On Monday, March 23, Anabaptist and Jewish scholars and religious leaders gathered in the Strite Conference Room of 91短视频鈥檚 Campus Center for a consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism. The invite-only event was planned by Peter Dula, professor of religion and culture at 91短视频, and Trina Trotter Nussbaum, director of the Center for Interfaith Engagement (CIE), and included all-day discussions centering around the work of Matthew Thiessen and Daniel Weiss.

According to Dula, Thiessen, a Mennonite New Testament professor at McMaster University, is 鈥渙ne of the most influential voices in the 鈥楶aul within Judaism鈥� school of New Testament studies.鈥� The discussion of Thiessen鈥檚 work at the consultation centered around four articles of his.

Weiss, according to Dula, is a Jewish professor of Jewish studies and the philosophy of religion at the University of Cambridge, 鈥渨hose work at the intersection of early rabbinic literature and early Christian literature has significant resonances with traditional Anabaptist understandings of violence and the state and critiques of Constantinianism.鈥� Weiss also had four articles discussed.

The morning began with a presentation by Thiessen titled, 鈥淲hat Mennonites Need to Know 91短视频 Judaism,鈥� which introduced the work of Weiss. Weiss then responded, and there was time for some questions from the audience. Following a break, a panel engaged with some of Weiss鈥檚 research, including articles on Christians and Levites, and the possibility that early Christians did not baptize their children, instead letting them be born into salvation.

After a lunch break, Weiss took a turn introducing Thiessen鈥檚 work in a section called, 鈥淩eading the New Testament within Judaism.鈥� Thiessen then responded. A panel then engaged in Thiessen鈥檚 work, including reflections on how to read Paul with an awareness of Judaism, and whether Jesus meant to start a new religion.

Dula was the guiding force in bringing the two scholars together to have the event. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got a Jewish scholar writing really perceptively about Anabaptist themes, and you have this Mennonite scholar writing really perceptively about Judaism,鈥� Dula said. 鈥淪o, I thought we should get them together.鈥�

Nussbaum reflected on the efficacy of the dialogue, and how it was in large part also due to the highlighted speakers. 鈥淚t worked because the two scholars we were highlighting shared the spotlight so well,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ow many times did we hear, 鈥榓nd now I want to open it up to you all?鈥欌��

Miranda Beidler, an 91短视频 senior who helped coordinate the event in her role as a student chaplain with the CIE, praised the event and guests for creating 鈥渋nherent dialogue.鈥� She said, 鈥淸The speakers] were so willing and open to talk about their beliefs, their theology, in ways that were open and curious about the others鈥� theology and beliefs, but without imposing their beliefs on somebody else.鈥�

Sara Kennel, another senior student chaplain at 91短视频, was struck by the openness and intellectualism of the event participants, saying, 鈥淚t felt like a gathering of a lot of people that care about understanding differences, but also are deeply intellectual. … I don鈥檛 think that I鈥檝e encountered that many spaces at 91短视频 that are that level of scholarship.鈥�

Nussbaum was struck by the impact of cross-religious dialogue, saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 something pretty amazing that we can see ourselves in another faith. … It was a spiritual love-fest.鈥� Beidler, similarly, connected the event to CIE鈥檚鈥攁nd 91短视频鈥檚鈥攇oals of interfaith work, saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 us putting into action when we say we care about learning from other people and from other cultures.鈥�

A historian whose latest book traces the origins and development of the Anabaptist and Mennonite movements from their beginnings in Europe through their spread across the globe will present at 91短视频鈥檚 annual Albert N. Keim Lecture Series this week.

Troy Osborne is dean and associate professor of history and theological studies at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, where he teaches courses on the Reformation and Mennonite history.

His lecture, titled 鈥淏eyond Radicals, Reformers & Martyrs: The Possibilities and Perils of a Usable Past,鈥� will be held at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in Suter Science Center 106. The lecture is free to attend and open to the public. It will be livestreamed on the 91短视频 YouTube page.

A reception at 4:30 p.m. in the upper level of the Suter Science Center will precede the lecture.

Mark Metzler Sawin, professor of history at 91短视频 and director of its history and political science program, grew up with Osborne in Hesston, Kansas, and remarked on his dry wit. 鈥淭roy is a funny guy, and that sense of humor will certainly come through in his lecture,鈥� he said. 鈥淗e is a much-loved lecturer at Conrad Grebel.鈥�

Osborne is the author of Radicals & Reformers: A Survey of Global Anabaptist History (Herald Press, 2024), which serves as a 鈥渘ew authoritative introduction to Anabaptist history,鈥� according to a description from the publisher, and reflects on the ways that Anabaptists have defined their identity in new settings and in response to new theological, intellectual, geographic, and political contexts. The text provides an overview of how Mennonites 鈥渇rom Zurich to Zimbabwe鈥� have adapted to or resisted the world around them.

鈥淲e haven鈥檛 had this sort of major book on Mennonite or Anabaptist history in probably 30 years,鈥� Sawin said. 鈥淭his has become the new Anabaptist history text.鈥�

鈥淭he Anabaptist community is very much a global community, and histories before were really just focused on European and American Mennonites,鈥� Sawin added. 鈥淭roy’s book does a great job of addressing the global Anabaptist history, providing a much more accurate view of the worldwide scope of Anabaptism.”

Osborne has a PhD from the University of Minnesota and degrees from Goshen College and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary. His articles have appeared in Mennonite Quarterly Review, Archive for Reformation History, and Church History and Religious Culture. He and his wife Emma have two daughters. He is a member of Waterloo North Mennonite Church. 

In addition to the history lecture, Osborne will share his perspective on what can be learned from the Anabaptist story during Campus Worship at 10:15 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 8, in Martin Chapel (Seminary Building). 

More on the Keim Lecture Series

The annual Keim Lecture Series is presented by the 91短视频 history and political science program. It honors the memory of Professor Albert N. Keim, who taught as a history professor at 91短视频 for 35 years and served as the academic dean from 1977 to 1984. The inaugural lecture in 2013 featured leading historian Peter N. Stearns of George Mason University. 

Learn more about past presenters below:

• 2025: Public historian and bestselling author Elizabeth Catte presented on 鈥淧ure America: Eugenics and the Making of Modern Virginia.鈥�
• 2024: Kristina Hook, State Department policy advisor for mass atrocity prevention, presented on 鈥淩ussia鈥檚 Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine: Atrocity Crimes, Accountability, and Pursuing a Just Peace.鈥� 
• 2023: Clayton Koppes, professor emeritus of Oberlin College, presented on 鈥淪ex, Drugs and Human Rights: The Contested History of HIV/AIDS in the U.S.鈥� 
• 2022: Professor Kimberly Schmidt presented on鈥淢arketing Mennonites, Posing Cheyennes: Photography, Gender, and Indigenous Agency on the Mission Field (1880-1920).鈥�
• 2021: Historian, author, and investigative reporter Rick Shenkman, founder of History News Network, spoke on 鈥�Why is Democracy so @#$&! Hard?鈥� 
• 2020: Professor Ernesto Verdeja, of the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame, was the speaker. 
• 2019: Federal public defender, immigrant rights attorney, and playwright Kara Hartzler 鈥�94 spoke on 鈥淏orders, Jails, and Long Drives in the Desert: 25 Years of Immigration Law in the Southwest.鈥�
• 2017: Dongping Han, professor at Warren-Wilson College and a native of rural China, addressed 鈥淭he Cultural Revolution: A Reinterpretation from Today鈥檚 China.鈥�
• 2016: Artist/activist provided a lecture titled 鈥�Performing Statistics: Connecting incarcerated youth, artists, and leading policy experts to challenge Virginia鈥檚 juvenile justice system.鈥�
• 2015: , political scientist in the University of Kansas鈥檚 School of Public Affairs and Administration, presented 鈥淭he Police and Racial Discrimination in America.鈥�
• 2014: , a pastor, activist and history professor who helped EMC professors initiate social change in Harrisonburg during the early 1960s, presented 鈥淚s America Possible?鈥�

The Grand Rounds lecture traditionally offers medical professionals the opportunity to learn from colleagues about topics that may be outside of their direct specialty. By convention, topics have a scientific, rather than cultural, basis. Previous surgery Grand Rounds at UVa in 2014 included lectures on breast cancer treatments, donor lungs, clinical trials, and critical care.

But learning about this particular faith and culture is particularly pertinent for area doctors, Rosenberger said, because of the large Mennonite population in the region. In her hour-long talk in a lecture hall packed with more than 150 attendees, Rosenberger hoped to help colleagues 鈥渦nderstand the plethora of patients you are treating and some of the staff you work with.鈥�

Rosenberger began with an explanation of the Anabaptist faith and the difference between the Mennonites and Amish. She then highlighted pacifism, a core belief of Anabaptism, and how this belief has shaped Mennonite contributions to the medical field.

During World War II, for example, many Mennonite conscientious objectors were assigned to the Civilian Public Service, an alternative form of public service administered by agencies linked to the 鈥減eace church鈥� tradition: , and . At camps around the country, CPS draftees worked in natural resources and agriculture, but they made arguably their most important contribution in mental health, Rosenberger said. (For an 91短视频 story about Mennonites who worked in mental hospitals under CPS, click .)

鈥淭here was a large movement to improve the conditions of mental health facilities for patients during this time, which can be traced to Mennonites and Quakers who had served in so many of these facilities,鈥� she said.

Rosenberger also highlighted four examples of Mennonites and their impact on healthcare across the globe. Mennonites have founded hospitals, contributed to the successful treatment of African Burkitt lymphoma (Glen R. Brubaker 鈥�62, MD) and Hansen’s disease (leprosy), and conducted key research that led to finding the location of the gene for Huntington鈥檚 disease. This last example was the work of who, among other distinguished positions, served as . (Rosenberger did not mention this alum by name, but Richard Keeler ’60, MD, was given 91短视频’s annual “distinguished service award” in 2004 for his 13-year commitment to the eradication of Hansen’s disease in Trinidad and Tobago.)

In summary, Rosenberger read a modified version of the 91短视频 mission statement that included, 鈥淏ear witness to faith, serve with compassion, and walk boldly in the way of nonviolence and peace.鈥�

After graduation from 91短视频, Rosenberger completed her medical degree at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She has been a surgical resident at UVa since 2008, completing a master鈥檚 degree in clinical research in 2011 and being named chief resident in surgery in 2014. Next year she will complete a surgical fellowship in breast oncology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Background note from the editor: Laura Rosenberger remains one of 91短视频’s top student-athletes ever.聽 She won all six ODAC pole vault titles possible (indoor and outdoor) and was the national champion four times before her senior year. She stopped athletic competition her senior year to focus on academics in preparation for medical school.聽 91短视频 inducted Rosenberger into the in the fall of 2013.

Young Anabaptist scholars will gather at (EMS) April 13-14 to discuss this at a conference titled, “#Occupy Empire: Anabaptism in God’s mission.”

Brian Gumm and Aaron Kauffman, both in their final year at EMS, are organizing the conference.

“We hope to create some bridges between older and younger scholars, the church and the academy and those interested in evangelical witness and rigorous social engagement,” Kauffman said.

Emerging scholars featured

The conference will feature Isaac Villegas, Chris Haw, Nekeisha Alexis-Baker, and Janna Hunter-Bowman as primary presenters. Respondents will be 91短视频 (91短视频) faculty, including Peter Dula, chair of Bible and religion department; Mark Thiessen Nation, professor of theology at EMS; and Carl Stauffer, assistant professor at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at 91短视频.

Kauffman and Gumm wanted to play on and challenge the 鈥渙ccupy鈥� language made popular in the last year by protesters around the country.

“We wanted to reinterpret that word,” said Gumm. “We were thinking about it theologically as part of the incarnation. How can we faithfully inhabit the empire as Christians?鈥�

“We also wanted to turn it [occupy] on its head,” Kauffman added. “We are asking how God’s kingdom occupies us.”

Conference part of MDiv capstone project

Gumm and Kauffman planned this conference as part of their at EMS. Both are master of divinity students in the academic track. Gumm is a dual degree student with the at 91短视频.

“Planning this conference is part of our continued discernment about the ministerial vocation of education,” said Gumm. “We thought an academic conference like this could help us continue to tease out this call.”

The conference is sponsored by the Anabaptist Missional Project and the John Coffman Center at EMS. 聽Online registration is available at . Registration will remain open until the conference is full. Cost of the conference is $15 for students and $25 for non-students.

Gumm and Kauffman received a grant from the Orie Miller Global Village Center at 91短视频 to support the conference.

Dr. Horst taught church history and English literature courses at 91短视频 from 1955 to 1967. During this time, he worked to increase holdings at the Menno Simons Historical Library in 91短视频’s Hartzler Library. He became the historical library’s most influential benefactor, collecting hundreds of books dealing with Anabaptist-Mennonite heritage and local Shenandoah Valley history.

Horst moved to the Netherlands in 1967 to become professor of Mennonite history at the University of Amsterdam, a position he held until his retirement in 1987. During this time, he continued his searching and collecting books for the historical library on the European market.

“Irvin’s contribution to the Historical Library lay in his knowledge of the fields of Mennonite and Reformation history and knowing what books and authors were important for us to collect,” said Lois B. Bowman,聽 Menno Simons Historical Library librarian.聽 鈥淲e are fortunate that Irvin collected so many books when it was still possible,鈥� Bowman added, noting that the rising cost of collecting rare books has restricted the library鈥檚 ability to add to its collection as much in recent years.

Horst was president of his class when he graduated from the former Eastern Mennonite School in 1939 with a ThB degree in biblical studies and theology. He went on to earn a BA degree from Goshen College, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania and a PhD from the University of Amsterdam. He was a graduate聽 student at the University of London, 1954-55.

In 1946, Horst went to Europe to do postwar relief work while searching far and wide for books in Dutch, German and English to give or sell to the historical library.

In April, 1987, Horst was named “scholar-in-residence” at the place near and dear to him, the Menno Simons Historical Library at 91短视频.

The university released a book, “Menno Simons: A Reappraisal,” in January 1992 and dedicated to Horst as a “festschrift,” a book published in honor of a scholar. The 225-page hardback was a compilation of the addresses given at a Conference on Menno Simons held at 91短视频 in 1990 and edited by Gerald R. Brunk, professor emeritus of history. A plaque was unveiled in his honor naming the Special Collections Room in 91短视频’s Historical Library after Horst.

Horst was born on May 31, 1915, in Lancaster, Pa. On June 17, 1944, he married Ava Mae Rohrer, who died in 1994.

Surviving are four children: Marlisle Horst, Montreal, Quebec; Rachel Horst, Lancaster, Pa.; Daniel Horst, Amsterdam; Joanna Horst, Amsterdam; four brothers, Samuel L. Horst, professor emeritus of history, 91短视频; Luke Horst, Lancaster, Pa.; John Horst, Elizabethtown, Pa; Clarence Horst, Reading, Pa.; one sister, Orpah Horst Kurtz; and one grandson, David Horst, Amsterdam.

A memorial service will be held Apr. 29, 2011 at VMRC with 91短视频 president emeritus Myron S. Augsburger and pastor John Lehman presiding.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mennonite Simons Historical Library c/o the development office, 91短视频, Harrisonburg VA 22802.

Two Eastern Mennonite Seminary alumni have created a blog and web magazine to provide a forum for young adults who are committed to staying in the institutional church but want to discuss what that means.

"Work and Hope: Finding Christ in the Church" was created by Jeremy Yoder, a 2010 graduate currently living in Baltimore, Md., and Laura Lehman Amstutz, a 2006 alumna, a Harrisonburg resident. Both completed the three-year master of divinity degree program.

Perspectives on faith, heritage and more

Their blog and quarterly online magazine will attempt to bring together various young adult perspectives about the church.

The first issue of the magazine was launched July 20 and focused on the theme, "Why am I [still] Mennonite" or in the case of one writer "Why am I [still] Brethren."

Six contributors address this question, citing family connections, ethical understandings and a commitment to a heritage and theology that makes sense to them.

Work and Hope

"We chose ‘Work and Hope’ for the blog’s title because are the words in the inscription on many editions of the ‘Martyrs Mirror,’ the historical account of Anabaptist martyrs," said Yoder. "It also signifies the perseverance we believe the church needs to survive."

"We feel like there’s been much emphasis on that segment of our generation who is leaving the church," Amstutz added. "We wanted to create a place for those of us who are staying to discuss what that means for us."

91短视频 the editors

Amstutz and Yoder are hoping to attract a wide cross-section of writers for the quarterly magazine from across the Anabaptist-Mennonite faith tradition and perspective.

The editors, Yoder and Amstutz, will also be blogging regularly about other topics related and tangential to their commitment to the church.

Yoder is currently looking for a ministry position within a Mennonite congregation. Amstutz is admissions associate and communication coordinator for Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Read more…

Two experts in Anabaptist studies have collaborated on the first scholarly examination of pacifism during the Civil War.

“Mennonites, Amish and the American Civil War,” by James O. Lehman of Harrisonburg and Steven M. Nolt of Goshen, Ind., describes the various strategies used by the sectarian religious groups in responding to the North-South conflict and the effects of war on these communities.

Lehman is librarian emeritus at 91短视频, archivist for Virginia Mennonite Conference and the author of nine congregational histories and a book on 20th century Mennonite revivalism.

Steven M. Nolt, professor of history at Goshen (Ind.) College and coauthor of two books on Amish faith and life

Nolt is professor of history at Goshen (Ind.) College and coauthor of two books on Amish faith and life, both published by Johns Hopkins University Press.

Bloodiest War in American History

Integrating the most recent Civil War scholarship with little-known primary sources and new information from Pennsylvania and Virginia to Illinois and Iowa, Lehman and Nolt provide a definitive account of the Anabaptist experience during the bloodiest war in American history with 620,000 dead and over a million maimed and wounded.

The authors focus on moral dilemmas Mennonites and Amish faced that that tested the very core of their faith: How to oppose both slavery and the war to end it? How to remain outside the conflict without entering the American mainstream to secure legal conscientious objector status.

The book serves as a good reminder that not all churches immersed themselves in super-charged patriotism for either the Confederacy or the Union.

“The book is an easy read, with lots of arresting stories of faith under test,” said Albert N. Keim, professor emeritus of history at 91短视频. “Its amazingly thorough research makes the book convincing. After reading it, I was convinced I had just acquired an accurate understanding of my forbears response to the Civil War,” he added.

The 376-page hardback book, published by Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, is available for $39.95 at leading bookstores and at www.amazon.com.

Matt Frei, chief Washington, D.C., correspondent for the BBC, interviewed President Loren Swartzendruber on creation care from an Anabaptist perspective for a BBC production about Christian response to global warming; the program will be aired internationally later this month.

It’s a hot topic generating heated debate.

91短视频 President Loren Swartzendruber added to the conversation with a message on global warming and the care of God’s creation, Friday morning, Apr. 13.

, which followed the regular chapel service in Lehman Auditorium, were recorded by Matt Frei, chief Washington, D.C., correspondent for the London-based British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC).

The event opened with the singing of an a cappella hymn, “God of the Fertile Fields” (Brethren-Mennonite Hymnal #360).

Swartzendruber believes the BBC contacted him because he was among 86 Christian leaders who signed a statement concerning this issue.

“Some Christian leaders have made public statements suggesting global warming is not a reality or is a hoax/conspiracy and the BBC wants to compare responses of various Christian leaders/groups,” the president said.

‘a Theological Issue’

“I believe this is a scientific and theological/moral issue,” the president said. “We are called to be good stewards of God’s creation, and we are invited to make every effort to reduce the impact of our lifestyle choices on this phenomenon for the sake of the entire world and our future children/grandchildren.

“The projections from many leading scientists are currently quite dire, particularly for the poorest populations in the world,” Swartzendruber said.

“A report from the (IPCC) says, with at least 90 percent certainty, that global warning is man-made and will ‘continue for centuries’ – unless we take actions to slow or reverse the trend.”

“What have we lost if we make changes now for a cleaner environment, even if we should ultimately learn that the projections have been made in error?” the president stated. “If we ignore some very obvious signs, however, or avoid the tough issues, and we are wrong in that direction, millions of us and our descendants will suffer awful consequences.

Excerpts from Swartzendruber’s address and an interview will be broadcast as part of a BBC news report on global warming later this month on the BBC television and radio network to an audience estimated in the millions.

The complete text of the president’s message is available at .

You may also read more about .

President Swartzendruber is available for further interviews on this topic. Contact 91短视频 marketing and communications:

Andrea Wenger, director
Phone: 540-432-4348
Cell: 540-560-2237

Jim Bishop, public information officer
Phone: 540-432-4211

A group of 91短视频 faculty from a cross-section of departments are seeking to improve growing conditions in this arena by forming the Shenandoah Anabaptist Science Society (SASS) for constructive engagement of science and religion.

The group has received a three-year, $15,000 matching grant administered by the the , a Philadelphia, Pa.-based organization, with funding from the John Templeton Foundation.

One of the SASS organizers is Kenton T. Derstine, director of (CPE) at . He said that the Metanexus funds “will be used to support ongoing study and discussion groups, bring outside speakers on the subject to campus, support publications that emerge from the group’s work, organize conferences and provide other forms of outreach in the larger Shenandoah Valley area.”

Events and special presentations “will be open to all interested people from the broader community,” Derstine said.

Another steering commmittee member, Roman J. Miller, professor of at 91短视频, said the Society “will provide resources and a formal context to encourage the integration of Christian faith – particularly in its Anabaptist expression and convictions concerning peacemaking and service.”

“The Society will help deepen our faculty’s collaborative work across departments and disciplines as well as provide opportunities for students to benefit both from ongoing discussions and outside resource persons brought to campus,” Dr. Miller said. “We expect that students will gain important practical experience in helping with the organizational work and in learning more about major real-world issues at the intersection of science and Christian faith,” he added.

Society activities have started over the Thursday noon hour in the east dining room with a weekly discussion of the book, “Whatever Happened to the Soul: Scientific and Theological Portraits of Human Nature,” by Nancey Murphy and others. Discussion leaders are Theodore (Ted) Grimsrud and Christian Early of 91短视频’s department. The book’s author will be on campus Oct. 27 to interact with faculty, students and community persons.

SASS membership is open to 91短视频 students, faculty and staff and community persons, including faculty and students from neighboring academic institutions. Membership dues are $5 for students and $10 for others. For more information, contact Ann G. Hershberger of the 91短视频 department, (432-4190 or hershbea@emu.edu) or Kenton T. Derstine of the seminary (432-4565 or derstine@emu.edu).

Sharon E. Kniss, a third-year Eastern Mennonite Student student from Harrisonburg, has won the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest held Mar. 18 on campus.

Ms. Kniss took first place in the annual competition with her address, "Engaging the Terrorists: A Discourse on Living with the Other." She received a cash award.

Runners-up were Elisa J. Wolf, a sophomore from Lititz, Pa., and Zachary T. Kurtz, a senior from Keyser, W.Va.

In her presentation, Kniss asked what needs to happen to purposely engage "the other" – to begin to communicate with those of differing persuasions and viewpoints, noting that applying handy labels like "conservative" or "liberal" aren’t helpful in that process.

She used Christ’s parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10 to support her points, arguing that "how we learn to live with each other forms the basis of peacebuilding in society."

A video and copy of Kniss’ presentation will be sent to Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pa., to be judged as part of a national competition among the winners of all participating Mennonite and Brethren-In-Christ colleges and universities.

Kniss, a major from Harrisonburg, is the daughter of Phil and Irene Kniss and a member of Park View Mennonite Church.

The Smith Oratorical Contest began in 1974 as a way to honor the late C. Henry Smith, Mennonite historian and professor at Goshen College in Indiana and Bluffton Unversity in Ohio. Smith had a deep interest in the Mennonite peace position. The contest encourages college students to present speeches that apply the Anabaptist peace position to contemporary concerns.

If 16th century Anabaptist leader Michael Sattler were alive today, would he vote in the upcoming presidential election?

Responding to this question from the audience, speaker Gerald Biesecker-Mast replied, “Likely no, but not out of apathy … Sattler probably would abstain, but would be alarmed at the notion that doing so was an act of indifference, supporting the status quo.”

Biesecker-Mast, professor of communication at Bluffton (OH) University, was giving a paper outlining the “righteousness and mercy” motif as practiced by early Anabaptist Christians, noting the group’s determination to combine “peace with justice in the social order” and that “scripture, not the hangman,” should be the final appeal in matters of civil authority versus freedom of worship and practice.

The question of whether Christian faith promotes involvement in politics or whether that same faith directs Christians to values beyond the political realm came to the fore repeatedly at the 15th Believers Church Conference, Sept. 23-25. Some 230 persons were registered.

The gathering was co-hosted by 91短视频 and Bridgewater College, with sessions divided between the two campuses. Using a format that combined scholarly addresses, panel presentations, audience questions and worship, the conference focused on the meaning of citizenship in the United States from a Believers Church point of view, asking what it means to be citizens of the world’s lone superpower and members of the body of Christ.

The Question of Voting

John D. Roth, “Mennonite Quarterly Review” editor and Goshen (IN) College history professor, said that as a pacifist he will not vote for president because the office includes the designation of Commander-in-Chief. In political elections generally, Roth said, “The differences, from an Anabaptist perspective, are illusory … The ballot box is not supposed to hold our personal dreams.”

Like several conference attendees, Roth decried political polarization. However, he said, “Abstaining from voting doesn’t make you less culpable for rulers’ decisions, but more.”

Roth spoke as part of a panel that sparked lively discussion from the floor.

Was it better to support “the lesser of two evils?” Panelist Lloyd Harsch, a New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary professor who volunteers in Republican campaigns, said yes, noting “Jesus isn’t running.”

International perspectives were brought to bear on the Believers Church Conference by (l. to r.): Ontonas Balciunas, president, Lithuania Christian Fund; Mwizenge S. Tembo, native of Kenya and associate professor of sociology, Bridgewater College; Wu Wei, senior pastor, Chon Wenmen Church, Beijing, China; and David Radcliff, New Community Project, Elgin, Ill. At extreme left is Nancy Heisey, professor of biblical studies and church history at 91短视频 and moderator of Mennonite World Conference.
Photo by Jim Bishop

Some participants said international friends made them feel responsible for voting when they said, “I don’t have a voice, but you have to have a voice” in influencing U.S. actions.

“What many people are calling for is a vote against what has been going on. It’s a cry of the soul. Maybe there’s nothing you can say yes to now, but you can say no,” said panelist Earl Martin. He and his wife, Pat Hostetter Martin – lifelong Mennonites and 25-year Mennonite Central Committee workers – said they grew up unfamiliar with politics, and, Pat said, “hardly aware of world problems.” That changed when they volunteered to help refugees in Vietnam, where their friends included a couple whose baby was killed when a U.S. Navy flare plunged through their roof.

Although Earl Martin said he votes, the couple focus more on peace vigils, a community voluntary gas-tax project and refusal to pay a military telephone-bill surcharge.

The Meaning of the term “Believers Church”

Opening conference speaker Carol Scheppard, associate professor of philosophy and religion at Bridgewater College, talks between sessions with Heidi Miller Yoder, who teaches worship and spiritual formation courses at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. Miller helped plan and lead worship sessions at the gathering.
Photo by Jim Bishop

Conferees from varying traditions debated biblical pacifism. Church traditions usually associated with the Believers Church include Adventists, Baptists, Brethren, Disciples of Christ, Mennonites, Methodists, Pentecostals, Plymouth Brethren and Quakers, denominations that view membership in the church as a voluntary act of faith.

However, Robert Lee said attending the conference reminded him of “how we use the term ‘Believers Church’ differently.” Lee, a Mennonite and international director of the Tokyo Mission Research Institute, explained that Anabaptists usually think the designation indicates pacifism, but others, including Baptists, do not.

One of the more riveting presentations came from Robert Edgar, general secretary of the National Council of Churches. He captivated his audience as he spoke forcefully, yet in a non-judgemental manner, without notes, quoting leadership people from memory, employing self-effacing humor and underscoring “the urgency of now” in responding to “a world that is teetering between community and chaos.”

“God is calling us to re-read the Old Testament,” Dr. Edgar said. “Note that the prophets always had the minority view but believed strongly that they were acting in the will of God.

“Questioning our government and its leaders’ actions doesn’t mean that we don’t love our country,” he said. “But the world has changed so much in the last century. We live in a global village. God transcends national boundaries, and God calls us to be shapers, shakers and remakers of this fragile planet Earth.”

War and God’s Will

Mwizenge Tembo, associate professor of sociology at Bridgewater College, described Kenneth Kaunda, former president of Tembo’s home country, Zambia, as “a man of peace who reluctantly supported using force to overcome South Africa’s apartheid regime. Likewise, Abraham Lincoln reluctantly led in the Civil War’s fiery trial, said J. Michael Robertson, pastor of Warsaw (Va.) Baptist Church, who quoted correspondence between Lincoln and a Quaker friend.

Can a President know it’s God’s will to have a war? a woman in the audience challenged Robertson. Their dialogue continued after the session, in which Robertson advised his audience to “always know what you don’t know.” Warning against claiming to know God’s will, he advised fellow-pastors, “When you go home, teach the separation of church and state.”

Mark Thiessen Nation, an associate professor at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, spoke on the subject of his upcoming biography, noted Mennonite theologian John Howard Yoder. Living among French Mennonites following the devastation of World War II, Yoder learned, and then taught, that true pacifism and Christianit
y are extremely difficult. Decades later, Nation said, “I was shocked to read Mennonites saying ‘How can we be pacifists after September 11?’ What rock had people been living under?”

“We have so much to appreciate in this country, religious freedom not least. However, many of our nation’s practices resemble all too closely the imperialism of the biblical empires,” said speaker Ted Grimsrud, professor of religion at 91短视频. “It is as if we have two Americas, America the pioneer democracy, and America the dominant empire.

“Jesus presented a challenge to empire, and the empire struck back,” Grimsrud noted. “Those who attempt to follow the way of Jesus today must expect opposition from the state.”

International Perspective

Those attending the conference were largely from the U.S. with a few attendees from Canada and one from Holland. A three-member panel gave an international perspective to the discussions.

Wu Wei, Pastor of Chong Wenmen Church in Beijing, said each Chinese church faces a difficult decision over whether to register with the government.

Otonas Balciunas, president of the Lithuania Christian Fund, said his home community of Anabaptists endured terrible persecution under Soviet rule. In dealing with government, he said, their motto was “Do not fear, do not ask, do not trust. Rising individualism has become a newer challenge.”

Tembo said Zambia’s new consumer culture has been accompanied by chaos. Chatting with neighbors on a recent visit there, Tembo heard a man praising Osama bin Laden for engineering the Sept. 11 attacks. Friends were surprised to hear Tembo reply, “I could have been on those planes. I live there. I saw the suffering.” Tembo saw the man’s remark as a mirror image of the attitudes of many Americans who are unaware of the effects the U.S. government and businesses have on people across the world.

“Contrary to popular opinion, and we don’t want to say it too loudly, we are only as good and as precious as everyone else in this world in God’s eyes,” said speaker David Radcliff of the New Community Project in Elgin, Ill. Asked by a member of the audience whether Christians should seek persecution or hardship, Radcliff responded, “Those things come naturally if you live out the heart of your faith.”

Carol Scheppard of Bridgewater College and Ted Grimsrud (r.) of 91短视频 respond to audience questions following their presentations on “Believers and Political Authority in the Bible.” Brian Martin Burkholder (l.), 91短视频 campus pastor, led opening worship and moderated the sessions.
Photo by Jim Bishop

In a closing worship service, J. Daryl Byler, director of the Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office, spoke of Jeremiah’s prophesy to the Israelites of a long, hard exile in Babylon. Notwithstanding easier circumstances, he said Christian pacifists in America face an exile in which pacifism becomes less tolerated.

“We must find ways to both love and resist the empire,” Byler said, while noting that Jeremiah’s prophecy offered an eventual vision of hope.

Connecting Scholarship with Congregational Life

“I found the balance between the scholarly and the practical, the blend of ideas and experiences [at the conference] especially helpful,” said participant Edward B. Nyce, recently returned peace development worker with Mennonite Central Committee, Bethlehem, West Bank. “I appreciated the two-pronged call from speakers David Radcliff and J. Daryl Byler to examine our current lifestyles and to be prepared, by God’s grace, to follow Christ’s teachings over the long haul,” he added.

Char Smith, who recently traveled to Hebron with a Christian Peacemaker Team, said the conference was helpful, though more academic than expected. “I needed more theoretical grounding,” said her husband, Michael, who chairs the Peace and Justice Committee of the Illinois Mennonite Conference.

“It was gratifying to have Bridgewater College and Baptist, Brethren and Mennonite offices from Washington, D.C., involved in conversation at the planning stage of the conference,” said Nathan D. Yoder, associate professor of church history at Eastern Mennonite Seminary and chair of the program planning committee. “We were also intentional in wanting to connect the scholarship of the academy with the life of congregations. One way we did that was to weave worship into the conference proceedings.”

Conference planners are working with Pandora Press Canada for a forthcoming book in the “Studies in the Believers Church Tradition” series that will continue the conversation of the conference.

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Chris Edwards is a free-lance writer from Harrisonburg; Jim Bishop is public information officer at 91短视频.