Confessions of faith in the anabaptist/mennonite tradition
2002; Volume: 76; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0025-9373
Autores Tópico(s)Agriculture and Farm Safety
ResumoAbstract: Mennonites are neither a creedal church nor a confessional one in the sense of adhering to a single authoritative confession. They are confessional, however, in the sense of having authored numerous confessions that at times have played important roles in church life. This article first asks whether tendencies congruent with this kind of confessionalism appeared in historic Anabaptism (1525-1575). It then overviews the confessional tradition, from 1577 in the Netherlands down to 1995, that has influenced the new Mennonite Church USA. Although mainly a survey, the article proposes that a spirit/letter tension, evident in historic Anabaptism, continues through the confessional tradition; and that whereas Mennonites have often divided over behavioral issues, confessions have generally helped unite them. ********** A common impression of Mennonites is that they are very practical, mainly concerned about ethics and lifestyle, with very little interest in theology or confessions. This characterization undoubtedly fits many Mennonites, today and yesterday. Generally, however, it is more accurate to say that, for Mennonites, ethics and lifestyle comprise the touchstone, or main fruit, or most important evidence of authentic Christian existence (or, to use an ecumenical term, apostolicity). Mennonites usually do not consider other aspects of Christian life unimportant. Nonetheless, when a person's or group's behavior does not seem truly Christian, Mennonites are inclined to regard whatever else they say or do as insignificant, if not hypocritical. While various Christian communions consider theology, worship, polity, mission, historic succession, or some combination of these as apostolicity's main criterion, Mennonites tend to opt for Christian practice, marked especially by values like community, simplicity and peace, as taught and exemplified by Jesus. In a very broad sense, this behavioral emphasis would likely constitute their primary contribution to ecumenical Christianity. This means that confession, for Mennonites, means, above all, the statement made by an overall way of life. But how do Mennonites connect this life with formal church confessions? CREEDS AND CONFESSIONS Mennonites are not a creedal church, at least in terms of three features often attributed to creeds. First, creeds often refers to brief declarations from the early church, above all the Nicene Creed of 381. (1) While Mennonites are familiar with the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene is not even included in their most recent hymnal (though it was in the previous edition). (2) Since most Mennonites are ignorant of this creed's historic liturgical function, it usually strikes them as an abstract doctrinal statement--even though their favorite hymn repeatedly lauds the triune, transcendent God. (3) While current Mennonite theologians do debate the creeds' significance, and some affirm their importance, Mennonites are not creedal in the sense of revering, or even really knowing, the early tradition. (4) Second, creeds are often understood to prescribe legally sanctioned boundaries of church membership. Mennonites have never developed any such statements enforceable by secular authorities. Neither have Mennonite confessions functioned legally within churches--with perhaps a few exceptions which I will mention. Finally, creeds often denote efforts at expressing truth so universally that their precise wording is considered sacrosanct. Mennonites have felt far more free to reword their expressions of faith. Confessions, in contrast to creeds, are often defined as those more comprehensive affirmations of faith which originated with the Reformation and acknowledged their own subordination to scripture. Confessions are often much longer than creeds. Some denominations adhere to a collection of them, which often includes several creeds (such as the Lutheran Book of Concord). Protestant confessions usually possess some degree of ecclesiastical authority. …
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