Mennonite Weekly Review

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — After recent reconciliation with Lutherans, Mennonite World Conference is beginning two dialogues with other Christian groups.

Service consultation participants worship with the Misrak Meserete Kristos congregation in Addis Ababa. — Photo by J. Lorne Peachey/MWC

“Because of our history, we Anabaptists have often seen ourselves as heirs of martyrs, and we need to come to terms with how that affects our view of the world,” said Larry Miller, MWC general secretary.

“We also need to see ourselves as members of the wider body of Christ, called to give an account of our convictions and practices, and to receive others as they do likewise.”

The Executive Committee, which oversees the work of MWC between the General Council’s triennial sessions, met July 28-Aug. 4. Members heard about the apology for 16th-century persecution of Anabaptists MWC received from the Lutheran World Federation in July in Stuttgart, Germany.

The committee then approved two conversations to begin in 2011:

■ With the World Conference of Seventh-day Adventists on “lifestyles as Christians,” particularly biblical understandings and practices of peace. ■ With the Lutheran World Federation and the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity of the Catholic Church on baptism.

Representatives from Latin America, while approving the dialogues, urged caution.

“Given the reservations that some of our churches have, because of persecution from the Catholics in the past and statements which continue to this day, it’s very important that the objectives for dialogue be very clear,” said Edgardo Sanchez of Argentina.

MWC has various healing projects, addressing topics such as the legacy of slavery and colonialism, leadership and power transitions in the context of violence, and the use of money and power in relationships among Anabaptists within and between cultures.

Elina Ciptadi-Perkins of Singapore, staff liaison for youth, and Ayub Omondi Awich of Kenya, African representative on the Youth Task Force, outlined plans for a new Young Anabaptists Network to work with young people in five areas: networking, fellowship, capacity building, decision-making and Anabaptist identity.