1. religion and spirituality
2. christianity

www.TheMennonite.org
December 1, 2009
12 Holy wars and
holy peace
14 How to read
the Bible
18 God or the
Devil?
32 Peace through
tourism
Page 8
MENNONITE CHURCH USA
Breaking in and bursting out
In the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius. …
Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
… and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
—excerpted from Luke 3:1-6
T
Ron Byler is acting executive
director of
Mennonite
Church USA.
Contact him at
[email protected].
his Advent season, many Mennonite Church
USA and Canada congregations will be using
the churchwide resources for Advent and
Christmas. I’m grateful to the team of writers from
the Toronto area who created these resources on
a theme that is so vital to our future as a church.
“I am sending my messenger to prepare the
way before me,” we read in Malachi 3:1. God is
breaking in, not just in the cosmos but in our communities. Introducing these Advent resources,
Leader magazine (Fall) invites us to have “bifocal
vision”—to see the big picture of God’s purpose in
the world and God’s action in our neighborhoods.
Southeast Mennonite Conference showed it
understands this bifocal vision when it acted on
the human trafficking resolution passed by delegates at the Mennonite Church USA Convention
in Columbus this past summer. The resolution
voices our opposition to all forms of human slavery in North America and around the world.
Southeast Conference became a supporting organization for the National Farm Worker Ministry, an
interfaith organization that supports farm workers
with nonviolent, noncoercive educational programs
that are fair to both worker and grower.
Another delegate statement in 2003 on immigration encourages Mennonite congregations “to act
on behalf of our immigrant brothers and sisters
regardless of their legal status.” For my congregation, Eighth Street Mennonite Church in Goshen,
Ind., bifocal vision has meant increasing our daycare scholarships for immigrant families and
actively participating in community organizations
TheMennonite
Editor: Everett J. Thomas
[email protected]
Associate editor: Gordon Houser
[email protected]
Assistant Editor: Anna Groff
[email protected]
Advertising, subscriptions: Rebecca Helmuth
[email protected]
Bookkeeper: Celina Romero
[email protected]
Editorial Assistant: Nora Miller
Design: Dee Birkey
Web site: www.TheMennonite.org
2
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Vol. 12, No. 22, Dec. 1, 2009
Offices:
1700 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526-4794
phone: 800-790-2498
fax: 574-535-6050
722 Main St., P.O. Box 347
Newton, KS 67114
phone: 866-866-2872
fax: 316-283-0454
801 N. Negley Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
phone: 412 894 8705
fax: 412-363-1216
extending hospitality to the thousands of immigrants in the community.
The Advent texts reveal justice, peace and righteousness, says Houston Mennonite Church pastor
Marty Troyer. These texts invite us to shift our
thinking from the global to include the local. We
live in the United States, but we also live in
Philadelphia, Peoria, Parnell and Pasadena.
“Situating ourselves locally broadens and
strengthens the gospel of peace,” says Troyer.
As a denomination, we have identified four missional church priorities: global connections, leadership development, antiracism and holistic witness.
Each gives us an opportunity as a church to
extend God’s breaking in and bursting out to our
own community.
At the October Constituency Leaders Council
for conference leaders, conferences identified 130
locations where congregations and congregations
are identifying with new church initiatives or planting new churches. There appears to be new energy among us to prepare the way of the Lord.
The Advent resources encourage congregations
to use the Advent candlelighting ritual to acknowledge God’s presence and action in the world.
Lighting the “God” candle each Sunday reminds
us that God is among us. As we light candles each
Sunday, each congregation can also be reminded
of one way God is acting in its own community.
As we light these candles, we affirm our hope in
God and our confidence in God’s future for us.
May your congregation experience a breaking
in and bursting out of God’s Spirit as you use these
resources. This is a way to identify more fully with
the more than 1,100 congregations in Mennonite
Church USA and Canada as we discover how to
join in what God is doing in the world “so that all
flesh shall see the salvation of God” (Luke 3:6). TM
The Mennonite is the official publication of Mennonite Church USA. Our
mission is to help readers glorify God, grow in faith and become agents of
healing and hope in the world. The Mennonite (ISSN 1522-7766) is normally published on the first and third Tuesdays of each month (except only
one issue in August) by the board for The Mennonite, Inc. Periodical
postage paid at Goshen, IN 46526. Subscription rates for one year: $43.95
to U.S. addresses and or $51.45 USD to Canadian addresses. Group rates
available. Scripture references are from the New Revised Standard Version
unless otherwise noted. The views expressed in this publication do not
necessarily represent the official positions of Mennonite Church USA,
The Mennonite, or the board for The Mennonite, Inc.
Postmaster
Send form 3579 to:
The Mennonite
1700 S. Main St.
Goshen, IN 46526
CONTENTS
12
8 Jordan: an oasis of peace
19
Reflections from a trip to Jordan—Gordon Houser
12 Holy wars and holy peace
Hope may come from inter-religious efforts.—David Kreider
14 How to read the Bible
We need to regain confidence in the message contained in the
plain meaning of the text.—Marion Deckert
23
16 A farmer’s Bible
We need to allow the Bible to ask us questions.—Dave Nickel
19 Two congregations unite after 86 years
Churches split in 1923 over issues of biblical interpretation,
women’s attire.
20 MWC Assembly ends with leftover funds
21 EMU theater to honor Lee Eshleman
22 Couple brings service home to Goshen
23 EMM immigrant church bridges gaps
14
24 Groff’s dissertation still relevant today
DEPARTMENTS
2 Mennonite Church USA
Breaking in and bursting out—Ron Byler
4 Readers say
6 News digest
18 Speaking out
God or the Devil?—Ray Elvin Horst
27 For the record
30 Real families
What’s in a name?—Regina Shands Stoltzfus
32 Editorial
Peace through tourism—Gordon Houser
Cover: Photo by Gordon Houser
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
3
READERS SAY
This publication
welcomes your
letters, either about
our content or about
issues facing the
Mennonite Church
USA. Please keep
your letters brief—
one or two paragraphs—and about
one subject only. We
reserve the right to
edit for length and
clarity. Publication is
also subject to space
limitations. Send to
[email protected] or mail to
Readers Say, The
Mennonite, 1700 S.
Main St., Goshen, IN
46526-4794. Please
include your name
and address. We will
not print letters sent
anonymously,
though we may withhold names at our
discretion.—Editors
Respond to world in turmoil as Jesus did
I much appreciated Susan Mark Landis’ article on
listening and learning from each other (“Listen
and Learn from Each Other,” Oct. 20). Communicating as an adult rather than a child is sometimes
difficult, but in a healthy community it is essential.
We need to recognize how beautiful a diversity of
ideas and perspectives can be as we attempt to
find responses to the complex issues we face in
our churches, societies and in the world.
It is easy for us to look at the world and decide
how we (in our childish ways) want to respond to
it and then seek justification for that response in
the Bible. It is more difficult, however, to first go
to the Scriptures to see how God, through Jesus
Christ, asks us to respond to a world in turmoil
and confusion and then to take the risks to
respond accordingly. Thanks, Susan, for encouraging us to move beyond national polarization and
again pore over Scripture to find ways to live
together.—Max Ediger, Bangkok, Thailand
Articles on Mennonite women
Thank you so much for the way you made space
for the three stories about Mennonite Women USA
programs in the Nov. 3 issue. I was thrilled with
how the pictures looked with the backgrounds
removed. I think you used my three favorite pictures in the African Anabaptist Women Theologian
articles: the three graduates and Mary Schertz
and Rebecca Osiro (“Moved by the Spirit”), and
Nina with Sibusisiwe (“A Life-Changing Event”).
Thanks also to Heidi Martin for the way she told
the story of the event in Middletown, Pa. (“SisterCare Event Offers ‘Sowing’ Circle”). It was great
that Heidi could attend for the whole time.
—Rhoda Keener, executive director, Mennonite
Women USA
IN THIS ISSUE
J
ordan is a country that demonstrates sacrificial peacemaking. For some 40 years it has hosted Palestinian refugees
removed from ancestral lands west of the Jordan River.
Now they also host Iraqi refugees. Gordon Houser (pages 8-11
and 32) is the third editor from The Mennonite to participate in
a tour of this wonderful little country sponsored by the Jordan
Tourism Board. Another reason for the attention we give to
Jordan: This is where Mennonite Central Committee’s Middle
East offices are located. In the news section we carry another
story of peacemaking: Two congregations in Middlebury, Ind.,
that split 86 years ago are reuniting (page 19). On page 25,
MCC U.S. executive director Rolando Santiago explains why
he is resigning.—Editor
4
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Too much credit for event
Thank you for Donita Wiebe-Neufeld’s piece about
the recent Young Adult Fellowship retreat (News
Digest, Nov. 3). As a committee, we greatly appreciate any help we can get to spread the word about
the work we are doing with young adults from
Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite
Church USA on behalf of the sister denominations.
It is only right to offer one clarifier to the article, which ends by saying, “Organizer David
Maurer, West Liberty, Ohio, said, …” While I do
serve as a member of the organizing committee
and was present to help in carrying out the
retreat, I did not do nearly the amount of work in
planning this retreat as others on the committee,
such as Alissa Bender. She was on the ground in
Calgary and did a tremendous amount of leg work
that someone like me, who flew in from Ohio,
would never have been able to bring together.
Perhaps this is understood by the average reader.
But given the number of people that we find know
little about our committee, I would hate for people
to see me as the organizer of the retreat when I
was only a small part of the planning.—David
Maurer, West Liberty, Ohio
Use the magazine as forum for storytelling
Regarding the Nov. 3 editorial, “About the
Moratorium,” by Everett Thomas: If The
Mennonite were to decide that it wishes to serve
as a public forum for mature and Christlike dialogue on human sexuality, I would heartily
endorse that. But doing so will only be effective
and in line with the church’s official position of dialogue if an attempt is made to give serious space to
the whole range of opinions on the issue.
The editorial led me and others to fear—perhaps prematurely?—that Thomas was staking out
a partisan position and might favor some views at
the expense of others. I especially endorse the
idea of using your magazine as a forum for storytelling, for relaying life experience on the issue.
This should encompass not only those who struggle to remain faithful to the church’s traditional
teachings—as Thomas pointed out—but also those
who have come to believe that God endorses a full
expression of their sexuality, along with those of
more conservative bent who wish to explain how
they are harmed by a more inclusive stance.
I also heartily endorse the idea of enforcing certain rules of the game. We Mennonites have sometimes shown a cultural shortcoming in our inability to disagree kindly. There is a huge role for an
editorial staff to play in setting up rules of play that
encourage polite and respectful disagreement and
that do not tolerate mudslinging. I would enthusi-
READERS SAY
astically welcome The Mennonite stepping into this
void and providing that kind of a forum—provided
that all views are given equal respect.—Ray Fisher,
Barto, Pa.
Deficiencies in proposal
“About the Moratorium” (Nov. 3) has six bulleted
suggested articles for future continuation of the
dialogue on homosexuality. I am thankful for the
openness of the editor and board to continue discussion of this matter that has again been given
space in this important magazine. Although the six
suggested topics for discussion seem comprehensive, I suggest some possible deficiencies:
1. The last one calls for a feature story of a person with same-sex orientation who remains faithful
to the church’s teaching on homosexuality. Should
that not be balanced by a story on a person with
same-sex orientation that lives in a committed
same-sex relationship, respects the church and
wants to continue in it because of lifelong association and commitment to its Anabaptist ideals?
2. One calls for highlighting the different ways
we read the Bible. This will only be useful and
valid if it includes at least two different people that
come to different conclusions using valid biblical
hermeneutics. Otherwise I fear that from the six
suggested we will have an outcome that will be
fatally flawed in their overall tone. It could lead to
a one-sided conclusion that will satisfy many but
that will be used for the next 10 years to justify a
particular, probably traditional position.—Larry
Eby, Albany, Ore.
Marriage and birth announcements
I just wanted to add another vote of disappointment regarding the decision to drop the marriage
and birth announcements in the new format
(“Board Approves The Mennonite Redesign,” Oct.
6). I have never received the annual readers survey, despite having been a Gospel Herald and The
Mennonite reader for most of my 34 years, so I
thought I would take this opportunity to note that I
Pontius’ Puddle
read For the Record first, news items second. And
the rest? A connection to Mennonite happenings is
what I am looking for when I read The Mennonite
and hope the editorial staff can find one page out
of the new 64-page format for these items.
—Hannah Gascho Rempel, Corvallis, Ore.
Editor’s note: Beginning January 2010, we will post
birth and marriage announcements on our Web site.
To accommodate those who ask to continue receiving these announcements, we will mail paper copies
of what is posted there.
Jesus did not need teaching
In response to “A Life-Changing Event” by Patricia
Burdette (Nov. 3): This is now the fourth time I’ve
heard “the interpretation of the Syrophoenician
woman’s story as a learning experience for Jesus”
by speakers and writers in Mennonite circles. A
new thing, for sure, this teaching the One who
made the heavens and the earth. “For by him all
things were created … all things were created by
him and for him” (Colossians 1:16). Paul quotes
Isaiah 40:13: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! … Who has
known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his
counselor?” (Romans 11:13-14) When Jesus was
12, the learned were amazed at his answers and
understanding (Luke 2:47), yet 21st-century
Mennonites are convinced a woman taught mercy
to the God of all mercy. How arrogant.
Had Jesus already met this amazing woman
before he told Nicodemus “God so loved the world
that he sent his only begotten son that whosoever
believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)? Doesn’t he say, “I only do
what the Father tells me” (John 8:28)? What
gospel are we reading?
The Mennonite church needs to repent. Peace
is not the gospel, salvation in Jesus’ life, death and
resurrection is the gospel. Sin is what needs to be
dealt with, or peace is unattainable.—Jean Martin,
Valparaiso, Ind.
ONLINE POLL
R E S U LT S
Mennonite Central
Committee sends
more school kits to
this country than
any other: (39
votes)
Jordan (23%)
Colombia (21%)
Congo (33%)
Indonesia (23%)
Check out the new
poll question at
www.
TheMennonite.org
Note: See page
10 for the correct
answer to this
question.
Joel Kauffmann
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
5
NEWS DIGEST
IN BRIEF
Uncomfortable
pews
Goshen offers
Advent devotions
Goshen (Ind.)
College is again
offering an online
devotions to help
believers prepare
during Advent for
Christmas.
Beginning Nov. 23
and culminating on
Christmas Day, students, faculty and
staff provide weekday reflections
based on the
Sunday’s upcoming
lectionary Scripture
passages. They are
available online at
blog.goshen.edu/
devotions, by daily
email or via an
RSS feed.—Goshen
College
6
TheMennonite
GOSHEN, Ind.—A group of Mennonite pastors,
mostly in the Pacific Southwest Mennonite
Conference, has lodged concerns with the following: their conference, Mennonite Church USA
leaders and Mennonite World Conference leaders.
The group is asking that Mennonite Church USA
stop the activism of those who are pushing for the
denomination to change its teaching position on
homosexuality. Called Anabaptist Immigrant
Church Leaders Council (www.aiclc.net), the
group includes 24 pastors who signed a letter of
protest sent to acting executive director Ron Byler
on Sept. 21.
In the letter, the group called for three actions:
that Mennonite Church USA make unequivocally
clear its leadership and membership position,
bring dialogue to a close “in the near future” by
affirming the current teaching position, and establish a framework of accountability for congregations, conferences and pastors to “abide by and
uphold … scriptural standards.”
Attached to their letters was a “fact sheet”
describing the activism of three groups pushing
for the change: the “Open Letter” group,
PinkMennos and Menno Neighbors. For the full
texts of the letters, go to www.themennonite.org.
Sandra Montes-Martinez
Gregory A. Boyd,
pastor in St. Paul,
Minn., says that the
clearer he is with his
congregation about
the cost of discipleship, the smaller his
congregation gets.
His church board
tells him that he
should go on the
road giving seminars
on church shrinkage
rather than on
church growth. Boyd
says the church
needs leaders who
will preach a vision
of the kingdom of
God that looks like
“Jesus’ self-sacrificial
love.” Says Boyd: “We
need visionary leaders and teachers
who will challenge
the status quo and
make people
uncomfortable in
the pews, who will
help them wake up
to the many ways
that our lives have
been co-opted by
the culture.”—The
Christian Century
Pastors group raises concerns about MC USA
“Our Mennonite statements have been remarkably consistent [with regard to human sexuality],”
Byler said in an Oct. 14 letter of response. “Each
says clearly what we believe as a church and each
acknowledges that, as Anabaptists, we continue to
be open to the Holy Spirit among us as we discern
together what the Scriptures say to us.”
Byler also referred to an action taken by the
Convention 2009 Delegate Assembly calling on the
Executive Board to ask conferences what they
need to address conflict around this issue. Those
responses are due to the Executive Board in early
January 2010.—Everett J. Thomas
Former mission leader Ernest Bennett dies
GOSHEN, Ind.—H. Ernest Bennett, longtime mission administrator, died on Nov. 11 in Goshen.
Bennett led mission efforts in
the former Mennonite Church
for more than two decades.
Bennett spent most of his
career with Mennonite Board of
Missions, including 21 years as
executive secretary. Mennonite
Ernest Bennett
Board of Missions is a predecessor of Mennonite Mission
Network. Bennett also served with Mennonite
Health Association, Mennonite Health Assembly
and Mennonite Central Committee.
Bennett was a devoted member of Prairie Street
Mennonite Church, Elkhart, Ind. Bennett married
Earla Hostetter in 1941, and she died Nov. 10,
2008.—Mennonite Mission Network
Mennonite Schools join The Corinthian Plan
Mennonite Men gives Dallas church $35,000
Two 17-year-olds joined their grandfather Sept. 13 in
presenting a JoinHands Mennonite Church Building
grant for $35,000 to Iglesia Menonita Luz del Evangelio
in Dallas, Texas, to build its new church building. In
addition, Schowalter Foundation gave the church
$12,000 for renovations to its existing buildings.
Praying over the gift are (from left) Luz del Evangelio
pastor Juan Limones; Bianca Limones; Abel Gomez;
Gilberto Flores, associate conference minister for
Western District Conference; Mennonite Men coordinator Jim Gingerich; his grandson Adrian Revell and his
grand-daughter Shenise Allen of Moundridge, Kan.,
who attends Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church,
Goessel, Kan., which has a sister relationship with Luz
del Evangelio.—Gordon Houser
December 1,2009
NEWTON, Kan.—Mennonite Schools Council, an
association of 36 schools, has joined The
Corinthian Plan. The group voted to have the
Associated Mennonite Schools and Camps
Benefits Plan relate to Mennonite Church USA’s
health care plan, The Corinthian Plan, through
reinsurance. MSC will now pay a portion of its
reinsurance premium to a common fund that will
be managed by Mennonite Mutual Aid. This fund
will be used to pay a portion of the large claims
among the various church plan pools participating
in the new denominational health plan. This
approach is similar to the model that is proposed
for the Mennonite higher education
institutions.—Mennonite Church USA
Mennonite Women USA approve new mission
NEWTON, Kan.—The Mennonite Women USA
board approved new mission and vision statements for the organization at a Nov. 7 meeting.
The new guiding documents state: “Our mission at
NEWS DIGEST
IN BRIEF
Cheryl Treece
Cluster bomb display travels to Bluffton, Goshen
Mennonite Central Committee’s “Daily Terror” cluster bomb
display was part of an October weekend of activities at First
Mennonite Church in Bluffton, Ohio. Louise Matthews, director
of the Lion and Lamb Peace Arts Center, studies the exhibit,
which features stories from around the world.—MCC
Mennonite Women USA is to empower women
and women’s groups as we nurture our life in
Christ, study the Bible, use our gifts, hear each
other and engage in mission and service” and,
“Mennonite Women USA invites women across
generations, cultures and places to share and
honor our stories, care for each other and express
our prophetic voice boldly as we seek to follow
Christ.”—Mennonite Church USA
Bridgefolk ED resigns, leadership revamped
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn.—Bridgefolk, a movement
of Mennonites and Catholics, held its 10th anniversary conference in August. Now it is entering a
time of transition. Kent Yoder resigned to pursue
graduate studies in Europe, after serving two
years as executive director.
Recognizing the demands on the largely volunteer circle of Bridgefolk leaders, the board recommended a change in leadership structure. Gerald
Schlabach will return to his role as executive
director, with a focus on working with the board to
tend the vision of Bridgefolk and mentor new leadership.
Lois Kauffman, Central District Conference
minister, will serve as conference coordinator.
Mary Schertz will represent Bridgefolk at an
International Ecumenical Peace Conference this
summer. Schertz is the director of the Institute of
Mennonite Studies, Elkhart, Ind.—Bridgefolk.net
MCA creates benevolence fund for camps
EAST PERTH, Ontario—The Mennonite Camping
Association board held its annual winter meeting
at Hidden Acres Camp in East Perth on Nov. 4.
Here the board established a Benevolence
Fund that will be available to member camps that
experience loss due to a natural disaster such as a
flood or fire. The board created guidelines for distribution of the fund, which generally will not
exceed $1,500. It will also provide opportunity for
camps to contribute to the needs of other camps.
MCA is continuing to work with Mennonite
Disaster Service to provide an opportunity for
camp staff to work together and assist in a disaster
relief area. The board is working toward a date in
November 2010.
The 2010 fall meeting of the board will be held
in the Elkhart, Ind., area in order to allow the
board formally to express appreciation to Evon
Castro for her many years of service to
MCA.—MCA
Shanks honored for work with AIC churches
ELKHART, Ind.—David A. and Wilma Shank were
honored for their lifetime of work on Oct. 31.
Their work includes 10 years with African-Initiated
Churches in Côte d’Ivoire. A banquet sponsored
by the Association of Anabaptist-Mennonite
Missiologists at Associated Mennonite Biblical
Seminary, Elkhart, highlighted the Shanks’ contributions to mission. The Shanks served first in
Belgium from 1950-1973, then in west Africa from
1979 to 1989. James Krabill presented a certificate
to his mentors. Krabill served in Côte d’Ivoire with
the Shanks and now is senior executive for global
ministries with Mennonite Mission Network. The
honor included announcement of a book of David’s
writings that Krabill is editing and the Institute of
Mennonite Studies is publishing. The book, titled
Mission from the Margins: Writings from the Life
and Ministry of David A. Shank, will be completed
early in 2010.—AMBS
Spiritual directors gather at first-ever retreat
GOSHEN, Ind.—The first-ever U.S. retreat for
Mennonite spiritual directors took place Oct. 26-28
at the Jesuit Retreat House in Parma, Ohio. Wendy
Wright led the group in reflecting on John 15:12-17
and the theme of friendship in Christian theology.
Wright teaches theology and spirituality at
Creighton University in Omaha, Neb. A total of 46
directors attended. About 115 people appear in the
Mennonite Spiritual Directors list available on the
Mennonite Church USA Web site.—Mennonite
Church USA
—compiled by Anna Groff
December 1,2009
Bluffton professor
teacher of the year
Lucia Unrau was
awarded the Ohio
Music Teachers
Association Collegiate
Teacher of the Year
award during the
annual state conference Nov. 5-7 in Van
Wert, Ohio. She is professor of music and
music department
chair at Bluffton
(Ohio) University.
Unrau is the first
Bluffton music faculty
member to receive
the award. She was
nominated by teachers in the Middle West
district, which ranges
from the Findlay area
to Bellefontaine and
west to the Indiana
border. —Bluffton
College
EMU president is
council chair
College
president Loren
Swartzendruber
is serving as chair
of the Council of
Independent Colleges
in Virginia for the
2009-10 fiscal year.
He is the president of
Eastern Mennonite
University,
Harrisonburg, Va.
Swartzendruber was
elected at the fall
meeting of the CICV
board of directors
and will serve in this
role through Sept. 30,
2010. CICV is an association of 27 nonprofit, private colleges
and universities in
Virginia.—EMU
TheMennonite
7
Reflections from a
trip to Jordan
by Gordon Houser
n a region often identified with conflict, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan stands
out as a place where peace and religious acceptance is both preached and practiced. Though I am a Mennonite who preaches (and tries to practice) peace, a
trip to this land in the Middle East taught me much.
When friends and family learned that I was traveling to Jordan in late
September, many asked, “Is that safe?” I wasn’t worried, but I understood the
question. After I returned from my week there, I assured them I felt as safe as in
my own town (Newton, Kan.).
A tree stands against the desert backdrop at Wadi Rum in southern Jordan.
Photo by Gordon Houser
8
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
I traveled with 17 other Christian journalists
from the United States and Canada. We represented periodicals that are part of three organizations:
Catholic Press Association (nine), Associated
Church Press (five, including me) and Evangelical
Press Association (four). While the Jordan Tourism
Board paid for our tour, JTB has no control over
what I write here. And while it obviously wants to
promote tourism, which is more than 10 percent of
Jordan’s GNP, larger issues are involved.
Among the first places we visited was the
Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center,
housed in the Melkite Catholic Church in Amman,
part of the Patriarchate of Antioch.
The center’s director, Father Nabil Haddad, told
us his ancestors were at Pentecost (Acts 2). As
Arab Christians they are living witnesses within a
Muslim majority, making up about 5 percent of the
population. (In 1950, Christians made up about 30
percent of the population.)
“Jordan is the best model for Christian-Muslim
relations,” Fr. Haddad said. Eighty Muslim leaders
work with the center, which began in 2003. An
imam (Muslim cleric) who is part of Imams for
Coexistence, once gave a sermon in which he
called Americans “brothers and sisters.”
In answer to a question from our group, Fr.
Haddad said that Muslims are not allowed to convert, according to sharia (Muslim law). “We don’t
carry out missionary work because we want to
keep what we have,” he said. Those who try to
convert Muslims do more damage to Jordanian
Christians than good.
Fr. Haddad pointed out that Arab Christians
are in the Bible and in the Qur’an. The Prophet
Muhammed was married to a Christian and welcomed Christians into his first mosque in Medina,
he said. This kind of organization works in Jordan
because there is no hostility between Muslims and
Christians, he said.
Later that day we visited Prince El Hassan bin
Talal, brother of King Hussein, who died in 1999,
and uncle to King Abdullah. Having passed
through security and been instructed to address
him as “your royal highness,” we were taken
aback when the prince came into the room unannounced and shook hands and greeted each of us.
He proceeded to talk about religion and politics,
the topics we are told to avoid in polite company,
right? Speaking fluent English (he was trained at
Continued
on page 10
Jordan is the best model for Christian-Muslim
relations.—Fr. Nabil Haddad
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
9
Continued
from page 9
Oxford University in England), the prince displayed an erudite yet passionate concern for peace
in the world.
“At the end of the day,” he said, “we all should
support civil rights and sanctity of human life.”
He addressed so-called Muslim suicide
bombers: “There’s nothing fundamentally religious
about fundamentalists.” He called such actions
part of the “hatred industry.”
He described governance as “good bedside
manner,” knowing how to talk to people. Those
who cannot live without war portray themselves as
warriors, he said.
In order to put a halt to the hatred industry, he
said, we must do something for people, especially
the impoverished. And strategies against terrorism, he added, should address the causes, such as
poverty.
There’s nothing
fundamentally religious
about fundamentalists.
—Prince El Hassan bin Talal
He told a story of a time when some political
leaders were visiting. He showed them some Iraqi
refugee children who were sleeping in the street
during the winter. They had nowhere to go.
Leaders must keep such people in mind.
The Middle East does not have a way to discuss
economics with a human face, he said. In 2050
there will be 55 million unemployed Arabs. At
present, 60 percent of Arab youth want to migrate.
What is the role of Christians? he asked. We
should study the texts of the other. Prince Hassan
has done this. He gave each of us a copy of his
book Christianity in the Arab World, which he
Fast facts about Jordan
Official name: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Population: 6.3 million
Form of government: a constitutional monarchy with
representative government
Religious adherence: 92 percent Sunni Muslim with a small Christian
minority (Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant)
Length of Mennonite presence in Jordan: 40 years
Number of school kits Mennonite Central Committee sends to
Jordan each year: 25,000 (more than to any other country)
Number of groups MCC works with in Jordan: 15
10
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December 1,2009
wrote to help fellow Muslims better understand
Christianity.
Interfaith dialogue, he said, should be talk
about the practice of faith, not an ivory-tower conversation. It is necessary to bring people together
and have a civilized framework for disagreement.
The next morning, we had a briefing with
Senator Akel Biltaji. He explained that senators are
Jordan promotes not tolerance but acceptance of
religion.—Senator Akel Biltaji
appointed, as in the British
system of government. They
must verify every law the
government proposes, then
the king must sign it for it to
become law. Jordan’s system
of government is a combination of monarchy and parliament.
He offered a lesson in the
history of the region and of
Jordan, which became a nation in 1921-23 and
became independent in 1946, moving from a
princedom to a kingdom.
Jordan has been “an oasis of peace” in the
region’s conflict, he said. Jordan is the secondlargest peacekeeping force for the United Nations,
he said.
He outlined what he called a 4-P process—piety,
prophecy, politics, patriotism (the hijacking of religion)—which he said moves away from the core of
religion, which is summarized by “love thy neighbor” and “love thy enemy.”
He gave examples of such hijacking of religion
by Islamicists. “Jihad” is an inner war (self-denial),
giving up pleasures for the sake of purity, he said,
not a call to kill people. Jordan’s King Abdullah
took leadership in opposing the violence of
Islamacist terrorism, he said.
Jordan promotes not tolerance but acceptance
of religion, he said. The Abrahamic path shows the
commonality of the three faiths (Judaism,
Christianity and Islam), he said.
He emphasized “peace through tourism”: leaving home for a purpose, earning knowledge, practicing people-to-people diplomacy.
In response to a question about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, he said, “My cousins [the
Jews] cannot see beyond their noses” and react
out of fear; they cannot trust.
A huge tomb carved into the rock at Petra, one of the seven
wonders of the world and Jordan’s greatest tourist attraction. Photo by Gordon Houser
Through the week, we visited many sites of biblical and historical interest, including Gedara
(where Jesus may have cast demons into a herd of
swine), the Jabbok River (where Jacob wrestled
with “a man”), the site of Jesus’ baptism, Jerash,
Madaba (whose people are the direct descendants
of some of the earliest Christians), Mt. Nebo (see
Deuteronomy 34:1) and Petra, one of the seven
wonders of the world.
On Oct. 2 at a hotel on the Dead Sea, I visited
with Cindy and Daryl Byler over coffee. The Bylers
are Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) representatives for the region that includes Jordan,
Palestine, Iran and Iraq. They’ve been in this position for two years.
MCC has worked in Jordan for 40 years, they
said, and 60 years in Palestine.
Primarily the Bylers help support the work of
local churches and NGOs (nongovernmental
organizations), both Christian and Muslim. They
work with 15 groups in the areas of peacebuilding,
community development and relief.
A large part of the work in Jordan is with
schools, primarily Catholic and Anglican. Caritas
Jordan, a Catholic organization, provides education
about HIV/AIDS in many schools and also distrib-
utes MCC school kits. Jordan receives about
25,000 kits per year, more than any other country.
In Jordan, the Christian schools have a good
reputation, Cindy said. Among the schools MCC
supports are ones that work with special needs
children, who are often seen as a burden or shame
in Jordanian society.
Brent Stutzman is a volunteer with MCC’s
SALT (Serving and Learning Together) program,
working at the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf in
Salt, Jordan. Volunteer Julie Lytle works at the
Arab Episcopal School in Irbid, which is for blind
and low-vision children in grades K-6.
MCC has begun working at East-West dialogue
with young adults. The Bylers helped organize a
meeting in Jordan of 13 young adults from the
United States with young adults from the Middle
East. This four-day conference has been held twice
and done with the Middle East Council of
Churches. MCC also sends two local students to
the Peacebuilding Institute at Eastern Mennonite
University in Harrisonburg, Va., each year.
Water is a huge political issue in the region.
MCC helps villages build catchments to distribute
water from springs. They also provide equipment
and funding for materials.
Jordan is a place where the work of Mennonites, Catholics and others is welcome alongside
that of Muslims. In a region where conflict is widespread, it is a place of peace where hospitality is
valued and practiced.
Gordon Houser is associate editor of The Mennonite.
Note: Editor
Everett Thomas is
planning to lead a
similar tour to
Jordan in
November 2010;
it is specifically for
editors of
Mennonite
Church USA conference newsletters. All expenses
(from New York
City) for the one
week tour will be
covered by the
Jordan Tourism
Board. Editors
that are interested can send an
email to
[email protected] or call
574-535-6051.
Mennonite presence in Jordan: Cindy and Daryl Byler are regional representatives for Mennonite Central Committee. Photo by Gordon Houser
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
11
by David Kreider
grew up in Israel, in the aftermath of
one of history’s most horrific tragedies.
Traumatized and desperate after 6 million of their kin were annihilated in gas
chambers and death camps across Eastern
Europe, my first friends were Jews whose
hopes converged in this Jewish State.
Sadly, their tragedy has given birth to yet
another, causing a conflict that has infected
the entire Middle East and three of the
world’s great faiths—over half the world’s
population.
War and insecurity have long been part
of life in Israel. I remember June 1967, at
age 14, digging our bomb shelter, taping up
our windows and headlights, the fighter
jets, sirens and incoming missiles aimed at
the refineries nearby. I remember the anxi-
How could God favor one
people against another?
Doesn’t God love Arabs and
all people as much as Jews?
Photo Anna Groff
ety and then five days later the relief as
news came in of Egypt’s surrender in the
Sinai, the capture of the Golan, Jerusalem,
the West Bank and Gaza. For Israelis reeling from what was at stake this was a “miracle” of biblical proportions—God had again
“delivered his people,” as in days of old.
Soon I saw how this looked from the
other side as we met missionaries and their
children from Gaza. My wife to be, Mary
Ann, was among them. How could God
favor one people against another? Doesn’t
God love Arabs and all people as much as
Jews? Was God in this? As Palestinian
Muslims and Christians tried to make
sense of the growing magnitude of their
12
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
injustice, they developed their own liberation theologies. Some took on extreme
forms as their outcries fell on deaf ears.
I have seen the power of competing religious ideologies in the Middle East and
how they contend for influence in the halls
and think tanks of Washington and elsewhere to devastating effect. Is this the
vision for the world God had in mind?
Toward holy peace: Jesus was about different politics. His vision was for a social
order that transcended all boundaries—a
kingdom whose transformative force and
governing moral law was love—an all-inclusive love that encompassed God, our
neighbors and our enemies.
As I’ve reflected on the ramifications of
those words, I am struck by the focus of
Jesus’ ministry. Galilee was a Gentile
region at the sociological and political edge
of Jewish life, a crossroads in that region
where Judean culture intersected with
those of Greeks, Romans, Syrians,
Persians, Arabs and Samaritans who lived
along and traveled the trade routes, and
where the outcasts of Judaism—the “sinners,” the demoniacs, lepers and the
poor—were relegated to live among “the
heathen” and “unclean.” This is where
Jesus grew up, spent most of his time and
recruited his disciples. He spoke to his
diverse audiences here in parables, realizing many of them would not immediately
comprehend their meaning.
Jesus was deliberate and passionate
about inclusively engaging others outside
his tradition, and he often affirmed their
faith (Matthew 8:10-12). His most animated
act recorded in Scripture (Mark 11:15-17)
sees him so infuriated by the merchants’
disregard for those whose space they had
taken over and exploited in the Temple’s
Gentile courtyard that he chases them out
with a whip.
Hope may come from inter-religious efforts.
The words that burned in his mind were from
Isaiah 56:3,6-8: “Do not let the foreigner joined to
the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me
from his people.’ … And the foreigners who join
themselves to the Lord, … and hold fast my
covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain,
and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their
burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a
house of prayer for all peoples.”
Paul later put it this way: “But now in Christ
Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near … [making] both groups into one
and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the
hostility between us. … that he might create in
himself one new humanity, … thus making peace.
… So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,
but … members of the household of God”
(Ephesians 2:13-19).
A personal journey: One of the most meaningful
experiences of my life has been my opportunity
these past two years to get acquainted with several
Muslim and Jewish colleagues at the Center for
Justice and Peacebuilding in Harrisonburg, Va. As
our friendships grew, several of us talked about
forming a group we called Search for Scriptural
Common Ground to explore the teachings in our
faiths that relate to peacemaking—compassion,
love, nonviolence, forgiveness, mercy. As we
shared and discussed our Scriptures, we found a
growing sense of kinship, trust and awe in the
realization that we were also finding our common
humanity, a deepening sense of peace and connection in our common quest for God.
Marc Gopin, in his book Holy War, Holy Peace:
How Religion Can Bring Peace to the Middle East
(2002), features a remarkable document drawn up
by several rabbis and sheikhs called the Jerusalem
Peace Agreement, which I found moving:
“We as representatives of the two faiths, of
Islam and Judaism, agree to the following: Both
the Torah and the Qur’an are expressions of faith
which speak of the divine revelation and oneness
of G-d . Both … teach their faithful to honor every
human being as the living image of G-d. The Holy
Torah revealed to Moses, peace be upon him, the
prophet of the Jewish people, calls for the respect
and honor of every human being regardless of
race or creed [and for] special respect and feeling
of brotherhood to all believers in the one G-d.
Thus Muslims, who worship the same G-d as the
Jews, are primary recipients of these feelings of
brotherhood.
“The Holy Qur’an revealed to Mohammed,
peace be upon him, the prophet of Islam, calls for
the respect and honor of every human being
regardless of race or creed [and for] special
respect and feeling of brotherhood to all believers
in the one G-d. Thus Jews, who worship the same
G-d as the Muslims, are primary recipients of
these feelings of brotherhood.
“Based on these eternal truths of the Holy
There is a groundswell of passion for
inter-religious peacemaking around the
world.
Torah and the Holy Qur’an, we declare that no
human being shall be persecuted, physically or
morally, because of their faith or the practice of
their beliefs. We also express our wish for greater
harmony and understanding between [us]. We the
descendents of Ishmael and Isaac, the children of
Abraham, are united to offer our prayers … for the
end of all enmity and for the beginning of an era of
peace, love and compassion.”
The question that haunts me as I read that is,
Where is Jesus in this, a Jew who also spoke of
God as one, and of love and peace and faith
beyond the framework of his own tradition
(Matthew 8:10-12)? Where were Christians in this?
Reason for hope: There is a groundswell of passion for inter-religious peacemaking around the
world. Universities and seminaries are building
December 1,2009
Continued
on page 14
TheMennonite
13
by Marion Deckert
Those who recognize the transformative
premises in Jesus’ teachings have an
increasingly strategic role to play.
programs in interfaith studies. Closer to home, I
am excited to see Eastern Mennonite University,
too, developing a center for interfaith engagement
and peacebuilding. Initiatives such as “A Common
Word between Us and You” from 300 Muslim clerics to Christian leaders in the West and the
Interfaith Youth Core movement of Eboo Patel
reflect this hunger for mutual understanding and
peace. At higher levels of state and policy analysis,
the Center for Strategic International Studies and
the U.S. Institute of Peace have sponsored landmark studies whose findings point to inter-religious diplomacy as strategic to engaging the ideological underpinnings of terrorist groups whose
networks have become global and their designs
apocalyptic. World leaders such as Jimmy Carter,
Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Barack Obama have
increasingly engaged the language of faith in their
work to bridge the political and ideological divides
we face in today’s world.
Those who recognize the transformative premises in Jesus’ teachings have an increasingly strategic role to play in transforming the twisted logics of
holy war to those of peace and a new social order
built on a moral law of love that bridges enmity.
Anabaptist-Mennonites who have espoused these
premises of just peace and nonviolence and established a legacy of service and partnership in relief,
development, dialogue and peacebuilding are garnering renewed respect for their work across these
lines of faith and politics. It is to this exciting work
that we have been called in Christ, and with this
unprecedented convergence of interest in interfaith
engagement we have a remarkable opportunity to
inculcate Jesus’ vision for the world in these conversations and collaborative efforts for peace.
David Kreider is a graduate of the Center for Justice
and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University
in Harrisonburg, Va., where he has also been
involved on the advisory board of the emerging
Center for Interfaith Engagement. He is a member
of Community Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg.
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December 1,2009
Be alone with the Holy Scriptures—if you are not,
you do not read the Holy Scriptures. This being
alone with God’s Word is a dangerous matter. But
one may defend himself against God’s Word. Take
the Holy Scriptures, shut your door—but then take
10 dictionaries and 25 commentaries—then you
can read it just as quietly and coolly as you read
the newspaper.—Soren Kierkegaard
heard Nelson Krabill talk about what had
changed in the Mennonite church in his 12
years as president of Associated Mennonite
Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind. One observation was that the use and authority of the Bible
had declined. This decline is part of a much longer
historical trend that corresponds roughly with the
increase in educational levels among our people.
However, it is not only the intellectuals who are
less likely to see the Bible as an authority; it is
Photo Dreamstime.com
Continued
from page 9
We need to regain confidence
in the message contained in
the plain meaning of the text.
If what
pretty much across the congregation.
From the perspective of the pew it goes something like this: You read the Scripture, it seems to
have a pretty plain meaning and you assume it
should help guide your life. But then you meet
someone who points out that the meaning of a key
term, say “peace,” in Greek or Hebrew is really a
way of talking about justice and therefore you do
not understand what the text says.
Or someone points out that in the ancient culture a particular action or practice, say hitting
someone on the right cheek, cannot be done without disgracing the hitter, so the meaning is different from what you thought. After repeated
instances of this, you begin to think the Scriptures
are not something the layman can understand, and
Bible reading becomes problematic. Add to this
that the pastor is tempted to spend much time talking about the translation and culture and historical
setting of the text for the day and less and less
time talking about precisely what it says.
The causes of this systematic deconstruction of
the text are not hard to find. First is a negative
cause. The rapid decline in the idea of word-forword literal inspiration has not been replaced by a
commonly accepted notion of authority. The reasons many of us cannot subscribe to the traditional
doctrine of literal inspiration are well known. I
think the decline of this doctrine is all to the good.
It is nearly impossible to square such a view with a
serious respect for the Scriptures. Still, the results
of this change in approach has been corrosive. If
we cannot accept each specific proposition on face
value, then what should our faith be based on?
There is also a powerful positive cause: the rise
of a radical theory about the meaning of texts. As
a shorthand, I will refer to this as postmodern theory. In its most radical form it claims that no text
has an inherent meaning. No text wears its meaning on its sleeve. Meaning only arises as the reader brings her presuppositions, personal history
and cultural baggage to the text and thus creates a
meaning. This means there are only personal
meanings in texts and no foundational, objective,
explicit meaning. Once this idea takes hold of
one’s understanding, it is difficult to avoid a radical
relativism. If what I get out of the Scripture is only
valid for me, only personal truth, then it is at best
inspirational, not authoritative.
“Sola scritptura” (Scripture alone) was a leading
idea of Anabaptist reformers. Scripture was the
foundation, the touchstone. It was the anchor that
tied the church together, no matter how fractious
and diverse were the understandings. The postmodern view is radically antifoundationalist. It is based
on the conviction that there can be no objective,
universal truths. A view that is securely anchored
on the foundational belief that there can be no foundational truths is the most disastrous kind of foundationalism.
These and other causes lead the layperson to
pretty much give up trying to use Scripture as an
authority. Still, no one swims in the chaotic world of
possible ideas-values-commitments without an
anchor or at least a life raft. In particular, two
approaches to Scripture seem to promise some
refuge in the wreckage left by postmondernism and
the passing of literal inspiration.
One approach is represented by the Jesus
Seminar. It is based on the hope that modern linguistic and historical tools will make it possible to
sift out of the Gospels the words and sayings that
can be ascribed directly to Jesus. The methodology
is based on secular scholarship and rational principles. The approach is designed to ignore doctrinal
beliefs and faith commitments. The project extracts
a discouragingly small set of words and sayings that
can be said to be authentic.
The clear implication of this project is that only
the authentic words and sayings can be used as
authoritative sources for Christian belief and action.
It is hard not to see this effort as leading to a new
literalism. It is designed to provide a new, albeit
truncated, gospel that is authoritative on much the
same basis as the old literal inspiration. As tempting
as this is to the drowning soul, there are those niggling doubts. First, could their choice of authentic
sayings have been influenced by their own biases?
Might another group of scholars come up with a different set of authentic passages? And new scholarship, new theories and new historical understandings will come along and become the basis of a revision of the certified words. Can it be right to leave
one’s religious life in the hands of unknown experts
Continued
on page 16
t I get out of the Scripture is only valid for me, only personal truth,
then it is at best inspirational, not authoritative.
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
15
Continued
from page 15
who have no accountability to the Christian community? What kind of faith does this entail?
There is a second, more established approach to
gaining some measure of confidence in the
Scripture. Here the hope is not to discover the
very words of Jesus but to develop a way to find
the literal intent of the writers of Scripture. If it
was possible to come close to the actual intent of
the biblical authors, then surely one would have
moved close to the truth hidden in the text.
General textual scholarship leads us to expect
that a close study of the languages, histories, cultures and parallel literatures of the original texts
should make it possible to settle some of the puzzles that come with ancient texts. If one knew,
even approximately, what was in the mind of the
writers, then surely it would be appropriate to
trust this message.
This general approach lies at the root of all textual scholarship. It is a task essential to any trustworthy translation of Scripture. No one should
doubt its importance and validity. Unfortunately, it
is not a task that can or should be assigned to the
ordinary Christian. It is important to draw a distinction between the task of translation and the
everyday action of reading for meaning. These two
things tend to be confused by the idea that one has
to find a way to get behind the text to discover its
hidden meaning. In so far as a believer bases her
confidence in some more or less hidden intention
that lies behind the text, she is put back into the
medieval position of receiving the message from
the priest. The priesthood of all believers has disappeared, and one is left again waiting for the high
priest of biblical scholarship to reveal the truth.
The biblical scholar certainly ought to deliver us a
trustworthy text, but she ought not deliver us the
meaning of the text. Translation is a technical task.
Understanding words is an everyday task.
Neither of these approaches leads to confidence
by the lay Bible reader. The church needs an
authentic, nontechnical, serious way to read the
Bible. The history of missions is replete with stories of those who have come to Christ by a chance
copy of the Gospels. It is hard to believe the text
does not pretty much bare its central message on
its sleeve. We need to regain confidence in the
message contained in the plain meaning of the text.
Marion Deckert is a member of Bethel College
Mennonite Church in North Newton, Kan.
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December 1,2009
by Dave Nickel
y dad owns an 80-acre plot of land that we
call the “Delft 80.” It’s a small field 13
miles from the home place. When I was
younger, we had a tractor that reached 15 miles
per hour on the road. I made the seemingly endless drive countless times and wondered why
Dad had not sold the land. As I sat and sweated
on the vinyl tractor seat, I thought to myself, Dad
should sell. He should buy something closer to
home.
The Delft 80 is hilly, and rocks abound.
Usually such ground wreaks havoc on farm
machinery and doesn’t produce bountiful yields.
But the Delft 80 is different. Late in the summer,
the rolling hills of tasseling corn have an elegant
mystique. More practically speaking, it is fertile.
In Dad’s words, “It produces good corn.”
Why does the Delft 80 produce good corn?
Why does Dad hang on to it, making the monotonous drive numerous times every season? Why
does he deal with the hills and the rocks year
after year? I’d like to say it is because he is a
romantic, but that he is not. Instead, he is patient
and, through studying the Delft 80 over the
years, he has allowed it to teach him how to farm
it. He has not allowed the traditional methods of
assessing land value
affect his work
ethic. He has let
the land work on
him, and the
yields have
been bountiful.
Photo Dreamstime.com
Translation is a technical task. Understanding words is an everyday task.
We need to
allow the Bible to ask us questions.
Like the Delft 80, the soil of the Bible sometimes
seems full of interpretive difficulties; it may even
seem like worthless ground. According to one
scholar, “Scripture is full of embarrassing, offensive and internally contradictory texts, texts we
don’t wish to live with, let alone live by.” In the
past, I have both overly denied and overly
embraced this statement. Sometimes I read the
Bible as an inerrant science book and other times
as an inaccurate history book. Both readings were
problematic; neither took Scripture seriously. In
both I chose which passages were authoritative
and discarded the rest. I was lazy and uncommitted. I was unwilling to read the Bible closely and
wrestle with those passages that seemed to provide “inappropriate” messages. I clung to the flat,
rock-free passages close to home. Unlike my wise
and patient father, I let the traditional ways of evaluating land tell me to sell.
The Scriptures invite us to
live in what Barth calls ‘the
strange, new world of God.’
More recently I have been introduced to the
work of the late Swiss theologian Karl Barth. He
teaches me that, instead of selling, I need to
change my perspective. Instead of bringing my
own questions to the text, Barth calls me to
approach Scripture with a posture of humility. I
need to allow the text to speak to me, to allow it to
ask me questions about what I believe and how I
live. The question is not how to get God to participate in my life; instead, reading the Bible pulls me
into God’s eternal life.
Barth proposes that our struggle with Scripture
is how we join in what God is doing in our world.
We penetrate into the heart of the text so that
through the written words we may receive the
Word of God, Jesus Christ, into our hearts. The
Bible forms our spirits into a home for the Holy
Spirit. The Scriptures invite us to live in what
Barth calls “the strange, new world of God.”
As we dwell with God’s Word, the Holy Spirit lifts
us into the new world of God’s incomprehensible
love and glory. This is the message Barth finds in
Scripture, but he goes on to write that his answers
are only a weak attempt because they measure
God with his own measure, conceive of God with
his own conceptions and wish himself a God
according to his own wishes. Barth calls us to
grow beyond these weak, human answers to hear
the Word present in Scripture.
The work of biblical interpretation is full of paradox and contradiction, but Barth points out that
we do not engage in this work alone. It is also the
work of the Holy Spirit. God graciously enables us
to reach beyond ourselves. Barth challenges us to
develop both understanding for this strange world
and goodwill enough to meditate upon it and enter
it. Such entry means a changed life; interpretation
leads to a life of discipleship.
Despite their inconveniences, the Delft 80 and
the Bible produce bountiful yields. The Delft 80
produces good corn, and the Bible produces good
disciples. We do not need to change the Scriptures
to meet our expectations; instead, we need to
change our perspective. We need to navigate the
interpretive difficulties with the hope that God will
encounter us. We need to have faith that God has
something to say to us, that God will change us
through our reading and our wrestling. We must
approach our Bibles with humility and patience.
Like my father, patiently and diligently working
the soil of the Delft 80 and letting it teach him how
to farm it, we need to work the soil of Scripture in
the same manner, letting it teach us how to properly interpret it. We need to allow our lives to be
shaped by how Scripture interprets us. We need to
accept God’s invitation to join in his story on his
terms. Then Scripture will lead us into new life,
eternal life, the life of Jesus Christ. Then we will
find ourselves in the strange, new world of God.
Then our reading of Scripture will bear fruit in our
lives and in the church.
Dave Nickel
served as a
ministerial
intern for the
Eastern Carolina
District (NC) of
the Virginia
Mennonite
Conference.
We do not need to change the Scriptures to meet our
expectations; instead, we need to change our perspective.
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
17
SPEAKING OUT
God or the Devil?
A
to infant baptism, the state church and participafellow believer said to me, “When we engage
tion in war. Neither side in that debate won a victoin dialogue, the Devil always wins.” No
ry clear enough to convince all Christians, but the
Christian wants the Devil to win. Our faith is
beliefs of the group first nicknamed “Anabaptists”
precious and so are the sacred writings that nurture it. Since any possibility of losing our faith
and then “Mennonites” survived to challenge
strikes fear into our souls, we want to be cautious
today’s worldwide church. Was this a victory for
about questioning Bible-based and time-honored
God or for the Devil?
beliefs and practices.
A century later, the church in Italy fought to
Discussion of major faith issues in the church
hold the line on its Bible-based belief that the sun
has often become impassioned, even heated. Let’s
traveled around the earth. Fierce discussion and
briefly review the story, beginning in the Acts of
charges of heresy against Galileo eventually subthe Apostles.
sided as the church changed its
After Peter obeyed his divine
interpretation of the Scriptures
vision, the church in Jerusalem
in light of new scientific eviDiscussion of major faith
called him on the carpet for eatdence that the earth traveled
Ray Elvin Horst
issues
in
the
church
has
often
ing
with
Cornelius,
an
unclean
around the sun. Did Christians
is a member of
Gentile,
“dirty”
because
he
was
thereby improve or damage our
Community
become impassioned,
Mennonite
uncircumcised. Active dialogue
belief in the Creator? Did God
Church,
even heated.
followed. As Jewish Christians
win, or did the Devil?
Harrisonburg, Va.
peeled away layers of prejudice,
In the United States around
they finally agreed that God was
1850, heated debate flared about
accepting “even the Gentiles.” Henceforth, Jewish
sticking to the Bible concerning slavery. To slaveand Gentile believers could freely visit in each
owners, Scripture was abundantly clear. In saying,
other’s homes and eat together. In making this
“Slaves, be obedient to your masters,” the Bible
change, did the church gain or lose moral ground? obviously approved the existence of both slaves
Who won, God or the Devil?
and masters. When Christians eventually followed
A bit later, Paul narrowly escaped being
the lead of government, discarding that commandlynched for teaching that circumcision was worthment in favor of the belief that holding humans in
less (“availeth nothing,” KJV). Through intense
involuntary servitude was unacceptable, did we
gain or lose moral ground? Who won, God or the
dialogue, the Jerusalem Council came to a new
Devil?
interpretation of God’s commandment to circumMore recently, Mennonites debated passionatecise boy babies: The church would not apply this
ly whether we should allow people “living in sin”
mandate to Gentile believers. Eventually both
(that is, divorced and remarried) to be members
Jewish and Gentile Christians stopped excising
of the church. That discussion led to the belief that
foreskins
as
a
required
rite
of
the
faith,
thus
disThe views
God’s grace covers their situation. Rather than
carding
the
commandment.
In
this
change,
did
expressed in this
requiring a couple to sever the bonds of their secGod
win,
or
did
the
Devil?
publication do
not necessarily
When Christians ceased stoning to death people
ond marriage, which in some cases meant separatrepresent the
guilty of adultery, thus disregarding another direct ing parents from children, we now offer blended
official positions
command from God, did the church lengthen or
families full Christian fellowship. In making this
of The Mennonite,
shorten
the
reach
of
God’s
forgiveness?
Who
won,
change, did we increase or reduce our effectivethe board for The
God
or
the
Devil?
ness in channeling God’s grace to needy humans?
Mennonite, Inc.,
or Mennonite
Around 1525, disputations erupted in
Did God win, or did the Devil?
Church USA.
Switzerland as some Christians raised objections
We are coming to see that God gives gifts for
pastoral leadership to women as well as to men.
We are reinterpreting Paul’s command, “Let
IN THE NEXT ISSUE
women keep silent in the churches,” in light of his
clear recognition of Lydia and Priscilla as leaders
• God with us—and vice versa?—Brian Martin
in the early church. In this process, is God winBurkholder
ning or is the Devil?
Perhaps a look at our history can reduce our
fear
that in any dialogue about church practice the
• Christmas economics—Harvey Yoder
Devil will win. TM
18
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Two congregations unite after 86 years
Churches split in 1923 over issues of biblical interpretation, women’s attire.
Rachel Nafziger Hartzler
P
leasant Oaks Mennonite Church,
Middlebury, Ind., met for its final Sunday
morning worship service on Nov. 22. This
was part of a historic event that happened in the
small town of Middlebury. Two congregations that
split 86 years ago—over specific issues no longer
considered important—are in the process of
reuniting.
The group of people who formed Warren Street
Mennonite Church (which later became Pleasant
Oaks Mennonite Church) left the Middlebury
Mennonite Church (now First Mennonite Church
of Middlebury) in 1923 over issues of biblical
interpretation and reactions of bishops from the
“Old” Mennonite Church to the fact that some
members were becoming assimilated into the
American culture of the early 20th century.
Locally, these reactions focused primarily on
attire for women. In 1926 the Warren Street
Mennonite Church became a member of the
General Conference Mennonite Church, while the
former First Mennonite remained a member of the
Mennonite Church, sometimes referred to as “Old
Mennonites.”
For many years, the two groups coexisted in
Middlebury with little interaction. They were part
of two different continental denominations, and
some members never set foot inside of the other
church building. Gradually the two congregations
began to work together in projects such as summer Bible school.
With the merging of the General Conference
Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church
into Mennonite Church USA in 2002, the two
Middlebury congregations joined efforts in more
activities, such as annually working together on a
peace booth at the Middlebury summer festival
and a program for the International Day of Prayer
for Peace.
With the recent decline in membership of both
congregations, there have been occasional conversations between the two congregations about a
reconnection. Formal conversations resumed in
February and led to activities ranging from joint
gatherings for worship, fellowship and prayer to a
mixed octet of people from both congregations
that has sung on numerous occasions. They also
led to a joint presentation of “A Story of
Reconciliation” by the lead pastors, Linford Martin
of First Mennonite and Rachel Nafziger Hartzler
of Pleasant Oaks, on Sept. 21—the International
Day of Prayer for Peace—in the downtown
Middlebury Memorial Park. In September and
October, decisions were made to reunite and
together become a new congregation. The legal
issues involved in this reunion are being explored,
but there is wide agreement that the two congregations should become a new merged entity. Some
people are thinking about a new name for the
reunited congregation. Although no formal action
has been taken, one name suggestion for the new
congregation is “First Pleasant Mennonite
Church.”
The reuniting process has been marked with
pain for some of the longtime members of
Pleasant Oaks, three of whom were present when
the congregation began. Others have never attended another congregation, and there are numerous
people who helped with the construction of the
present church building.
The members of Pleasant Oaks celebrate that
the thriving Pleasant Oaks Preschool will continue
in the same location, as First Mennonite Church
members have agreed to join in supporting this
successful outreach program that is in its 39th
year. In addition, Pleasant Oaks members have
been listening carefully to each other’s stories during the past eight months. They have been intentional about lamenting what they need to and celebrating what they can. Recent celebrations have
included celebrating the 85th anniversary in 2008;
the 90th birthday celebration of the oldest active
member, J.O. Yoder; a celebration of marriages;
and the baptism of Grant T. Miller, who became
the first fifth-generation member of Pleasant Oaks.
Pleasant Oaks pastor Rachel Nafziger Hartzler
will conclude her responsibilities on Nov. 22 but
has been granted a six-week sabbatical to complete the writing of the history of Pleasant Oaks
Mennonite Church.—Pleasant Oaks Mennonite
Church
December 1,2009
Linda Pieri, of
First Mennonite
Church, and J.O.
Yoder, of Pleasant
Oaks Mennonite
Church, work
together in the
Peace Booth at
the Middlebury
Summer Festival
in 2008.
One name
suggestion
for the new
congregation
is “First
Pleasant
Mennonite
Church.”
This article is
available as a
podcast at
www.The
Mennonite.org
TheMennonite
19
MWC Assembly ends with leftover funds
Mennonite World Conference officers discuss finances, future assemblies.
M
ennonite World Conference officers tackled
a full agenda at meetings held in St. Jacobs,
Ontario, Nov. 2-4. This was their first meeting since Assembly 15 in Paraguay last July. New
at the table were vice president Janet Plenert
(Canada) and treasurer Ernst Bergen (Paraguay).
We need to
address our
stereotypical
treatment of
Lutherans
and our
continuing
sense of
victimization.
—Larry Miller
Paraguay 2009 finances
MWC’s postassembly financial status, according
to Oct. 31 closing figures, is positive, with a balance
of $325,340 in the Assembly Fund. Miller attributed
this result to strong international registration,
donations from Paraguayan Mennonites and careful cost control by staff. Officers decided to set
aside $125,340 of the balance for costs related to
preparing for the next assembly and to give a
$50,000 gift to Paraguayan member churches in
gratitude for their great hospitality in hosting.
Officers reserved an additional $150,000 for use
in building the capacity of the Africa, Asia and Latin
America continental caucuses and the development
of MWC representation in each continent.
Assembly offerings totaled $27,824 and have been
placed in the Global Church Sharing Fund.
Future assemblies
Discussion around future assemblies continues
to percolate. There is anxiety in some quarters
about holding assemblies less frequently, officers
noted. Miller proposed consideration of three possible options: keep the current pattern (every six
years); gather every nine years; or every eight
years, with General Council meetings every four
instead of every three years. Continental meetings
could be held in intervening years. It was agreed
to complete by May 31, 2010, a comparative cost
analysis of all meeting options as called for previously by the “Future of Assemblies” Task Group.
Officers will then make a recommendation for
deliberation by the Executive Committee at its
meeting in July 2010.
Deacons commission
Bert Lobe reported that Global Anabaptists
Deacons will be in place in about four months.
Lobe is the staff person for the new Deacons
Commission, which is designed to respond to
needs in the global church.
Deacons Commission members from each continental region are proposing names to complete
the lists. Deacons, who will serve for three-year
terms, are called to listen and be proactive in their
own continental regions when there are issues to
address.
20
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Interchurch relations
Officers heard that the International Lutheran
Council has shown interest in joining the Lutheran
World Federation (LWF) in asking forgiveness of
Mennonites for the 16th-century Lutheran persecution of Anabaptists.
The LWF will act on a recommendation at its
assembly in July 2010. The recommendation
comes as a result of discussions between MWC
and LWF officials since 2002.
“In the spirit of biblical forgiveness, it is important that we offer forgiveness when asked,” said
Bergen. The goal is mutual forgiveness, Miller
added. “We need to address our stereotypical
treatment of Lutherans and our continuing sense
of victimization.”
Officers affirmed the proposal of the Mennonite
members of the International Study Commission
to send the commission’s joint report to member
churches for discussion and response.
A letter asking for feedback could go with the
report, to be sent out in January 2010, said Miller.
Officers agreed that MWC needs to be ready to
offer forgiveness to the Lutherans when asked to
do so.
Officers also affirmed undertaking further dialogue and discernment of issues raised by the joint
report, especially regarding baptism and churchand-state relations. Plans for such conversations
will be made in consultation with MWC’s Faith and
Life Commission and recommended to the
Executive Committee for approval.
Service consultation
In 2006, MWC facilitated a service consultation
in Pasadena, Calif., in conjunction with General
Council meetings. A second consultation, proposed at that first gathering of representatives of
service agencies, is now being planned. Pakisa
Tshimika serves as staff leader for the consultation. Reg and Phyllis Toews from Winnipeg,
Manitoba, will work with Tshimika on the consultation.
Questions to be discussed include, How do
churches deal with service issues? and, How do
service organizations and committees work with
churches? The consultation is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 6-8, 2010, immediately following
MWC Executive Committee meetings in east
Africa.
The Executive Committee will meet July 28Aug. 4, 2010, either in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, or
Nairobi, Kenya.—Ferne Burkhart of Mennonite
World Conference
EMU theater to honor Lee Eshleman
$250,000 needed to establish studio theater named for late actor
A
new studio theater at Eastern Mennonite
University, Harrisonburg, Va., will be named
in honor of artist and actor Lee E. Eshleman,
a 1986 graduate of EMU.
Funding of $250,000 is needed to establish the
Lee E. Eshleman Studio Theater as part of the
University Commons Phase II project. Eventually a
small gallery at the theater entrance will showcase
some of Lee’s artwork and photographs of his life
on stage.
Lee took his life at age 45 in the spring of 2007,
after a lengthy struggle with bipolar disorder.
EMU is raising $2.4 million to complete the second phase of the University Commons building;
$1.9 million has already been committed. The project plans include renovation of the former gymnasium to create upgraded state-of-the-art facilities
for EMU’s popular visual and communication arts
program as well as theater department.
More than $100,000 has already been committed by family and friends to the project. EMU now
invites the support of the broader community of
many individuals who have been enriched by Lee’s
life and work.
Lee was the last student to graduate with a
degree from EMU’s art program in 1986, when the
program was temporarily suspended. After graduating, he worked in the school print shop and as a
graphic designer for EMU.
Former EMU professor Jerry Lapp recalls discussing the “knowing line” concept with Lee.
“A knowing line was what Lee was good at,”
Lapp says. “He captured particulars and peculiarities in animals, humans or objects rendered that
caused one to stop and gaze, ponder, chuckle. The
knowing line Lee rendered created a two-dimensional reality which we, as viewer, could so easily
imagine into our own realities, outer or inner.”
Lee began his stage career at EMU as well.
“Lee had the kind of creative genius that takes
your breath away,” says Barbra Graber, former
EMU theater faculty member.
“Lee wasn’t afraid to take his fear and pain on
stage with him,” says Graber, who worked with
Lee as a student, as a designer and as an actor in
Theater AKIMBO from 1991 to 1998. “But he also
wasn’t afraid to let that Divine Comedian morph
into something else, something magnificent,
poignant, deeply truthful and so very funny.”
Thousands mourned his passing, having been
touched by his wit, humor and creativity onstage
through performances as half of the comedy duo
Ted & Lee Theaterworks.
Lee joined Ted Swartz, Eastern Mennonite
Lee Eshleman
took his life at age
45 in the spring of
2007 after struggling with bipolar
disorder.
Seminary graduate, to form the theater company
in 1987. They performed across the country and
around the world in church, school, camp and
community theater settings, bringing fresh light
and humor to the gospel message.
“It’s hard to say how much Lee meant to me,”
says Swartz. “He was my comedic and theatrical
soul mate as well as a great friend. We grew as
artists together, and Lee taught me much about
humor, about word choice, about clarity of objective. But he also made me laugh more than anyone
before or since. It was a great gift, not a flippant or
incidental thing, the ability to make another laugh,
but rather an ultimate gift. He was also not shy
about tackling and wrestling to the ground his
own pain and struggle, giving his work depth and
color.”
“Lee understood that great art is also embracing the simple. A simple line in drawing, a simple
line in acting, a simple line in writing,” Swartz
says. “Despite a great intellect, he relished in the
small, seemingly silly exchange, which of course
communicated great meaning.”
Contributions of any amount are welcome. The
names of donors who contribute $500 or more will
appear on a plaque in the theater gallery. For information, go to www.emu.edu/studiotheater.—Jim
Bishop of Eastern Mennonite University
December 1,2009
Lee was not
shy about
tackling and
wrestling to
the ground
his own pain
and struggle.
—Ted Swartz
TheMennonite
21
Couple brings service home to Goshen
Photo provided
Masts return from Paraguay and look for ways to use Spanish around them.
From left, Craig
Mast, Berta
Valdez and Krista
Mast. Valdez was
the Masts’ host
mother during
the year they
spent in
Paraguay.
C
raig and Krista Mast wanted to improve their
Spanish skills. They also wanted to serve in
another country. So instead of going to language school, they combined their desire to grow
more fluent with their interest in service and
joined a Radical Journey team on a 10-month
adventure in Paraguay.
Radical Journey is a year-long service program
of Mennonite Mission Network. Participants spend
a month of orientation in a North American city, 10
months in an international service location and
another month in reorientation with their home
congregations.
As a teacher and a nurse in Goshen, Ind., the
Masts regularly found themselves interacting with
people who spoke only Spanish. As they tried to
make connections with their limited language
skills, both wished there was something more they
Stripped of the two things that make me who I am, it was a real
challenge to find out what I had to offer.—Krista Mast
could do.
“We really felt like there needed to be more
[English speakers] in the community who connect
with the Spanish-speaking population,” says Krista
Mast. “We wanted to reach out to the community
in a different way.”
“Each year, Radical Journey sends teams of
young adults to explore what God is doing in the
world and to take initiative to get involved,” says
Darrell Gascho, Radical Journey’s director. “We’re
excited to see how participants like Krista and
22
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Craig engage in the experience and integrate that
experience back into their home community.”
The time in Paraguay was a growing experience
especially for Krista, who thought of herself as
“awkwardly conversational” in Spanish before leaving the United States but found herself often
excluded from conversations once arriving in
Paraguay.
“I couldn’t communicate and couldn’t practice
my passion: nursing. Stripped of the two things
that make me who I am, it was a real challenge to
find out what I had to offer,” she says. Mast credits
her stubbornness with helping her gain fluency. “I
had to practice being present in every conversation without speaking.”
While in Paraguay, the Masts’ main assignment
was teaching English to Spanish-speaking adults
who had interest in volunteering for the
Mennonite World Conference Assembly Gathered.
The Masts worked in concert with the rest of the
young adults on their Radical Journey team and
spent a lot of time with their host family.
“I grew in my understanding of who our neighbors are,” says Krista. “Our host mother, Berta
[Valdez], was the mom of the neighborhood. If
there was a neighbor who needed a hot meal, she
would give that meal. There was a sense of community that [went] beyond church community, a
sense of community with your neighbors.”
Since their return to Goshen four months ago,
the Masts have been working to put their Spanishlanguage skills and their new neighborhood focus
into practice. Craig is using his Spanish at school,
translating for parent-teacher conferences and letters that go home to parents. Krista has returned
to nursing, looking for new ways to communicate
with her patients.
Both of them are making time to share with the
people around them.
“Coming back, I have made a special effort to
connect with my neighbors,” says Krista. “I’ve
been trying to find out who they are as people.”
The Masts have bigger dreams, too. “One of my
real goals is still in the dream stage,” says Krista.
“How can I as a nurse and as a Christian find a
way to empower the people that need assistance in
our community? How can I be an advocate?”
Gascho sees the Masts’ community participation as part of the mission of Radical Journey. “It’s
wonderful to see how Craig and Krista have
embraced the call to bring their faith into their life
and to connect their gifts with what God is doing
in the world,” he says.—Melanie Hess of Mennonite
Mission Network
EMM immigrant church bridges gaps
Church incorporates traditional Amharic worship songs and English songs.
Jewel Showalter
F
or two years we were praying and asking
everyone we could think of for help with our
children and youth ministries,” says Tsadik
Abraham, lead elder for the Ethiopian Evangelical
Church, a member of the Baltimore District of
Lancaster (Pa.) Mennonite Conference.
It wasn’t just that they needed Sunday school
teachers. They had plenty of capable Ethiopian
men and women.
But as an immigrant church, Abraham says, the
adults in the church knew that their children were
growing up in a world vastly different from the
one that had shaped them. There’s always a generation gap, but for new immigrants the gap is
unusually wide.
Ethiopian adults prefer the traditional pentatonic Amharic worship songs. They love to hear the
familiar words of the Amharic Scriptures in their
mother tongue.
But many of their children, born in the United
States, don’t even speak Amharic. They go to
English language schools. So when children come
to church on Sunday, they want to read from
English Bibles and sing English songs.
A year ago, the Ethiopian church approached
Terrie and Roy Graham, empty nesters who had
years of experience in children’s ministries at a
nearby Assemblies of God congregation. Would
they consider assisting the church?
“How could you say no to an Ethiopian?” Roy
says. “Philip [in the Bible] couldn’t, and neither
could we.”
The Grahams joined the Ethiopian Mennonite
church and have been volunteering their time to
minister to the Ethiopian-American children.
While the adults worship upstairs, the Grahams
teach songs and Scripture memorization, tell stories and organize craft projects for around 20 children in the congregation.
But each Sunday before they head to the basement for their separate classes in English, the children share the songs and Scriptures they are
learning with the adults in a miniature program.
“This is an important way of keeping the generations in touch with each other spiritually,” says
Tilahun Beyene, an Ethiopian leader from a neighboring congregation. “We do the same thing with
the children in our congregation.”
Planted with assistance from EMM more than a
decade ago, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church has
had its ups and downs, but Abraham is encouraged.
“It’s easy in this society for our children and
youth to get drawn into unwholesome things that
we’re not even aware of,” Abraham says. “We
deeply appreciate the help we’re getting from the
broader church.”—Jewel Showalter of Eastern
Mennonite Missions
Tsadik Abraham
(far left) watches
as the children of
the congregation
give a program.
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TheMennonite
23
Groff’s dissertation still relevant today
Mary E. Klassen
Books finds similarities between Gandhi and Mennonite nonresistance.
Ginny Martin,
Associated
Mennonite
Biblical Seminary
development
officer, talks with
Weyburn Groff
about his dissertation.
T
he doctoral dissertation Satyagraha and
Nonresistance: A Comparative Study of
Gandhian and Mennonite Nonviolence by
Weyburn W. Groff, broke new ground in 1963. It
continues to provide fresh insights for today.
The book has been published this fall by the
Institute of Mennonite Studies and Herald Press. It
was released at a celebration honoring Weyburn
and Thelma, his wife, on Nov. 6 at Associated
Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind.
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24
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Groff’s dissertation had been set aside while he
served on the faculty and administration of
Goshen Biblical Seminary (part of the seminary)
from 1965 to 1986.
However, in spite of the fact that only three
copies existed until now, Satyagraha and
Nonresistance serves as a challenge that urges us
forward in 2009, John Rempel, associate director
of IMS, said.
Weyburn and Thelma worked in India for
almost 20 years under Mennonite Board of
Missions, and for most of that time—1951 to
1964—Weyburn taught at Union Biblical Seminary
in Yavatmal.
Confronted with how vast the problems of
poverty, intolerance and war were, Groff explored
the beliefs of Gandhi and the ways Martin Luther
King Jr. merged those beliefs with his Christian
faith.
Groff was aware that one tendency for
Mennonites was to withdraw from problems that
required political engagement, Rempel explained.
Another tendency was the lack of a Mennonite
technique for implementing alternatives to violence.
So in the dissertation, completed for his Ph.D.
from New York University in 1963, Groff examined
pacifist literature in the East and West, then
described the spirituality and practice of Gandhi’s
belief and compared these with historic Mennonite
nonresistance.
“Without ignoring foundational differences of
piety and doctrine between Christianity and
Hinduism,” said Rempel, “Weyburn made a powerful plea for them to recognize commonalities and
shared responsibility. It is hard to overstate the
radicality of such a plea for social engagement by a
representative of a Mennonite church institution in
1963.”
John Paul Lederach, a Mennonite mediator who
has worked in numerous international settings,
wrote in his foreword that this book “is well worth
turning to in our continued discernment, for
nuclear issues remain at the top of our global challenges, our neighbors are global, no matter where
we live, and the world continues to need prophetic
and pastoral expressions of agape-love.”
The book breaks ground in a more pragmatic
way also.
This is the first project that IMS is offering as
an e-book as well as in print volumes.
Information is available on the IMS Web site:
www.ambs.edu/ims.—Mary E. Klassen of
Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary
MCC U.S. leader to leave after term ends
Santiago wants to leave ‘space for new leadership to grow seeds of change.’
R
olando Santiago has decided to leave
Mennonite Central Committee U.S. when his
six-year term as executive director is complete in August 2010. He says he hopes to create
space for new leadership within MCC.
MCC U.S. is part of the process to re-envision
MCC’s future through the New Wine/New
Wineskins process. The MCC boards in the
United States are working to streamline decisionmaking and increased coordination.
Santiago, who has been instrumental in that
process, says, “In the midst of organizational
changes in MCC U.S. that the board and I have
been planning over the last three years, it is important to create space for new leadership to grow the
seeds of change.” He plans to pursue new opportunities in peacebuilding, intercultural leadership,
public health and education.
Ann Graber Hershberger says that in his
tenure, “Rolando has defined intercultural leadership, built denominational relationships and
heightened witness to government.” Graber
Hershberger, chair of MCC U.S., notes that MCC
U.S. is moving into the future as a strong organiza-
Goodville
Mutual
New Holland, Pa.
tion. Regional and national staff have strengthened
Summer Service Worker and Church Community
Worker programs with immigrant and people of
color churches.
The Washington Office has developed new Web
initiatives and tools that broaden its reach in
Christian advocacy. Regional and national program
offices are creating strong links to partners and
constituents through community accountability
and reference groups.
Graber Hershberger says a transitional leadership search committee has been named by the
board and includes Leonard Dow of Philadelphia,
MCC U.S. board vice chair; Gwen White of
Philadelphia, who represents the Brethren in
Christ Church of North America on the MCC U.S.
board; and Ron Byler of Goshen, Ind., who represents Mennonite Church USA on the board.
“This is an exciting time for MCC U.S. and all of
MCC. We must continue to reinvent our beloved
organization to remain relevant and cutting-edge
in our mission of peace, development and relief in
the name of Christ,” says Graber Hershberger.
—MCC and MCC U.S. staff
Rolando Santiago
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Can a small college in the middle of America really make a difference? Well, we can
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every aspect of life. You may not solve all the world’s problems while you’re here (not
in the first year, anyway), but you will be engaged in an important conversation.
timely tip:
See for yourself by visiting www.goshen.edu.
Priority application deadline is Dec. 15.
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bus stops!
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
25
WDC serves Low German Mennonites
Kansas Farmworker Program reaches about 4,000 LGM clients per year.
T
Not often
are ‘low
German’ and
‘missional’
used in
the same
sentence.
—Willmar
Harder
he Low German Mennonites from Mexico
Support Task Force will mark its sixth
anniversary in January 2010. Western District
Conference sponsors the task force.
“Not often are ‘low German’ and ‘missional’
used in the same sentence,” says chairperson
Willmar Harder. “But the task force combines
both in an innovational and cutting-edge ministry.”
Harder is pastor of Hoffnungsau Mennonite
Church in Inman, Kan.
The task force continues to partner with the
Kansas Statewide Farmworker Health Program—a
program of the Kansas Department of Health and
Environment. The program reaches about 4,000
Low German Mennonite (LGM) clients per year.
These LGMs tend to be Old Colony Mennonites
who migrated from Canada to Mexico in the mid1920s. Many left because of Canadian nationalism
at that time that limited their educational freedoms, among other reasons. Most maintained
Canadian citizenship and travel extensively
between Mexico and Canada.
Later generations of these LGM families left
Mexico due to the economy, land shortages and
drought, says Harder, and moved to Kansas, Texas
and other states. Many of these places were on the
routes from Mexico to Canada, so LGMs made job
connections there. The school systems in Kansas
noticed the large population of LGM children and
worked to connect them to other Anabaptist
groups, Bethel College in North Newton and others in Newton. The task force of 11 people grew
out of these efforts.
Mennonite Central Committee Canada has an
LGM ministry based in Steinbach, Manitoba. The
task force uses MCC’s statement: “MCC seeks to
share God’s love with LGM people by working in a
mutually beneficial relationship with local leaders,
communities and organizations to enhance their
capacity to address such issues as poverty, conflict, literacy, health and natural disasters.”
MCC names three goals: improve the literacy of
people in LGM communities, provide resources
for community-building projects and coordinate a
hemispheric approach in programs with LGM people. The WDC task force added a fourth goal, “to
share our common spiritual background and
faith.”—Anna Groff
RESOURCES
Dostoevsky: Language, Faith and Fiction
by Rowan Williams (Baylor University Press,
2009, $24.95) explores the intracacies of
speech, fiction, metaphor and iconography
in the works of one of literature’s most complex and more misunderstood authors.
Century by Tripp York (The Lutterworth
Press, 2009, $17) examines a few Christians
whose loyalty to Christ undermined the
pseudo-soteriological myth employed by
the state. These include the Berrigan brothers, Dorothy Day and Eberhard Arnold.
Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies by
Marilyn Chandler McEntyre (Eerdmans,
2009, $18) counters the commercial and
political forces that affect language use in
American culture with 12 constructive
“strategies of stewardship.”
The Christian Future and the Fate of
Earth by Thomas Berry (Orbis, 2009, $22)
reflects on Christianity and the environmental crisis of our time. He presents a vision of
the sacredness of the universe and the interrelatedness of the Earth community.
No Gods but One by Daniel Berrigan
(Eerdmans, 2009, $15) looks at the darker
side of Deuteronomy and draws parallels
between that book’s time of mingled triumph and broken law and our own time,
uncovering the stories within the story of
this complex biblical book.
Ostriches, Dung Beetles and Other
Spiritual Masters: A Book of Wisdom
from the Wild by Janice McLaughlin (Orbis,
2009, $18) uses stories to tell about the
wildlife of Africa and teach us about ourselves and what we are capable of.
Just One More Day: Meditations for
Those Who Struggle with Anxiety and
Depression by Beverlee Buller Keck
(Kindred Press, 2009, $19.95) draws on the
author’s personal experiences and Scripture
in 40 short chapters.
Living in Hope While Living in Babylon:
The Christian Anarchists of the 20th
26
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Christ Our Companion: Toward a
Theological Aesthetics of Liberation by
Roberto S. Goizueta (Orbis, 2009, $30)
addresses the dissonance between the truth
of Christ’s life, death and resurrection as the
universal key to human meaning and our
increased consciousness of our diverse, pluralistic world. The answer for Christians is to
embody through everyday actions Christ’s
claim to be the Way, the Truth and the Life.
Hope in an Age of Despair by Albert Nolan
(Orbis, 2009, $18) outlines the basis of a theology and spirituality that sides with the
poor and the cause of justice. Many of the
pieces in the book were forged in the struggle against the apartheid system of South
Africa.
Befriending Death: Henri Nouwen and a
Spirituality of Dying by Michelle O’Rourke
(Orbis, 2009, $18) presents Nouwen’s reflections on death and dying—a theme that
stands out as one of the unifying threads in
all his books.
Trails of Hope and Terror: Testimonies on
Immigration by Miguel A. De La Torre
(Orbis, 2009, $20) examines an issue (borders, economics, myths, family values, the
politics of fear, perspectives and ethical
responses) and includes stories or testimonies by undocumented migrants and
those who work with the undocumented.
Empowring the Patient: How to Reduce
the Cost of Healthcare and Improve Its
Quality by Glen E. Miller (Dog Ear
Publishing, 2009, $14.95) presents dilemmas
patients face in the health-care system and
how to join in a partnership with one’s doctor, decrease costs and improve care.
FOR THE RECORD
WORKERS
Harder, Ruth R., was ordained at Bethel
College Mennonite Church, North
Newton, Kan., on Sept. 27.
BIRTHS & ADOPTIONS
Bontrager, Garrett Ray, Oct. 30, to Billy
and Cindy Boller Bontrager, Wellman,
Iowa.
Devlin, Alexander Demian, Nov. 13, to
Greg Devlin and Natalia Terekhova,
Denver, Colo.
Flores Schmidt, Mateo Sebastian, Oct. 2,
to Gilberto and Alison Schmidt Flores,
Kansas City, Kan.
Froese, Iain Isaiah, Oct. 24, to Tim and
Charlotte Loewen Froese, Goshen, Ind.
Goerzen, Oliver Matthew, July 9, to John
and Terah Yoder Goerzen, Newton, Kan.
Hershey, Avella Seven-Rain, Oct. 6, to
Jason and Kimberlee Hershey,
Washington, D.C.
Lusby, Clint Samuel, Oct. 23, to Joseph
and Kristen Kauffman Lusby, Atglen, Pa.
Miller, Lenox Charles, Oct. 4, to Kyle and
Carleen Perez Miller, Wellman, Iowa.
Miller Yoder, Silas Emerson, Nov. 1, to
Brad Miller and Jessica Yoder, Englewood,
Colo.
© Ian Adams Photography
Showalter, Jillian Kaye, Nov. 10, to
Hollins and Rachel Stuckey Showalter,
Indianapolis, Ind.
MARRIAGES
Briggs/Kautz: John Briggs, Rockhill, S.C.,
and Christel Kautz, Millersville, Pa., Oct. 24,
at Millersville Mennonite Church.
Brunk/Everett: Timothy Brunk,
Dowingtown, Pa., and Meredith Everett,
Strasburg, Pa., Sept. 5, at Hershey
Mennonite Church, Kinzers, Pa.
Styer, E. Kermit, 87, Souderton, Pa., died
Oct. 4 of pneumonia. Spouse: Edna B.
Benner Styer (deceased). Parents: Edwin R.
and Marian Ruth Styer. Children: James,
John, Alan, Mary Schrock, Lois Halsel; 12
grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Funeral: Oct. 9 at Souderton Mennonite
Church.
Voth, Frances Louise Funk, 81, Newton,
Kan., died Sept. 26. Spouse: Orville Voth
(deceased). Parents: Gerhard “George” R.
and Marie Funk. Children: Coleen Steussy,
Bryson, Jody Fensky, Lyndell; seven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Funeral: Sept. 30 at Tabor Mennonite
Church, Marion County, Kan.
Fougeron/Neihardt: Tosha Fougeron,
Milford, Neb., and Jeff Neihardt, Milford,
Nov. 7, at Bellwood Mennonite Church,
Milford.
Gibbs/Krabill: Megan Gibbs, Princeton,
Ill., and Andy Krabill, Tiskilwa, Ill., Sept. 5,
at Shallowbrook Farm, Bradford, Ill.
Yoder, Cordell Swartzendruber, 91,
Kalona, Iowa, died Nov. 5. Spouse: Rolland
M. Yoder (deceased). Parents: Mahlon and
Barbara Hershberger Swartzendruber.
Children: Donald G., Doug, Linford,
Ronald; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren. Funeral: Nov. 9 at Lower Deer
Creek Mennonite Church, Kalona.
DEATHS
Escher, Brandon M., 22, Kalona, Iowa,
died Nov. 8 of heart problems. Parents:
Michael and Beth Marner Escher. Siblings:
Chelsea Escher, Zach. Funeral: Nov. 12 at
Kalona Mennonite Church.
Harman, Frances Elizabeth Suter, 93,
Harrisonburg, Va., died Nov. 7. Spouse:
Frank T. Harman (deceased). Parents: J.
Early and Pearl Blosser Suter. Children:
Orden, Carl, Harriet Steiner; six grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral:
Nov. 11 at Harrisonburg Mennonite
Church.
“For the Record”
is available to
members of
Mennonite
Church USA. To
submit information, log on to
www.TheMennonite.org and use
the “For the
Record” button to
access our online
forms. You can
also submit information by email,
fax or mail:
•[email protected]
•fax 574-5356050
•1700 S. Main St.,
Goshen, IN
46526-4794
Kaufman, Margaret Amelia Shetler, 100,
Davidsville, Pa., died Oct. 18 of a subarachnoid hemorrhage sustained in a fall.
Spouse: Calvin E. Kaufman (deceased).
Parents: Samuel G. and Maggie Jane
Kaufman Shetler. Children: Melvin, Lorene
Saylor, Marvin, Gerald, Rhonda Blough; 15
grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren;
seven great-great grandchildren. Funeral:
Oct. 21 at Carpenter Park Mennonite
Church, Davidsville.
barnraising is back!
The tradition of barnraising captures the MAX mission of
Coming together as a community to preserve and
restore the W H O L E N E S S of its members.
INSURANCE for your
HOME • FARM • CHURCH • BUSINESS • AUTO
877-971-6300 • www.maxwholeness.com
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
27
CLASSIFIEDS
Hesston College seeks a head coach for women’s soccer. The
coach is responsible for all aspects of the program: recruiting,
coaching, scheduling, etc. Qualifications: knowledge of competitive-level soccer; ability to teach fundamentals and strategies and
work with female athletes; commitment to Mennonite higher
education, Mennonite Church USA and the mission of Hesston
College. Bachelor’s degree or higher required. Half-time position
begins August 2010, with recruiting in spring 2010 desired.
Qualified candidates may add other Hesston College responsibilities to increase contract beyond half-time. Review of applications
begins immediately and continues until the position is filled. To
apply, send resumé, application and faith statement to Don
Weaver, Director of Human Resources, [email protected], Box
3000, Hesston, KS 67062. See www.hesston.edu/employment.
EOE
What are you doing to live more simply and sustainably? Share
your ideas through Mennonite Publishing Network’s upcoming
book, Simply Sustainable, at www.mpn.net/offer.
Spruce Lake, a dynamic retreat ministry for families and adults in
northeastern Pa., has two full-time positions open: operations
manager and guest group coordinator. Salary and liberal benefits package provided. Full job descriptions and application at
www.sprucelake.org. Send resumé with application to Mark
Swartley, Executive Director, Spruce Lake Retreat, RR 1, Box 605,
Canadensis, PA 18325; phone: 800-822-7505, ext. 118; fax: 570595-0328; email: [email protected].
Get closer to God through Rejoice! Be inspired and encouraged
through daily Scripture readings, messages and prayer. Subscribe
now and save 20 percent! www.mpn.net/offer
First Mennonite Church, Denver, Colo., is seeking a pastor of
child and youth faith formation. Please contact Herm Weaver,
[email protected], if interested.
Assistant/associate professor in elementary education: Position:
full-time, continuing faculty position in elementary education.
Qualifications: Ph.D. or Ed.D. in teacher education; early childhood
or elementary teaching experience required. Teacher licensure,
higher education experience, scholarly research and knowledge
of NCATE preferred. Responsibilities: Provide high quality instruction and leadership in an NCATE-accredited elementary (PreK-6)
teacher education program grounded in the liberal arts.
Responsibilities include teaching undergraduate elementary curriculum and method courses; graduate teaching in M.A. in
Education program; advising; field experience supervision; collaboration with other disciplines across campus. The successful candidate will have a commitment to the department’s mission to
prepare competent, caring, reflective practitioners who advocate
for children and youth, develop caring learning environments, initiate and respond creatively to change, value service to others
and integrate theory and practice in diverse classrooms.
Participation in scholarly activities and engagement in department, university and community service expected. Send letter of
application, curriculum vitae, transcripts (unofficial acceptable)
and three letters of reference to Dr. Vernon E. Jantzi, Interim Vice
President and Undergraduate Academic Dean, Eastern
Mennonite University, 1200 Park Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22802.
http://www.emu.edu. Email: [email protected]. Application
review begins immediately. Position will begin fall 2010. EMU
reserves the right to fill the position at any time or keep the position open. AAEO employer. We seek applicants who bring gender,
ethnic and cultural diversity.
Creation Care:
s.
W
e
he whole
t
t
go
rld.
wo
He’
s
Stewards of the Earth
ar e
n
h is h a
d
February 12-14, 2010
Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Laurelville.org/creation_care.html
28
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
CLASSIFIEDS
House for sale, Arcadia, Fla.: Fully furnished four-year-old mobile
home, 3 bed/2 bath. Double lot with citrus/palm trees, part of
Sunnybreeze Christian Fellowship, community founded by the
Hallman family. $100,000. USD. For information/photos: 705-4445107.
Mennonite Church USA Historical Committee seeks an
archivist to lead its Goshen, Ind., archives. The archivist is responsible for acquiring, preserving and making accessible archival collections related to Mennonite Church USA. Job description and
qualifications can be found at www.mennoniteusa.org/jobs or
contact the Historical Committee at [email protected]
or 574-523-3080. To apply, email a cover letter, resumé/vita and
three references to the above address or mail to Mennonite
Church USA Historical Committee, 1700 S. Main St., Goshen, IN
46526. Consideration of applications will begin Jan. 4, 2010. The
Historical Committee is an equal opportunity employer and
encourages women and racial/ethnic people to apply.
Men’s retreat, Jan. 14-15, 2010, at Spruce Lake Retreat (Pocono
Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania) with speaker John
Fischer and praise-and-worship artists Next 2 Nothing: a short but
powerful event that could easily be life-changing! Invite your
church or community men’s group and call 800-822-7505 for
reservations. www.sprucelake.org.
Western District Conference, with offices in North Newton, Kan.,
invites applications for the full-time position of conference minister. As primary administrative officer and head of staff, this person
will provide leadership to the conference’s mission, ministry and
well-being. Experience in pastoral ministry and a Master of
Divinity degree (or its equivalent) are required. More information
is available on the WDC Web site. Position begins June 15, 2010.
Apply with letter of application and completed MLI to Tom
Harder, search committee chair, at
[email protected], no later than Dec. 31, 2009.
New obituary policy
Beginning with the January 2010 issue of
The Mennonite, additional information may be published in the obituary section. The following information will be free:
• Name of deceased
• Age at death
• Hometown and state
• Cause of death
• Name(s) of spouse(s)
• Name(s) of parent(s)
• Name(s) of child(ren)
• Number of grandchildren
• Number of great-grandchildren
• Number of great-great-grandchildren
• Location and date of funeral
Additional information may be added at
the usual rate for classified ads. This is currently
$1.30 per word. A photograph may be added
for $25. To submit this additional information:
download the Word document from
www.themennonite.org, email
[email protected] to receive an electronic
copy of the form, or call 800-790-2498 to receive a
copy in the mail.
Advertising space
in The Mennonite
is available to
congregations,
conferences,
businesses and
churchwide
boards and
agencies of
Mennonite
Church USA.
Cost for one-time
classified placement is $1.30 per
word, minimum
of $30. Display
space is also
available. To place
an ad in The
Mennonite, call
800-790-2498
and ask for
Rebecca Helmuth,
or email
Advertising@The
Mennonite.org.
The Mennonite reserves the right to edit
obituaries for length and clarity.
Announcing ...
A new weekly radio program on behalf of Mennonite churches
Beginning January 2, 2010
With weekly featured “My Turn” speakers
Shaping Families: building
Producer Melodie Davis and
host Burton Buller
Third Way Media
(ThirdWayMedia.org)
1251 Virginia Avenue
Harrisonburg, VA 22802
800-999-3534
stronger families, congregations and
communities.
s)NTERVIEWFORMATONDIFlCULTFAMILY
issues: grief, conflict, parenting,
mental illness, suicide, aging, poverty
and more.
s,OOKSTO*ESUSAND#HRISTIANTRUTHS
in dealing with issues.
sPROGRAMWITHSPONSORSLOT
available.
Harvey Yoder Steve
Carpenter
Natalie
Francisco
Rebecca
Murcia
Sam Heatwole
Call for a free mini-CD of the first program to take to stations.
Go to ShapingFamilies.com for script and audio samples.
Still seeking sponsors, stations, churches, donors.
Watch for Shaping Families ad in The Mennonite
Dec. 15 for list of stations, or visit ShapingFamilies.com.
Giving voice to the Good News
through contemporary media
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
29
REAL FAMILIES
What’s in a name?
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called
you by name, you are mine. When you pass through
the waters, I will be with you … when you walk
through the fire you shall not be burned.—Isaiah
43:1,2
M
Regina Shands
Stoltzfus is
working on a
doctorate in theology and ethics
at Chicago
Theological
Seminary.
y mother tells the story of selecting my
name many years before I was born, when
she was still a girl herself. There was a
period of time when she and a best friend pledged
to name their future daughters after one another,
but when mother actually had a daughter—me—
she went back to the name she picked for me
when she was still a girl herself. It is one of the
reasons I have always loved my name. It was chosen with care and given to me by someone who
dreamed of me long before I came along.
Naming is one of the most
significant acts we humans experience, and I love to hear and tell
stories about naming. In the
classroom, I enjoy having students participate in a simple
activity that revolves around
their names. This is part of the
ritual of us getting to know one
another.
A few days before the class
meets for the first time, I contact
students and ask them to come
to class prepared to tell a story
about their name—what it
means, whether they were
named for a relative or other significant person, how and what
kind of nicknames evolve from
their proper name. I am always
amazed at the wealth of stories
that come about—lots of them
happy and even silly, some of
them sad, many of them funny.
Together we learn more about
each person as an individual but
also something about families, our larger multiethnic context and the social/cultural/political histories that are wrapped up in our naming stories.
Some students are able to tell the stories of how
their first names were chosen and also give a history of their last name—what it means, where it
came from, how it has been changed and altered,
and to whom it is connected. And some students
don’t have all that history to draw upon.
Some names get changed during the process of
immigrating to a new place; a name misspelled or
“Americanized.” A new phase in life can cause an
entirely new name to be taken. Couples marry,
and one spouse takes the name of the other—or
not; sometimes an altogether new family name is
chosen. Expectant parents and family members
pore over lists of baby names in order to select
just the right one.
One family I know had naming and blessing
ceremonies for each of their children; the names
chosen for them were not divulged to friends and
family until the time of the blessing. Some families
wait until they meet the baby or change a name
that was previously selected upon the infant’s
arrival.
We thought we had settled upon our last child’s
name several months before he was born. Shortly
before the birth, another name
seemed more suited for him and
so he was given the name
Joshua. Several weeks later we
realized we’d left out a step
when our 4-year-old daughter
looked up and asked, “Hey,
where’s Isaac?”
Many years ago, Nina Simone
recorded a song that says simply,
“I told Jesus it would be all right
if he changed my name.” The
song speaks of a willingness to
be brought into a new reality, a
new phase of life that doesn’t
happen because of a name
change but is signified by the
new name. In the song, Jesus
tells the singer, “You may go
hungry, and people may hate
you … if your name is changed.”
But the refrain comes back, “I
told Jesus it would be all right if
he changed my name.” Like the
arrival of a new baby, our
encounters with the divine open
the possibility of new life—again and again and
again.
God is the one who has initiated the naming
process. Through raging waters and fire, God calls
us by name and accompanies us on our journeys. I
love the story of my mother choosing my name
because it tells me she thought of me—dreamed
of me—long before I came along. She imagined
me into her life and future, much like our Creator
has imagined and dwells with all of us. TM
Naming is one of
the most
significant acts
we humans
experience.
This is part of the
ritual of us
getting to know
one another.
This article is
available as a
podcast at
www.The
Mennonite.org
30
TheMennonite
December 1,2009
Life’s Encore
Begins Here.
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Our mission
In keeping with our Mennonite values and high
standards of care, Greencroft Middlebury is committed
mmitted
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creativity, contributions and challenges of aging for all.
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Live, Here. For the Best of Your Life.
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www.greencroftcommunities.org
AC TI V E COMMUNITIES FOR RESIDENT S 55 A N D OL
O DER
R.
December 1,2009
TheMennonite
31
EDITORIAL
Peace through tourism
W
Gordon Houser
Peace comes
through
meeting
others on
their turf
and learning
from them.
This article is
available as a
podcast at
www.The
Mennonite.org
32
TheMennonite
e all carry within us prejudices toward others, especially those most different from
us. One corrective to such prejudice is
actually meeting those people where they live.
Many Mennonites have lived in other countries,
and many more have traveled there. Our colleges
encourage the experience of other cultures and
learning other languages. This experience has
helped shape our views of the world and of God’s
work in the world, including God’s desire for
peace (shalom) throughout the globe.
Nevertheless, those of us in the United States
are affected by our country’s prejudices toward
other countries and cultures. Our media often reinforces such prejudice. And our mostly monolingual experience doesn’t help. We all need a dose of
humility and a broadening of our perspective.
In these lean economic times, I had the good
fortune to experience both this year, thanks to
funding from Meetinghouse and the Jordan
Tourism Board. I traveled to Paraguay in July to
attend and report on Assembly 15 of Mennonite
World Conference, then to Jordan Sept. 26-Oct. 3
with 17 other Christian journalists. (See my report
on the Jordan trip on page 8.)
My experience in Paraguay enriched me in
many ways. Meeting people from all over the
world who shared my basic Mennonite beliefs
filled me with awe and gratitude. I saw in new
ways that people experience God in different ways,
depending on the context of their lives.
I also experienced the isolation of not knowing
the native language. I’ve studied Spanish and got
by on some basic knowledge, but I found out my
ability was minimal. I welcomed the gracious
patience of others with my limitation. I also felt
greater sympathy toward Spanish speakers at our
various Mennonite Church USA meetings who
must endure English-only sessions.
In Jordan I experienced the gracious hospitality
that is a mark of Middle Eastern culture. While I
knew almost no Arabic, many of my hosts spoke
English well and put up with my ignorance without
complaint.
As I note on page 8, many among my friends
and family said before I left, “Is it safe there?”
December 1,2009
They—all of us—are inundated with media that
focus on “terrorist” activity and equate it with
Islamic faith. Our media fail to report the repeated
denunciations by Muslims across the globe of suicide bombers and honor killings. And the actions
of Israel, the United States and others are never
labeled “terrorist,” though the bombings and
killings terrify many people.
Jordan promotes not just tolerance but acceptance of religion, according to Senator Akel Biltaji
(see page 10). While there, I learned much about
Islam and never felt judged for being a Christian.
Being in a Muslim country showed me how secular our society is. While not everyone in Jordan is
a faithful Muslim, a religious culture pervades life
there. There are the calls for prayer broadcast five
times each day. People’s speech includes frequent
use of “Asalaam ‘Alaykum” (peace be upon you)
and “insha’Allah” (if God wills).
Senator Biltaji emphasized the importance of
“peace through tourism”: leaving home for a purpose, earning knowledge, practicing people-to-people diplomacy.
This is a practice we should cultivate. While it is
expensive to travel overseas, the benefits of
encountering other cultures are great. And we can
do this in our own context without great expense.
We can visit people in our communities whose
experience is different from our own.
Hospitality is another trait we need to cultivate.
In Jordan we experienced this in many ways, from
the abundant meals to people on the street helping
us find our way.
Mennonite Central Committee workers Cindy
and Daryl Byler told me a story that illustrates a
handicap many Mennonites may have in the area
of hospitality. MCC sponsors exchanges between
young adults from the United States and the
Middle East. At one meeting hosted by Jordanian
youth, the U.S. Mennonites complained about the
expense the hosts incurred in putting on an event.
But in their culture, this is what hospitality means.
Peace comes through meeting others on their
turf and learning from them. Peace comes
through hospitality and the humility and gratitude
we experience from that.—gh