Consultation helps Anabaptists to seek relationships
with other Christian traditions.
by Laurie L. Oswald
From left, Stanley Hauerwas, professor of Duke University
Divinity School, Rodney Clapp (seated), Brazo Press,
and J. Nelson Kraybill, president of Associated Mennonite
Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., dialogue on building
new interchurch relationships during a consultation
sponsored by Mennonite Church USA on July 13-15 at the
Fatima Retreat Center in South Bend, Ind. (photo by
Laurie Oswald)
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (MC USA) -- Imagine expanding Christian Peacemaker
Teams (CPT) into more violent places by increasing the number
of participating denominations. Imagine talking with Catholics
about communion. Imagine having dialogues with Pentecostals
about Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Imagine realizing that there
are some gifts that Mennonite-Anabaptists need from other
groups.
That's exactly what a group of 35 participants did during
a recent interchurch relations consultation sponsored by Mennonite
Church USA. Participants agreed that it's time not only to
imagine. It's also time to seek new relationships beyond the
corner of Christendom that Anabaptists have occupied since
the 16th-century Reformation.
The consultation helped the participants -- including pastors,
theologians, educators, peace group representatives and members
of Mennonite Church USA's executive leadership team -- consider
how to seek greater cooperation and understanding with other
Christian traditions, including Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox.
Seeking new relationships does not mean diffusing Anabaptist
distinctiveness, participants said. But it will mean airing
differences in the light of God's grace and sharing gifts
and strengths, as well as needs and weaknesses. It will mean
promoting mutual growth in theological understandings and
dreaming of future joint efforts in peacemaking and evangelism.
"Jesus' calling for unity in John 17 is an imperative
to be obeyed and not something we do only if we feel like
it," said Al Meyer, volunteer director for Mennonite
Church USA interchurch relations and planner for the consultation.
It was held July 13-15 at the Fatima Retreat Center near the
Notre Dame campus in South Bend.
"As Anabaptists, we can be pioneers in helping the world
reach God's intentions, as well as receive the gifts of others
who are pioneers in areas where we are weak. Christians who
come from different experiences need to help each other hear
Jesus' call and to follow," he said.
Panelists challenge pioneers
Two panel discussions inspired participants to grapple with
what it means to be "mutual pioneers" with those
from other traditions. Panelists shared what they felt Mennonite-Anabaptists
should be ready to contribute and to learn from others.
The presenters in the first panel were other-than-Mennonite
and included Stanley Hauerwas, professor of theological ethics
at Duke University Divinity School; Rodney Clapp of Brazos
Press, a new imprint of Baker Book House; David Burrell, C.S.C.,
former chair of Notre Dame theology department; and Glen Stassen,
professor of Christian ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary
in Pasadena, Calif.
"What you bring to the table is an extraordinary rethinking
of Christian theology, and the great discovery at the heart
of your movement was simply, Jesus," Hauerwas said. "Michael
Sattler looks kind of simple next to Martin Luther, but that
is part of the genius. ... Your focus on the commitment to
the unity of the church, non-violence and Jesus as the center
of all you do and say are the things you bring to ecumenical
life."
Clapp said he believes that Mennonites are the most realistic
of all Christians. "You remind us all that we cannot
see the world as it really is outside the realism of Christ,"
he said. "Everything is subject to God's rule, we cannot
see that, except in Jesus. In him we see what God's character
really is and where the real humanity is called."
Stassen encouraged Mennonite-Anabaptists to choose Pentecostals
as dialogue partners. "Pentecostals praise Jesus and
follow Jesus and don't have a thick exegesis but simply say,
'Here's what it means to follow him,'" he said. "They
began as pacifists but lacked the deep arguments and these
convictions got lost ... You could help them recover that,
while Mennonites could benefit from their emphasis on the
Holy Spirit."
The second panel included Anabaptists. They were Lois Barrett,
director of the Great Plains Seminary, an AMBS extension in
North Newton, Kan.; Ron Sider, head of Evangelicals for Social
Action; and Richard Kauffman, senior editor of The Leader,
a magazine for Mennonite Church USA leaders. He is currently
a senior editor of Christian Century and was a former editor
of Christianity Today.
Sider encouraged the participants to consider enlarging CPT's
scope: "What would happen if CPT would take a quantum
leap forward from a few dozen people to a few thousand people?"
he asked. "CPT has done wonderfully courageous and important
things."
Barrett encouraged the participants to continue mutual exchanges
with others who are different. "As I think about how
Mennonites learn insights from other traditions and share
with others, I think this process has been going on a long
time, ever since the 16th century," she said. She cited
examples, including borrowing from Quakers about how to better
listen to the Spirit as part of congregational discernment.
The panelists also invited feedback from participants such
as David Boshart, pastor of West Union Mennonite Church in
Parnell, Iowa, who responded to Barrett's presentation. "Traditions
can be seen as water tight compartments, and they're not,"
he said. "Traditions are always taking in from other
traditions.
"And we are influenced by the fact that the world as
we know it is very secular. ... I find it heartening to meet
someone of faith no matter what that faith is, and the lines
between faiths are less and less operative in our world than
a few centuries ago. ... Christians and people of faith see
that something is happening that needs a further cross-fertilization
among traditions."
Possible next steps on pathways to others
After receiving challenges from panelists and working in small
groups for two days, participants suggested some possible
next steps on the pathway to relationships with other traditions.
Their suggestions included building relationships with peace
fellowships in other denominations; joining a larger church
association such as Christian Churches Together in the USA;
and encouraging Mennonite congregations to join other churches
in reaching out to their communities.
It also may include helping Mennonite-Anabaptist brothers
and sisters reconcile over divisive issues by eliciting the
help of itinerant evangelists; ensuring that the scope of
interchurch exploration includes networking locally, regionally
and globally; creating practical ministries as well as absorbing
theological and academic understanding; and continuing the
healing of memories with such groups as the Catholics, Lutherans
and Reformers over issues that caused Anabaptist martyrdom.
Members of the four churchwide interchurch relations groups,
which report to Jim Schrag, executive director of Mennonite
Church USA, are responsible for developing suggestions that
grew from the consultation. The groups, which focus on church
associations, theology, local congregations and leaders and
peace, will share their progress at the churchwide assembly
at Charlotte 2005.
Each biennium, Schrag plans to convent a consultation similar
to the July 13-15 gathering, because relating with other Christian
traditions is increasingly important to the development of
the denomination's calling and identity, he said.
"We're at a stage of development in Mennonite Church
USA when we have the opportunity to expand our witness and
vision through connections with other Christian groups,"
he said. "We need to both learn from them and also to
share our strengths."
Laurie L. Oswald is news service
director for Mennonite Church USA.
Logo and writers selected for Gather 'Round curriculum.
SCOTTDALE,
Pa. and WATERLOO, Ont. (Mennonite Publishing Network) -- Creators
of the forthcoming Sunday school curriculum, Gather 'Round:
Hearing and Sharing God's Good News, have announced a logo
and a team of writers for the first curriculum year.
Those selecting the logo appreciated the bold, clear rendering
of the title words along with the warmth and energy of the
circular, hand-in-hand figures, said Anna Speicher, project
director. "We wanted to convey the invitational tone
of the curriculum in a style attractive to both children and
adults."
Writers for the first curriculum year are Carol Duerksen,
Susan Fuentes, Sarah Pinnell, Frank Ramirez, Rebecca Seiling,
Dianna Ullery, and Tim Wiebe-Neufeld. These individuals are
writers, pastors and educators. Four are Mennonites; three
are Brethren. They hail from Kansas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania,
Washington State, Alberta and Ontario.
"We are pleased with the high caliber of the writers.
The sample sessions are creative and reflect solid Anabaptist
theology and strong pedagogy," said Eleanor Snyder, a
member of the curriculum steering committee.
Additionally, Bible background pieces will be written by Old
and New Testament scholars Robert W. Neff, Alexandria, Pa.,
and Michael McKeever, Elgin, Ill.
The curriculum writers will attend a writers' conference at
Camp Alexander Mack in Milford, Ind., Sept. 19-23, during
which they will be oriented to the project, worship together
on the first quarter Bible theme, "Creation and First
Families," and begin writing sessions in a collaborative
setting. A unique Internet tool will allow them to continue
the collaboration by posting their sessions for each other
to read and respond to during the rest of the writing process.
Gather 'Round: Hearing and Sharing God's Good News is a curriculum
project of Mennonite Publishing Network, which represents
Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada, and Brethren
Press, publishing house for the Church of the Brethren. The
curriculum, which begins in September 2006, will be for children
and junior youth, ages 2 to 14, and parent/caregivers.
Contact: Eleanor Snyder, Director, Faith & Life Resources,
Mennonite Publishing Network, 519-888-7512
The Radicals story of the early Anabaptists now available
in DVD and Spanish.
The original production team for The Radicals included
J. Ron Byler, D. Michael Hostetler, Jim L. Bowman and
Joel Kauffmann. The theatrical film premiered in theaters
in about 25 Mennonite Communities in 1990. The film
was released in more than a dozen countries and Vision
Video has distributed the films to churches from many
traditions.
Fifteen years after The Radicals was originally released
in Mennonite communities, Joel Kauffmann, Ron Byler,
Jim L. Bowman and Mike Hostetler have produced a new
DVD version that includes a Spanish version as well
as additional historical comments and theological perspectives.
GOSHEN, Ind. (MC USA) -- The story of Michael and Margaretha
Sattler dramatizing the origins of Anabaptist movement in
Europe in the early 1500s is now available on DVD from the
Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee (www.mcusa-archives.org).
The new DVD of the award-winning 1990 theatrical film also
includes a Spanish track and other teaching aids including
historical comment by Mennonite historian John Sharp and theological
perspective by author and teacher Myron Augsburger.
Augsburger, author of the novel Pilgrim Aflame which served
as the inspiration for the film The Radicals, believes the
film can help viewers focus on the beliefs they hold most
strongly. The story of Michael Sattler focuses on the critical
issue of what it really means to be a disciple of Jesus, according
to Augsburger.
The Radicals, winner of a 1990 CINE Golden Eagle for theatrical
films and the silver medal from the Houston Film Festival,
is paired on the DVD with a half-hour documentary about Anabaptism
that includes scenes from The Radicals. The DVD also includes
a condensed version of the story suitable for younger children.
The Radicals was produced more than 15 years ago by Sisters
& Brothers, a group of young Mennonite filmmakers committed
to exploring issues of faith through the media, all of whom
are still actively involved in communications in the church
today. The executive producer team included Jim L. Bowman,
J. Ron Byler, D. Michael Hostetler and Joel Kauffmann. Bowman
heads his own video production agency and often works for
Mennonite agencies; Byler is associate executive director
of Mennonite Church USA; Hostetler is the director of Nazareth
Village in Nazareth, Israel; Kauffmann is the creator of the
Pontius' Puddle cartoon strip and has written the screenplays
for several Disney Television features.
"We wanted to tell Michael Sattler's story in a way that
would penetrate the mindset of people who don't want to hear
about religion," said Hostetler. "This is our story
of faith and we wanted Mennonites and other Anabaptists to
understand the human dimensions of the story that make these
people come alive and challenge ourselves and others to ask
what we would have done, how far we would go for what we believe,"
said Kauffmann.
Historical comment on the DVD by John Sharp, director of the
Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee and Archives can
help viewers understand the context and importance of the
experiences of Michael Sattler and other early Anabaptists.
"Sattler is important to us," said Sharp,"
because he was the author of the Schleitheim Confession, an
agreement that catalyzed many separate groups of Anabaptists.
We can learn from the clarity and strength of Sattler's witness
during his trial and his courage during his execution."
The new DVD expands the audience for The Radicals by offering
high quality dub tracks in Spanish and Portuguese. Closed
captioning is available for persons with hearing impairments.
The English subtitles may be played with the Spanish dub,
making the movie simultaneously accessible to both language
groups.
"The chapter introductions by Sharp and the compelling
interview with Augsburger, give additional insights and information
on the Anabaptist movement that make the movie a valuable
learning tool for catechism classes and groups beyond our
Mennonite boundaries," said Kauffmann.
The DVD also includes a "making of" feature with
interviews with several of the film's producers as well as
with Norbert Weisser, the actor who brilliantly portrays Michael
Sattler on screen. Weisser has had featured roles in many
Hollywood films including Three Amigos and Schindler's List.
The Radicals was produced in 1989 on location in Europe with
a cast that included several thousand people and many thousands
of volunteer hours. The film was financed through contributions
from Mennonites in North America and Europe and was first
shown in theaters in Mennonite communities. Gateway Films/Vision
Video has served as the primary distributor for the video.
The new DVD was authored by Tim Bowman.
The DVD is available for home and church libraries for $29.99
($25 each for orders of two copies or more) from the Mennonite
Church USA Historical Committee www.mcusa-archives.org).
Or call the Historical Committee toll-free at 866-866-2872.
The DVD is an excellent tool to introduce faith issues to
friends and neighbors, as well as youth.
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calls us to be followers of Jesus Christ and, by the power of
the Holy Spirit, to grow as communities of grace, joy, and peace,
so that God's healing and hope flow through us to the world
SCOTTDALE,
Pa. and WATERLOO, Ont. (Mennonite Publishing Network) -- Creators
of the forthcoming Sunday school curriculum, Gather 'Round:
Hearing and Sharing God's Good News, have announced a logo
and a team of writers for the first curriculum year.
