Mennonite leaders reflect positively on Assisi day of prayer

News Release
Mennonite World Conference
by Ron Rempel, MWC news editor

Assisi, Italy (MWC) —Danisa Ndlovu, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) president, and Larry Miller, MWC general secretary, joined with leaders of many other religious communities and several humanist organizations October 27, 2011 for a day of reflection, dialogue and personal prayer in Assisi, Italy, the home of the 12^th century Catholic friar and preacher, St. Francis, known for his commitment to peace. Continue reading “Mennonite leaders reflect positively on Assisi day of prayer” →

New book interprets church apologies

In recent years, churches have repented for historical wrongs. In his new book, Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront Their Sinful Pasts, Jeremy M. Bergen tells the story of these apologies and analyzes the theological issues they raise about the nature and mission of the church.

“In a context in which churches, as well as national governments, are increasingly offering public apologies for past acts of injustice and failure,” Bergen’s book, Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront Their Sinful Pasts, “represents an important contribution.” In a review by Christopher Craig Brittain of the University of Aberdeen, Britton continues, “rather than seeing ecclesial repentance as undermining the Church’s reputation, or functioning as a self-serving public relations strategy, Bergen offers a theological account of how they help the Church be faithful to its mission. The result is a sensitive reflection on the complexities and perils of public apologies, as well as a thoughtful appreciation for their potential to facilitate the healing of past wounds.’ Continue reading “New book interprets church apologies” →

Mennonites begin ecumenical dialogue with Seventh-Day Adventists

Silver Spring, Maryland, USA– Representatives of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and the Mennonite World Conference held the first of several theological conversations June 28 to July 1, 2011 at the world headquarters of the 17 million-member Seventh-day Adventist Church in Silver Spring, Maryland. Continue reading “Mennonites begin ecumenical dialogue with Seventh-Day Adventists” →

Bridgefolk celebrates the fruit God brings through human failure

News release on 2011 Bridgefolk conference

By Gerald W. Schlabach

CommonWorshipDiscussion — Bridgefolk co-founder Ivan Kauffman speaks during discussion following panel on common worship. Panel members, left to right: Stanley Kropf (moderator), Mary Schertz and Alice Noe.

Akron, Pennsylvania (BRIDGEFOLK) – “The Holy Spirit works in and through human failure, not around it,” Mennonite biblical scholar Mary Schertz told Catholics and Mennonites gathered at the headquarters of Mennonite Central Committee August 4-7 for the 2011 conference of Bridgefolk, a grassroots movement for dialogue and unity between Mennonites and Roman Catholics.

Peter was in a position to deny Jesus only because he was trying to be faithful to his promise, Schertz explained. He risked his life to follow Jesus into the courtyard near where he stood trial. “God worked the birth of the church out of human failure,” noted the Bridgefolk board member and professor of New Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. “Failure will always be present in the life of the church, but it doesn’t have to have the last word. So too with Bridgefolk. God has been at work through our failure.”

Schertz’s insight helped conference participants name the mix of joy and pain that they continue to share as Bridgefolk enters its second decade as a movement. “This was Bridgefolk’s tenth annual conference,” Bridgefolk co-founder Weldon Nisly commented later, “and I think we have matured. We feel the pain of church disunity as acutely as ever. But holding that pain together has also led to a deep trust and mutual love. We are clearer than ever that it is only ours to live in hope, not to ‘fix’ the church’s disunity. Yet we find ourselves celebrating the fruit that God has brought from our failure.” Continue reading “Bridgefolk celebrates the fruit God brings through human failure” →

Bridgefolk in the news at the Vatican

In the lead-up to Bridgefolk’s recent conference, the Vatican’s daily newspaper published a short article on Bridgefolk, and Vatican Radio followed up with a summary:

Click here for L’Observatore Romano August 10 article, then go to page 6.
Click here for Vatican Radio report.

Message of International Ecumenical Peace Convocation:
“Churches can teach nonviolence, if we dare”

The final message of the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation, held in Jamaica in May, closes by highlighting the witness of historic peace churches, and insisting that all churches can teach peace to the powerful:

History, especially in the witness of the historic peace churches, reminds us of the fact that violence is contrary to the will of God and can never resolve conflicts. It is for this reason that we are moving beyond the doctrine of just war towards a commitment to Just Peace. It requires moving from exclusive concepts of national security to safety for all. This includes a day-to-day responsibility to prevent, that is, to avoid violence at its root. Many practical aspects of the concept of Just Peace require discussion, discernment and elaboration. We continue to struggle with how innocent people can be protected from injustice, war and violence. In this light, we struggle with the concept of the “responsibility to protect” and its possible misuse. We urgently request that the WCC and related bodies further clarify their positions regarding this policy.

We advocate total nuclear disarmament and control of the proliferation of small arms.

We as churches are in a position to teach nonviolence to the powerful, if only we dare. For we are followers of one who came as a helpless infant, died on the Cross, told us to lay aside our swords, taught us to love our enemies and was resurrected from the dead.

To read the entire document click here.

For a reflection on the IEPC and its message by Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, click here.

MWC’s Larry Miller to lead Global Christian Forum

Strasbourg, France (MWC)–The Global Christian Forum (GCF) has appointed Larry Miller to become its first full-time Secretary when he completes nearly 22 years as the General Secretary of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC).

The GCF, formed in 1998, is a growing global initiative that seeks to bring leaders of all Christian churches in the world together to foster mutual respect and to address common challenges.

Miller will begin officially with the GCF on January 1, 2012, at the same time that César García, MWC’s next General Secretary, assumes the position after a time of transition. Continue reading “MWC’s Larry Miller to lead Global Christian Forum” →

Conference on “just peace” in the Netherlands later in June

An Amsterdam university and a Dutch Mennonite seminary will host a conference on “just peace” later this month. The occasion will also follow up on a recent international convocation on peace in Kingston, Jamaica, and inaugurate the professorship of Mennonite ecumenist Fernando Enns. Continue reading “Conference on “just peace” in the Netherlands later in June” →

Canadian Mennonite reports on ecumenical peace convocation

Canadian Mennonite magazine has just published a report on the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation held in May in Jamaica. The article draws on some of the news releases already posted here at Bridgefolk.Net, but also provides a helpful summary. Click here to read.