%80%931561%0A%0A%23%23+Correction+or+addition%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Sources+and+evidence%0APlease+include+book%2Fpage+references%2C+archive+links%2C+or+first-hand+documentation.%0A%0A%0A%0A%23%23+Image+credit+%28if+applicable%29%0ACreator%2C+source%2C+and+permission+or+public-domain+basis.%0A%0A%0A%0ASubmitted+for+review%3B+this+issue+does+not+publish+changes+automatically.)