I'm not sure what Martin Luther knew or when he knew it. But perhaps the more interesting groups are the Anabaptists who emerge in Europe--which brings us back to the 19th century, eventually. I grew up close to Mennonite communities, and their intellectuals still talk of why they now embrace 'pacifism' because of all the violence and conflict in post-Reformation Europe.
No, the Essenes are not a group mentioned in the Bible, if I am at all clear on what groups do get referred to. But some have explicitly linked John the Baptist to the Essenes, while others point out, actually baptism by full immersion was common across a lot of groups within the broader Abrahamism. Others point out how the Essenes seem to have beliefs that come from other traditions as well. You might find these texts and discussions interesting. http://nazirene.org/essene_gospel_of_peace_book1.htm http://mb-soft.com/believe/txo/pharise2.htm CJ _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
