"After all, we are all displaced Germans, at least ethnically , and because we haven't had a true home for four hundred years, we subconciously long for one." Pg. 27
Back in 1978 when I entered Christopher Dock Mennonite High School as a freshman my adviser rather “strongly” encouraged me to take German instead of Spanish as my foreign language elective. It is obvious to me today that as an African American living in the city of Philadelphia (now and back then) it would seem common sense that Spanish language would be more beneficial to me in the long run. Even though at the time it seemed odd to me to take German as a language, I wasn’t able to articulate any reasonable objection to my adult guidance counselor. It wasn’t until reading Rudy Wiebe book “Peace Shall Destroy Many” that it really hit me in full measure the significance of the German language to the Germanic ethnic Mennonite in the early 1980’s. Though I have been part of the Mennonite Church for almost 25 yrs and have been well versed in the German heritage connection to our denomination – it wasn’t until reading Wiebe that the cultural value and identity of what it “means” to be Mennonite connected with a specific language. Ironically it gave me a greater appreciation for why my guidance counselor sought to direct me into his namesake Germany. Obviously I can never be confused as German!
Yet I find it also ironic that for four years of my young life I sat and was passionately taught by a ethnic German (Mr. Reinford), in a classroom filled with the majority of ethnic Germanic Mennonite peers who willingly opened up a new world to me through the language, the traditions/history, surnames and food, of which I even grew to appreciate. Yet as I reflect on that time in my life and recall the pride in which I was introduced to German ethnicity and their willingness to share that heritage with me, rarely if ever do I recall passion, freedom, openness, and concern for my well being as it related to my Christian faith and being invited into the Mennonite faith understandings.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The Anabaptist Vision - Harold S. Bender
“All the evangelical scriptures teach us that the church of Christ was and is, in doctrine, life and worship, a people separated from the world.”
(From Menno Simmons pg. 27 of “The Anabaptist Vision”)
The quote utilized by Harold S. Benner in his influential booklet “The Anabaptist Vision” is from the namesake of our Mennonite church Menno Simmons. In the context of his booklet, it seemed to me that Benner was directing his audience to a modern understanding of Anabaptistism where “Absonderung” is considered the focus and norm. Under the guise of separatism modern Anabaptism understood holiness and our faithfulness to God to be accomplished only in isolation from the world. Quite understandably, persecuted Anabaptist and then their off spring (2nd, 3rd etc) gravitated to this understanding of separatism (“quiet in the land”) from the years of severe persecution and martyrdom!
However I question the appropriate use by Benner of Menno Simmons quote. Obviously without having the full context in which Benner drew the quote from Menno Simmons it is difficult for me to exegete his original intent. However, a more familiar quote from Menno would seem to contradict the one above:
True evangelical faith cannot lie doormat, it clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it serves those that harm it, it binds up that which is wounded, it has become all things to people.”
Which one is it? Will the true Menno Simmons please stand up! Somewhat supspringly I believe Menno is standing up in both statement. In the first statement I believe a more accurate understanding of what Menno is stating is less to do with our modern Anabaptism and closer to the Anabaptism of the Reformation. In this understanding Menno is seeking to declare that true people of faith we will indeed become alien (separated) to the world. Yet as aliens in our world, we will belong to a community that isn’t limited by man mad borders, language, economics, ethnicities and this beloved community is called the church. However, where I differ from Benner and his use of Menno Simmons is that our alien status of belonging to Christ will compel us to behave in the spirit of “True Evangelical Faith” inside the church and outside its walls – even unto to death.
(From Menno Simmons pg. 27 of “The Anabaptist Vision”)
The quote utilized by Harold S. Benner in his influential booklet “The Anabaptist Vision” is from the namesake of our Mennonite church Menno Simmons. In the context of his booklet, it seemed to me that Benner was directing his audience to a modern understanding of Anabaptistism where “Absonderung” is considered the focus and norm. Under the guise of separatism modern Anabaptism understood holiness and our faithfulness to God to be accomplished only in isolation from the world. Quite understandably, persecuted Anabaptist and then their off spring (2nd, 3rd etc) gravitated to this understanding of separatism (“quiet in the land”) from the years of severe persecution and martyrdom!
However I question the appropriate use by Benner of Menno Simmons quote. Obviously without having the full context in which Benner drew the quote from Menno Simmons it is difficult for me to exegete his original intent. However, a more familiar quote from Menno would seem to contradict the one above:
True evangelical faith cannot lie doormat, it clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it serves those that harm it, it binds up that which is wounded, it has become all things to people.”
Which one is it? Will the true Menno Simmons please stand up! Somewhat supspringly I believe Menno is standing up in both statement. In the first statement I believe a more accurate understanding of what Menno is stating is less to do with our modern Anabaptism and closer to the Anabaptism of the Reformation. In this understanding Menno is seeking to declare that true people of faith we will indeed become alien (separated) to the world. Yet as aliens in our world, we will belong to a community that isn’t limited by man mad borders, language, economics, ethnicities and this beloved community is called the church. However, where I differ from Benner and his use of Menno Simmons is that our alien status of belonging to Christ will compel us to behave in the spirit of “True Evangelical Faith” inside the church and outside its walls – even unto to death.
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