Preservings $20 No. 25, December, 2005 - Plett Foundation

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Religious Predators The negative and condescending tone established by Redekopp and Sawatzky has been adopted and magnified as a strategy of cultural imperialism by various predators targeting the Old Colony people for conversion to Evangelical religious culture and Calvinistic tradition. Even more damaging to integrity and truth regarding the story of the Old Colonists are the views of radicalized Evangelicalism being promoted among Russian Mennonites by certain misguided zealots to the present day. In a letter written by Rev. Harold Jantz on January 2, 2002 and informally distributed in Winnipeg, my writings are described as follows: “Plett believes that the Pietist movement - which largely birthed the modern Evangelical movement - is a source of all manner of ill and has brought virtually only harm to Mennonites, while what we now know as the Old Colony Mennonites and the Kleine Gemeinde represent true “evangelical Christianity” and virtually all that is good in Mennonite Christianity. He uses every writing for which he is responsible to drive home this idea....” Delbert on a visit to Mennonite settlements in Mexico, 1999. (D. Plett collection) Like P. M. Friesen (see Pres., No. 21, page 94) and to some extent Frank Epp (Pres., No. 15, page 15), Jantz seems to subscribe to a belief that conservative and traditionalists Mennonite life, faith and culture was a corrupted essence, which can only be redeemed by mass conversion to the Evangelical Fundamentalist 12 - Preservings No. 25, December 2005 Delbert Plett’s Final Words Articles written by him in preparation for this issue. religious culture. As historian Henry Schapansky has convincingly established, the post-Napoleonic War immigrants to Russia, such as the Gnadenfeld Gemeinde, were typically heavily influenced by Separatist-Pietism and did much to spread these false and unbiblical teachings among the Mennonites. In the face of all the facts, Harold Jantz characterizes the Gnadenfeld community as a “...powerhouse of renewal....” choosing to close his eyes to the incredibly destructive impact they had on the traditionalist Gemeinden and the debris of family and church divisions invariably left in the wake of such predator religious cultures. Jantz criticizes me for describing leaders such as Gerhard Wiebe (1827-1900) as a Moses of the Bergthaler people and makes jest of my view that: “Presumably, it was the faithful, true followers of Christ who left for Canada in the 1870s and the ones willing to make compromises who stayed behind.” Jantz objects to my references to the conservatives who immigrated to Latin America as “pilgrims” and chastises me for not comparing them with the “people like the Claas Epp or Abraham Peters’ followers” who trekked to Turkistan in the 1880s to await the coming of Jesus Christ in the east. Jantz demonstrates a rather simplistic understanding of the situation of the conservative Mennonites in his claim that “Their language skills in the language of the countries they’ve lived in Latin America is so poor that they cannot adequately deal with the society around them and its institutions.” This claim is nonsensical! Practically every Old Colonist by now is well versed in Spanish and often may also know English as well as High and Low German and reflecting the tri-lingual discourse which has characterized the Flemish Mennonites since the Reformation (see Pres., No. 21, page 125). It is a standard strategy of hyper-aggressive cultures to denigrate those whom they seek to dominate. Jantz seemingly manifests the same tactics starting from the premise that “The social problems among the conservative groups are great.” Jantz seems to forget that the same problems are rampant among Evangelicals who, according to the Evangelically based Brana Research Group, are not even distinguishable from the general North American population in 70 moral and behavioural categories (Pres., No. 17, page 79). Jakob Funk, Winnipeg, also uses his calling as an Evangelist to spread similar false views. In a press release entitled “Mexican Mennonite churches in crisis” and widely distributed in the media of assimilated Mennonites, he makes the following untruthful statements: “Weak ethics result in widespread immorality and spiritual confusion....families are in crisis, marriage problems are huge. The most common problems are drugs, alcohol and marital infidelity,” (Pres., No. 18, page 39). Although the untruth of his statements have been brought to his attention, Evangelist Funk has not yet publicly apologized nor recognized how harmful the dissemination of such false information can be upon a community often already severely disadvantaged as immigrants. In reality the vast majority of conservative Mennonites live in contented, functional “Scofield and his supporters actually believed that the teachings of Christ were not applicable in the present time...” families manifesting life of daily Christian discipleship and piety in the Flemish monastic tradition. Presumably statements such as those made by Jantz and Funk are intended to feed and nurture the booming cottage industry of those aggressively seeking new converts for Evangelical Fundamentalism among conservative Mennonites and actively disrupting and interfering with the peaceable and biblical functioning of their congregations. If Jantz and Funk were truly concerned with the social problems among Mennonites, they might well wish to start with those who have become converted to Evangelical religious culture. Divorce rates in Manitoba, for example, far exceed those among Mennonites
in Latin America and police raids for drugs are an almost daily occurrence in areas of the Province where Mennonites are in the majority, or is this somehow also the fault of the Old Colonists? Mennonites and Evangelicals An editorial column in the July 4, 1998, Globe and Mail referred to the immense hatred against gays and lesbians spewing forth from the religious right, the so-called Evangelicals. The article brought forth the imagery of promiscuous homosexuals indulging in wanton behaviour noting that the glossolalia manifestations of charismatics such as the so-called Toronto Revival and/or the Vineyard Movement frequently displayed on National Television, are equally obscene and distasteful in the eyes of the general public. At the same time, the religious right, often portrayed in the media as a spiritual support group to the ultra right-wing political movement, takes itself extremely seriously, claiming not only to be the exclusive purveyor of truth but also the sole arbiter of salvation, decreeing all others, including other Christians, to be “unsaved” heathen and dammed to eternal Hell fire. Nothing is more fascinating than the study of the origin, evolution and development of religious ideas and cultures. Mennonites have had an ongoing love affair and fascination with the Evangelical movement for the past decades, and prior to that, a flirtation with American Fundamentalism, Revivalism and German Separatist-Pietism, in that order. It is an eye-opener to examine these religious cultures with all their variant subspecies, in an attempt to understand their appeal. Before going any further, there are always those who say, the critical point is to separate scripture from culture and, therefore, we must abandon the Mennonite faith as it is articulated by culture and not by scripture. Such a statement is nonsense. No one, not even the Apostles, could or can read the scripture divorced from a historical and/or experiential context. Typically such claims are made by Evangelicals, and what they really mean is, you can only get the “correct” understanding of “The anti-communal premise of Patrick Friesen’s “Shunning” is only one small drop in this raging storm surge of anti-communitarian thinking.” scripture by reading it from the perspective of my particular cultural and historical heritage, namely, Calvinist triumphalism. To say that faith and culture can be separated and experienced on two separate tracks is about as valid as saying that faith and works are separate and divisible entities. What is it that has attracted so many to the religious cultures of Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism which are often seen as fanatical by main stream churches such as Catholic, Anglican, United, Orthodox, etc? Certainly Mennonites who have joined and/or adopted the religious language and culture of Evangelicalism tend to share one commonality, a great ignorance both of the faith they have rejected as well as the religion culture and language they adopted. It is important to distinguish here between “evangelical” as in the sense of a faith articulated by scripture, and “Evangelicalism” as in a particular historical social movement and religious culture which arose out of American Fundamentalism during the 1950s and 60s. Part of the difference between the two religious cultures is explained by the ways Mennonites and Evangelicals read and inter- “Calvinist religious ideas dovetailed nicely with the concept of laissez faire,...” pret scripture. So-called Evangelicals trace their interpretation to Calvin in Reformation times where Paul was read as superseding the Gospels. Fundamentalists held to a “flat” Bible where all scripture had equal authority, thus allowing for unlimited proof-texting--decide what you want the Bible to say, and then find a line-up of verses which can be massaged into supporting that view. The decision is made, for example, that the words in the Bible “Thou shalt not kill” cannot be taken literally, and then the Calvinist gurus go to work dreaming up some contrivance to circumvent something inherently foundational to the teachings of Christ. Mennonites, on the other hand, read the Bible as “progressive revelation”, essentially as documenting the unfolding of history, with the Gospels, and Christ as the focal point. In the case of apparent conflict, the Gospels were accepted as paramount. The two interpretations have resulted in very different religious cultures. The Pauline interpretation has resulted in a Calvinist triumphalism as reflected in the Scofield Bible which was the “Bible” of the Bible School movement of the 1930s and 40s. As odd as it may seem from today’s more tolerant perspective, Scofield and his supporters actually believed that the teachings of Christ were not applicable in the present time (Scofield called it the “church age”) and that in fact any attempt to practice these teachings was sin, a form of works-righteousness. Scofield arrived at this startling conclusion by a teaching called “dispensationalism”, the result of which was that the Gospels were dispensed with and only applicable in a future age, after Christ’s Second Coming. Anyone doubting this is referred to the 1967 edition of the Scofield Bible published by Oxford University Press, page 996. When Christ preached (Matthew 4:17) that the “Kingdom of Heaven is at hand”, Scofield explained it by stating that “The Bible expression `at hand’ is never a positive affirmation that the person or thing said to be at hand will immediately appear...” What is most amazing is not that someone would write things like that, after all a crackpot is born everyday, but that so many thousands of Mennonites flocked to these teachings in the 1930 and 40s, as if Scofield had received new tablets of stone on Mount Sinai. The difference between Evangelical and Mennonite religious culture can also be understood in terms of a communitarian ethos verses individual freedom. In the latter half of the 19th century, the small “l” liberal philosophy of John Stuart Mills and others permeated Western European academia. Although initially an economic teaching, as in the laissez faire economy, these ideas were transferred to and applied to other areas of life, including political, religious, etc. Any emphasis on individual liberties was seen as a positive extension of laissez faire and, in the converse, any attempt to promote communitarian values was seen as evil and sinister. Because the individual profit motive was seen to be the best engine to drive the economy, presumably the same concept would be equally valuable in other areas. This unstated premise of Patrick Friesen’s “Shunning” is only one small drop in this raging storm surge of anti-communitarian thinking which enslaved the English-speaking world in the 19th century. It was certainly a startling concept for students of history, as the expanse “The two religious cultures are fundamentally and inherently incompatible and in conflict with each other.” of time has demonstrated over and over that the nations and communities that continued to operate on a communitarian ethos, were the most successful. The obsession with individual liberties and values has resulted in lawlessness and a victim orientated society starting in our public schools, glorifying disrespect for authority. As libertarian ideas continue to eat away at the core values of Western Civilization, the role of communities is once again on the rise with law-abiding citizens seeking refuge in gated suburbs and even criminals flocking into gangs for mutual protection. Another difference between Mennonite and Evangelical teachings is found in the view of salvation. Calvinist religious ideas dovetailed nicely with the concept of laissez faire, fostering and accommodating the idea that salvation was a subjective, internal and individual matter between penitent and Saviour. Because the Mennonite faith was articulated by a communitarian ethos, they saw salvation as something taking place through the community of saints, namely, between God, His/Her people and the penitent, within the context of a communitarian Preservings No. 25, December 2005 - 13
Page 1 and 2: ~ Being the Journal of the D. F. Pl
Page 3 and 4: Delbert F. Plett, Q.C. 1948-2004
Page 5 and 6: Delbert was born March 6, 1948 in S
Page 7 and 8: Perhaps it was a force built on her
Page 9 and 10: Tribute to Delbert Plett at the vie
Page 11: D.F. Plett Historical Research Foun
Page 15 and 16: and sisters in Christ. Perhaps in t
Page 17 and 18: Revivalist-Fundamentalist-Evangelic
Page 19 and 20: people against questionable theolog
Page 21 and 22: Feature Articles: Seventeenth-Centu
Page 23 and 24: obey his Word. The third is a praye
Page 25 and 26: 28 prayers for private use only, wa
Page 27 and 28: Francois de Knuyt, de Ries also art
Page 29 and 30: Dutch Mennonite historiography has
Page 31 and 32: In the same year the elders from Ha
Page 33 and 34: attitude of the Dordrecht elder. Wh
Page 35 and 36: trouw) was prohibited. Members were
Page 37 and 38: e found in The Bloody Theatre, or M
Page 39 and 40: the twelfth article of the Dordrech
Page 41 and 42: Pastor had accepted anti-trinitaria
Page 43 and 44: Connected by Seas, Windmills and Fa
Page 45 and 46: harmony. As city architect, he work
Page 47 and 48: sometimes action taken by authoriti
Page 49 and 50: mayors and magistrates. After the R
Page 51 and 52: sermon and news of the church. In r
Page 53 and 54: the ministers. Hansen was elected
Page 55 and 56: Maritime Trade and Shipbuilding in
Page 57 and 58: to engage in the profitable trade o
Page 59 and 60: The painting “The Castle Lake of
Page 61 and 62: Introduction Martin C. Friesen (188
Page 63 and 64:
Grandson Andreas T. Friesen. When I
Page 65 and 66:
man, I have set you as a watchman o
Page 67 and 68:
Peter Neufeld (12.11.1697-17.8.1769
Page 69 and 70:
this place. However, one other thin
Page 71 and 72:
sured that Gerhard received a prope
Page 73 and 74:
Siberian Diary: Aron P. Toews (1897
Page 75 and 76:
transmit to them these inner streng
Page 77 and 78:
Aron and Maria Suderman Toews as a
Page 79 and 80:
The quiet Mennonite has become a co
Page 81 and 82:
Cornelius T. “Rawleigh” Toews (
Page 83 and 84:
Articles Borosenko - A Traditional
Page 85 and 86:
looked like a toy train. A horse pu
Page 87 and 88:
We reiterated how impressed we were
Page 89 and 90:
the new conference would limit cong
Page 91 and 92:
From June 14 to 16, 2002 our Hambur
Page 93 and 94:
Introduction The Brommtopp was made
Page 95 and 96:
George K. Epp. Geschichte Der Menno
Page 97 and 98:
One could draw the reader’s atten
Page 99 and 100:
Adina Reger 5 May 1950 - 6 November
show all

Preservings $20 No. 25, December, 2005 - Plett Foundation

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?