The Naked Anabaptist was written by Stuart Murray and published by Herald Press in 2010. I have read several books on the subject of the beliefs of the Anabaptists. This book tries to look at their basic beliefs stripped of all kinds of accretions. He comes up with seven basic beliefs.

1. The first is the centrality of Christ as example, teacher, friend, redeemer, and Lord.

2. Jesus is the focal point of God’s revelation and each believer has this truth revealed to him by the Holy Spirit.

3. We live in the post Christendom era. Anabaptists reject the standard Christian assumptions.

4. The association of the church with status, wealth, and force is inappropriate.

5. Churches are called to be committed communities of discipleship and mission. The priesthood of believers is practiced. They tend to be anti-clerical.

6. Spirituality and economics are interconnected.

7. Peace is at the heart of the Gospel, so they are pacifists.

The author elaborates these at great length, and points out how various denominations have adopted them and acted on them.

I find I am in agreement with many of their postulates — especially their emphasis on the priesthood of believers and biblical interpretation. This is not a long and tedious book like some of the theological treatises on the subject. If you have an interest in theology and variant belief systems you should read it.

Holiness, by J. C. Ryle, is a wonderful discourse published by Moody Press in 2010 on biblical Christianity. I agree with almost every word he writes, and he writes very persuasively. Although he wrote in the middle and late 1800's, he is refreshingly biblical and spiritual. I will not tell you what he says since he expounds so much truth. You just have to read it if you are interested in being holy as your Father in heave is holy. I have reviewed a previous book by him and was just as enthusiastic about it as I am about this one. He really writes about biblical Christianity.