“The Anabaptist vision of the Kingdom is a vision whose time has come.” (Gregory Boyd, mega-church pastor, 2008)
“We need a form of Christian faith that is holistic, integral and balanced…We so desperately need, as we move into this emerging culture, to learn to live a life of Christ instead of just going to church. Anabaptists know more about this than the rest of us.” (Brian McLaren, emerging church leader, 2007)
“God is doing something new through a new generation that has a distinctly Anabaptist accent in these uncertain times.” (Tom Sine, Mustard Seed Associates, 2008)
From all parts of the globe, church leaders (evangelical, mainline, emerging church) are calling for Anabaptists to lead the way in the development of a holistic theology with integrity that addresses the world of the 21st century. The influence of Anabaptists in the UK during the past thirty years is an example of this.
But are we ready to answer the call?
- Have we considered what such a theology might look like?
- Have we wrestled with the questions of integrity that cause so many in the western world to dismiss Christianity as antiquated?
- What are today’s Anabaptist theologians thinking?
- Are we moving beyond John Howard Yoder or is he going to remain the key representative of Anabaptist theology for the next hundred years?
- Are the writings of 16th century Anabaptists the starting place for 21st century Anabaptist theology?
- Are we still arguing about Anabaptist theology’s relationship to the development of creedal orthodoxy in the fourth century?
- How do Anabaptists read the Bible in the 21st century?
- What is our role in the emerging church movement?
- What about the way we relate to other denominations, other theologies, other faiths?
These are the kinds of questions we will be discussing at the final London Mennonite Theology Forum, which will be held on the 10th and 11th of September, 2009 at the Guy Chester Centre (near the London Mennonite Centre). The keynote speaker for the forum will be Ted Grimsrud, theology professor at Eastern Mennonite University and author of the recent book: Embodying the Way of Jesus: Anabaptist Convictions in the 21st Century. Other presenters include Simon Barrow (co-director of Ekklesia), Anne-Marie Visser (Mennonite representative on the advisory committee for Inter-Religious Encounter for the Dutch National Council of Churches), James Jakob Fehr (director of the German Mennonite Peace Committee) and Vic Thiessen (director of the LMC). The content of the presentations remains tentative, but will likely include the following:
| Ted:
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1) an analysis of contemporary Anabaptist theology (including a look at neo-Mennonites) |
| 2) theological basics for a 21st century Anabaptist theology | |
| Vic: | 1) Gordon Kaufman, Daniel Liechty and other Anabaptist voices on the fringe |
| 2) the Anabaptist debate about creedal orthodoxy and/or Anabaptists and the emerging church. | |
| Simon: | Menno(k)nots? Mixed-up theology in post-Christendom Britain |
| Anne-Marie: | Anabaptists and interfaith dialogue |
| James: | “Politics as the Interpretive Framework of a Contemporary Anabaptist Theology”. |
The forum will start at 1100 on the 10th and end with tea at 1600 on the 11th. The cost will be £79 for non-residential (including three meals), £114 for one-night residential in a single en-suite room (including four meals) and £149 for two nights (9th and 10th - including five meals). Please note that only ten rooms are left, so book early if you need a room. While there are no special rates for unwaged, please do let us know if financial considerations prevent you from attending the forum.
Note that on the 12th of September, from 9:30-4:00 at the LMC, Ted Grimsrud will lead a Cross-Currents seminar on the Bible’s salvation story and how it relates to retributive theologies.
A registration form for the theology forum is attached. For more information, contact Janelle Thiessen at jthiessenATmenno.org.uk or +44 2083408775.
Online booking:
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