Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism

Church leaders and researchers at the 2015 GAP Consultation

Today there are some 2.1 million Anabaptist-Mennonites in the world, representing 305 groups in 86 countries. From the perspective of five centuries of Anabaptist history, this is a phenomenal development that is transforming the character and future of the tradition.

Read more about founding ISGA director John D. Roth’s vision for “rhizomic” growth.

In light of this transformation, the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptist (ISGA) was founded in 2011 to enrich Anabaptist scholarship and the church through global connection and storytelling.

Anchored firmly in the resources of the Mennonite Historical Library and the long tradition of academic scholarship at Goshen College, the ISGA’s initiatives connect individuals and communities in pursuit of equitable and accessible source preservation, research, and publication that engages global Anabaptism.

Earlier initiatives included the Bearing Witness Stories Project, a collaborative endeavor to collect and share stories of costly discipleship from within the Anabaptist tradition, and the Global Anabaptist Profile, a major survey of the demographics, beliefs and practices of 24 Mennonite World Conference churches in 18 countries.

Current online projects include the Global Anabaptist Wiki; the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO); and two growing digital libraries focused on Anabaptist history, theology, and pastoral care, one in Spanish (la Biblioteca Digital Anabautista) and another in French (la Bibliothèque numérique anabaptiste).

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Contact us

Mennonite Historical Library | GAMEO | Anabaptist Wiki | Bearing Witness Stories Project