Beliefs: Mennonite Faith and Practice - Softcover

Roth, John D

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0836192702 ISBN 13: 9780836192704

Publisher: Herald Press (VA), 2005

Synopsis

Ask any person randomly on the sidewalk what they know about the Mennonites and chances are their answer will include Mormons, black clothes and buggies, or general confusion. This short, engaging book gives a brief account of what Mennonites believe. From the beginnings of the Anabaptist (or Mennonite) movement in the 16th-century, to biblical interpretation, baptism, understandings of the church, ethics, and the complex question of denominationalism, John D. Roth provides a solid framework for on-going conversations about faithful discipleship in the Mennonite church today. An online study guide is available for this title. 172 Pages.

About this title

About the Author

John D. Roth is project director of MennoMedia's Anabaptism at 500 initiative. Prior to that role, Roth was a professor of history at Goshen College (1985-2022), where he also served as director of the Mennonite Historical Library and editor of the Mennonite Quarterly Review. Roth has published widely on topics related to Anabaptist-Mennonite history, theology, and church life. He is also the founding director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism at Goshen College and is active in Mennonite World Conference. John and his wife Ruth enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and are members of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

<p>As the multilayered meanings of baptism suggest, baptism in the Mennonite tradition is neither the beginning nor the end of the Christian journey. Like a wedding, baptism is a public statement of commitment offered before God and other witnesses reflecting a relationship that has existed long before the decision to make a formal and public vow. Like a wedding, it is an announcement of allegiances ("forsaking all others") clarifying that this relationship is now taking on a concrete and permanent character.</p><p>But just as the wedding is not yet a marriage, so too baptism should not be confused with what it means to be Christian. The wedding defines some crucial understandings for the marriage ahead, but the real adventure of marriage is learning how to make a life together. Marriage is what it means to grow in the relationship, to establish a home, to raise a family, to adjust to inevitable changes and unexpected challenges, and to practice daily the virtues of love, compassion, trust, forgiveness, and fidelity.</p><p>Mennonites understand baptism in much the same way. It is an event of utmost importance that gives public witness to our allegiances and celebrates God's transforming work in our lives. Yet baptism is really only a point of reference for the real adventure of Christian discipleship. Like a wedding, it is not the culmination of a relationship but a moment of conscious commitment that points ahead to a lifetime relationship with God and with fellow believers. This relationship is filled with further opportunities for confession and repentance, adjusting to surprising changes, and deepening in the love as the mystery of intimacy and the joy of relationship are renewed every day.</p><p><em>&mdash;"Mennonite Understandings of Baptism: A Summary," p. 73</em></p>

Edition details

• Publisher: Herald Press (VA)
• Publication date: 2005
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0836192702
• ISBN 13: 9780836192704
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 171