"True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant. 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 all men." Menno Simons
This evening, a Missionary Baptist co-worker and I tussled around a pool table and wrestled with issues like scriptural authority and interpretation. I was reminded throughout our conversation that I am, truly and fully, an evangelical. That may surprise my cohorts; in some circles, "evangelical" has become a curse word that we fling against hate-mongering, book-burning image of the Christian Right. We claim that we are spreading the abundant love of God in contrast to a faith that is based in fear, when in reality we are making an idol of our own understanding of God by shutting out the voices with which we disagree. I DO serve the same Christ as Pat Robertson, and though our interpretations of what Christ mandates are different, it is the same Christ. We forget that we share the same language, imagery, and faith. When we tear each other apart, it is ourselves that we are blinding for we are all one body.
The social justice I preach, the simplicity I practice, the work I take on to overturn oppression are all the work of evangelism. They are the embodiment of the wild, radical, and beautiful teachings of Christ. They are the enactment of the Sermon on the Mount. They are realization that true evangelism is not contained in the winning of hearts and souls, but also encompasses the participation in the establishment of the Kingdom of God, which is indeed mandated as our primary motivation. Our conversion is not complete until it is made manifest in all aspects of our lives, including the belief and behavior that my friend emphasizes as well as the political and economic ramifications to which I have devoted myself. Menno Simmons understood that, and from the tradition he inspired have come some of the bravest and truest saints I have encountered. Oh, how I desire to have that same courage.
And so, I will continue to preach Christ crucified and risen, and declare the liberative power of the resurrection to overcome the violence and darkness that has been shown through our destructive lives and social cycles.
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7 comments:
Alright everybody (well, those few of you who read this) - I'll admit that I got lazy and quoted using exclusive language. I should have changed "men" to humanity. I guess my gender awareness sensors were dull that night... Anyway, I've changed it on the blog description, and feel free to change it in your minds as you read Menno Simons quote. The guilt is mine...
No you're not a Mennonite. While Mennonites have a strong social justice tradition, Mennonites (as least the Amish) don't allow women to have ANY active role in worship. Also, they don't believe in higher education. Finally, they're Baptist in theology. And so that's three strikes against you. You're in the right church, and you're on the right track (as far as integrating belief in the Bible with social justice).
Andrew,
Thanks for your input! I think you may have the Mennonites and the Amish confused - they are both Anabaptists (NOT the same as Baptists), but I do indeed know that the support higher education. How do I know that? Well, my political science professor as an undergraduate was a graduate of a Mennonite Theological Seminary (Indeed, I think it's the same one that produced the Exegesis textbook we use at LPTS.) Finally, a quick search of the website for the Mennonite Church USA (at www.mennoniteusa.org for the phrase "women in ministry") shows that they do not just allow women in the pulpit, but like the Women's Ministry Program Area for the PC(USA), they are developing resources to encourage and support women as they enter into this new realm for them. Thanks for your encouragement - I'm not about to leave the PC (USA) -but I think this understanding is necessary for proper ecumenical relations. Thanks!
I wasn't sure if it were just the Amish or also the Mennonites (that's why I said "at least the Amish"). Obviously, I know less about the Mennonites than the Amish--I conceived of the Mennonites abstractly as "moderate Amish." I knew that (unlike the Amish) they drove cars--I just didn't know that they allowed women to drive cars (I'm speaking analogously here). While the Baptists are not the same as the Anabaptists, the Baptists are descended from the Anabaptists, which were a fourth major branch of Christianity besides Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and Reformed. Anyway, Baptists and Anabaptists do follow the same general theology, which is one of being saved if and when as an adult you make a rational decision to accept Christ. That is quite different from Reformed or Presbyterian theology.
Andrew,
While there are multiple theories about the beginnings of the Baptist tradition, most historians trace them to the Puritan movement in England, split between those with Calvinist and Arminian tendencies. While there are those who trace it to early Anabaptist movements because of the similarity of the name and the belief in believer's baptism, their disparate understandings of pacifism, the communal life, and other theological issues are reason to suspect this classification. They were, in all probability, influenced by the Anabaptists but not descended from them.
Rex,
Thanks for writing in! I'm quite surprised that this post is getting any hits after such a long dormancy... Your profile doesn't mention any details about you. Care to introduce yourself? Also, I was wondering if you could elaborate on your comment about Menno Simons christology. Finally, I've heard some talk about a belief in "regeneration" - could you explain that a bit better? It seems a bit like the Methodist concept of perfection, which, (as a Calvinist, albeit a very impure one) doesn't quite vibe with my view of human nature. Anyway, I hope you write back!
Amy
Wow, these posts are old but I am going to add to anyone that may pass by this post that Amy and Rex are quite correct.
I grew up in a Mennonite town, centered around a Mennonite Publishing House which published Christian works and Bibles, etc.
There is a difference between "Old Line" Mennonite, Amish, and the Mennonites that you meet in "regular" society. The majority of my honors courses (and friends) were Mennonites and all achieved higher education and professional success.
On that point, have you never heard of Goshen College? It's a Mennonite college. Modern day Mennonites are more similar and historically correlated with the Swiss Brethren rather than the Baptists.
As for reading Menno Simons, I think that theologically interested people would not have a difficult time reading his work. He was formerly a Catholic priest, but Luther was a Doctor of Theology in the Roman Catholic church, and his works could also be described as "tedious" or "not an easy read". I suppose it depends on the reader's interest.
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