The initiative for the establishment of the Association came out of a meeting in Tasmania in May 1995 of Christians from a variety of denominational backgrounds who had been influenced in a variety of ways by the Anabaptist tradition. To provide a means of building on the contacts established at the meeting, the Anabaptist Network of Australia and New Zealand was formed. The Anabaptist Network became the Anabaptist Association of Australia and New Zealand following its incorporation in 1998.
Purposes of the Association
1. to nurture and support the Christian faith of individuals and groups in Australia and New Zealand who identify with the Anabaptist tradition.
2. to network and link individuals, churches and groups of Christians who share a common Anabaptist understanding of the Christian faith.
3. to provide religious services including teaching, training, pastoral care, mediation, and counsel to its members and others interested in the Anabaptist tradition.
4. to provide resources and materials relating to the tradition, perspectives, and teaching of Anabaptists to both the Christian and general public.
5. to convene conferences and gatherings which provide opportunity for worship, teaching, training, consultation, celebration, and prayer in the Anabaptist tradition.
6. to extend the awareness of Anabaptism in Australia and New Zealand assisting individuals, churches and groups discover and express their links with the Anabaptist tradition.
7. to provide an opportunity for affiliation for churches and groups who wish to be known in Australia and New Zealand as Anabaptists.
Priorities for the network
1. To develop creative strategies and accessible resources that will enable Christians from many traditions to learn from and draw on the Anabaptist tradition.
2. To increase the profile of the network so that it can more effectively enable theAnabaptist voice to be heard.
3. To encourage the development and interaction of a network of congregations and church plants that are drawing consciously on the Anabaptist tradition.
