A Pilgrimage Of Faith, J.B. Toews, 1993

listing of the topics reads like a roadmap of cultural and religious change. The first study conference, held December 12-15, 1956, explored anew the Mennonite Brethren understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, The context was the lingering pente- costalism and the rising charismatic movement which reached full crest in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Helping focus the study were presentations on "The Baptism and Infilling of the Holy Spirit" (Geoige W, Peters), "The Gifts of the Holy Spirit to the Believer" (Jacob J, Toews), and "The Biblical Teaching on Sanctification" (Waldo Hiebeit). A follow-up conference in July 1958 reviewed further the "Scriptural Definition of the Na- ture of the Church" (Waldo Hiebert) and "The Scriptural Teaching of Conversion and Regeneration in the Understand- ing of a Believers Church" (David Edmond Hiebert), Study conferences of 1959 and 1967 addressed more specific doctrinal and social issues. One was the matter of biblical inspiration. The battle over the Bible was already simmering, though it would not reach full boil until the late 1970s. A paper on "Inspiration and the Scriptures" (Arthur Willems) served as a basis for the study* Other conferences of this period focused on "Christian Social Ethics from the Biblical Standpoint" (Abraham E. Janzen), "Marriage and Sex" (Waldo Hiebert), "The Christian and Race Relations" (Jake Loewen and Wesley Prieb), "The Church and State in the New Testament" (Frank C Peters). Beginning in 1967 some papers addressed more specifi- cally personal issues as the conference wresded with matters of individual liberty and ethics in the light of Scripture. There were additional studies on "Dealing Redemptively with the 283 A PILGKJMAGE OF FAITH Divorced and Remarried" 0.H. Quiring), "Christian Responsi- bility in Relation to Planned Parenthood" (A.B. Voth), and "Re- marriage of the Divorced in the Light of Scripture" (G,W. Pe- ters). The concern for personal ethics received further atten- tion in the 1970s with study papers on "A Christian Perspec- tive on Abortion" (Vem Ratzlaff) and "The Christian and His Material Possessions" (Len Siemens), These conferences represent community hermeneutics in action-the church studying Scripture together and coming to consensual agreement on what it means for the issues of the day. The General Conference in 1966 gave special instructions on study conference procedures in an effort to maintain the principle of a community hermeneutics. CONCERNING THEOLOGICAL TRENDS We recommend that three study conferences be held during the next conference interim.