Mennonites trace their beginnings to 1525, during the time of the Reformation in Northern Europe. Their name is derived from an early leader, a Dutch priest named Menno Simons. Mennonites opposed state-sponsored religion and re-baptized those who had previously been baptized as infants, resulting in severe persecution. Today Mennonites are known as followers of Jesus who are largely pacifists, although there has been an increase in membership from those of other groups. Mennonites emphasize the importance of Scripture as the guide for living, a sense of community within the church, service and peacemaking. The Mennonite church has become more global in recent decades, but the denomination in the United States is aging, much like other denominations. There is a fairly wide social and theological variety among Mennonite churches, including quite conservative congregations and those that are more progressive.