A People Apart
Subtitle: Ethnicity and the Mennonite Brethren
By: by John H. Redekop
Publisher: Kindred Productions
Published: 1987
Place of publication: Winnipeg, MB, Canada; Hillsboro, KS, USA
Language: eng
Format: Paperback
Number of pages: 217
ISBN-13: 9780919797680
Copyright date: 1987
Subjects: Christianity - Mennonite; Protestantism; Sociology Of Religion; Religion - Denominations - Religions
Table of contents: label: Chapter 1. Introduction; label: 1. Why study the question of ethnicity?
pagenum: 1; label: 2. Terms and definitions
pagenum: 2; label: 3. Research methods
pagenum: 6; label: 4. Are we truly open-minded?
pagenum: 7; label: 5. Author's personal stance and commitment
pagenum: 8; label: 6. The scope of the study
pagenum: 9; label: Chapter 2: Questions, Assumptions, Hypotheses; label: Part A. The Basic Questions
pagenum: 11; label: Part B. Some Key Assumptions
pagenum: 12; label: 1. The term "Mennonite" has a positive connotation.
pagenum: 12; label: 2. The Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith must be retained.
pagenum: 13; label: 3. The retention of the Evangelical-Anabaptist distinctiveness is not necessarily related to the retention of the name "Mennonite."
pagenum: 15; label: 4. If Mennonite Brethren do not take corrective action, retention of Anabaptist theology will become problematic.
pagenum: 17; label: 5. Mennonite Brethren should be guided by our understanding of God's word.
pagenum: 17; label: 6. The present generation has a responsibility to do what needs to be done.
pagenum: 18; label: 7. The strong arguments are not all on one side.
pagenum: 18; label: 8. There is no option which will please everyone.
pagenum: 19; label: 9. It is possible to deal with this topic and maintain unity and good will.
pagenum: 19; label: 10. We commit ourselves to consider all evidence fairly.
pagenum: 19; label: 11. Unless there are compelling reasons, there should be no change.
pagenum: 19; label: 12. It is more important to agree on goals than on interpretation of past or present.
pagenum: 19; label: Part C: The Basic Hypotheses
pagenum: 19; label: Chapter 3. Religion and Ethnicity: A National Survey; label: 1. Introduction
pagenum: 22; label: 2. Explanation concerning the questionnaire
pagenum: 25; label: 3. Life situation response (national sample)
pagenum: 26; label: 4. Comparison of opinions and perceptions
pagenum: 27; label: 5. Conclusion
pagenum: 54; label: Questionnaire
pagenum: 55; label: Chapter 4. Are Mennonites Ethnic?; label: 1. Is ethno-religious ethnic?
pagenum: 57; label: 2. Mennonites listed as ethnics
pagenum: 58; label: 3. Teaching about Mennonites in schools
pagenum: 58; label: 4. The Mennonite press
pagenum: 59; label: Mennonitische Rundschau
pagenum: 59; label: Mennonite Mirror
pagenum: 60; label: Festival Quarterly
pagenum: 61; label: Mennonite Reporter
pagenum: 61; label: Mennonite Brethren Herald
pagenum: 62; label: 5. Mennonite culture
pagenum: 65; label: Mennonite names
pagenum: 69; label: Mennonite clothing
pagenum: 70; label: Mennonite quilts
pagenum: 71; label: Mennonite painting
pagenum: 71; label: Mennonite music
pagenum: 72; label: Mennonite drama and film
pagenum: 73; label: Mennonite literature
pagenum: 74; label: Mennonite language; Low German
pagenum: 74; label: Mennonite food
pagenum: 75; label: Mennonite religion
pagenum: 77; label: Mennonite museums
pagenum: 78; label: Mennonite relief sales
pagenum: 79; label: 6. Views of "new" Mennonites
pagenum: 81; label: 7. Mennonites as tourist attractions
pagenum: 84; label: 8. Mennonites in the Media
pagenum: 86; label: 9. Statements by Mennonites about Mennonites
pagenum: 87; label: 10. Views of Mennonites who have left the Mennonite Church
pagenum: 90; label: 11. Description of Mennonites in scholarly literature
pagenum: 92; label: 12. Field research dealing with Mennonite ethnicity
pagenum: 95; label: 13. Statements by governmental and other officials concerning Mennonite ethnicity
pagenum: 97; label: 14. Conclusion: Mennonites are ethnic
pagenum: 112; label: Chapter 5. Are Mennonite Brethren Ethnic?; label: 1. The present situation
pagenum: 119; label: 2. The San Jose survey
pagenum: 122; label: Chapter 6. Mennonites and Ethnicity; Some Religious and Historical Considerations; label: 1. Ethnicity as a problem in church ministries
pagenum: 131; label: 2. What does the Bible say about ethnicity?
pagenum: 132; label: 3. What did the early Anabaptists say about ethnicity?
pagenum: 135; label: 4. The development of ethnicity
pagenum: 137; label: Chapter 7. Coming to Terms with Ethnicity: The Options; label: 1. Fusing Mennonite ethnicity and Anabaptist Christianity
pagenum: 143; label: 2. Seeing the Anabaptist church as part of the Mennonite ethnic group
pagenum: 144; label: 3. Seeing the Mennonite ethnic group and the Anabaptist church as overlapping communities
pagenum: 144; label: 4. Viewing the Mennonite ethnic groups and the Anabaptist church as distinct entities but still calling both Mennonite
pagenum: 145; label: 5. Trying to reform and revise Mennonite ethnicity
pagenum: 146; label: 6. Denying Mennonite ethnicity
pagenum: 146; label: 7. Denying Mennonite ethnicity and rejecting Anabaptist theology
pagenum: 147; label: 8. Partially separating Mennonite ethnicity from Anabaptist theology and affirming both
pagenum: 148; label: Chapter 8. A Modest Proposal; label: 1. Concerning attitude
pagenum: 152; label: 2. Concerning actions
pagenum: 152; label: 3. Concerning the name
pagenum: 153; label: a. How serious is the erosion of Anabaptist theology
pagenum: 154; label: b. Must we take action now?
pagenum: 155; label: c. Should we "risk" a name change?
pagenum: 156; label: d. Have there been other name changes?
pagenum: 160; label: e. Is "Evangelical Anabaptist" the best alternative?
pagenum: 160; label: Chapter 9. Questions Commonly Asked; label: 1. Why talk about Mennonitism? There is no problem.
pagenum: 167; label: 2. Would a name change constitute a betrayal of our Anabaptist traditions and beliefs?
pagenum: 168; label: 3. Would a formal name change create a loss of identity?
pagenum: 169; label: 4. "But I don't want a name change!"
pagenum: 173; label: 5. Does Mennonite diversity in the global scene not prove that "Mennonite" does not mean a particular ethnicity?
pagenum: 173; label: 6. Would a change of name confuse people?
pagenum: 175; label: 7. Is not the situation already improving?
pagenum: 175; label: 8. What's wrong with being an ethnic church? Aren't all people ethnic?
pagenum: 176; label: 9. Are not the ethnic churches in North America growing rapidly?
pagenum: 177; label: 10. Would any other name not produce the same problems?
pagenum: 177; label: 11. Can't we educate the public?
pagenum: 177; label: 12. How would a name change affect our relationship with other Mennonite conferences and inter-Mennonite agencies?
pagenum: 178; label: 13. How would a Canadian conference name change affect our mission work overseas?
pagenum: 178; label: 14. How would the proposed name change affect our denominational institutions?
pagenum: 179; label: 15. Would Mennonite Brethren cease to be Mennonite Brethren?
pagenum: 179; label: 16. Would a conference name change not make us appear to be dishonest?
pagenum: 179; label: 17. Could a name change be undertaken without a similar change occurring in our sister MB conferences in the U.S.?
pagenum: 180; label: 18. Would keeping the name Mennonite Brethren not help us to retain our theological distinctives?
pagenum: 180; label: Chapter 10. Conclusion; label: Concluding comments
pagenum: 181; label: Chapter 11. Postscript; label: Answering early responses
pagenum: 185; label: Subject Index
pagenum: 189; label: Name Index
pagenum: 197