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

ritable causes.55 The data showed that evange- lism was highly important to Mennonite Brethren. In relation to other Mennonite denominations, they ranked first in devo- tionalism, evangelism and educational achievements and sec- ond in stewardship,56 but to the question of whether to be a Christian means to follow Jesus in life, only forty-seven per- cent gave an affirmative answer Some seventy-eight percent affirmed that church discipline was important,37 quite opposite from those who said being a church member did not mean accepting mutual admonition on how they lived.58 Hie issue facing Mennonite Brethren is to reconcile their strong individualism with their verbal affirmations of ortho- doxy. The former stands in stark contrast to historical Menno- nite Brethren beliefs in obedience to the Word of God, sub- mission to the lordship of Christ in self-denial and disciple- ship, and an interdependent relationship to the wider fellow- ship. Is this contrast the fruit of modernity? Is this why the many study conferences, pastoral letters and conference reso- lutions have not brought a unifying response? James Davison Hunter, in his book, American Evangeli- 296 FAITH IN TENSION calism: Conservative Religion and the Quandary of Modernity, outlines the process by which Pietism gradually accommo- dates modernity. Bible reading, prayer and a strong devotion- al life remain important, but take place without an emphasis on New Testament discipleship. Gradually the more hardline elements of orthodox Protestant faith, such as an inherent evil, sinful conduct and lifestyle, the righteous and jealous God and eternal agony and death in hell, are softened, pol- ished and de-emphasized until they no longer offend. This deemphasis has been more quantitative than qualita- tive. The offensive elements are, in the main, neither sub- stantively devalued nor glossed over as unimportant. They are simply not referred to as much as they have been in the past, These elements have not lost their doc- trinal centrality but have lost a stylistic centrality-39 North American evangelicals, says Hunter, are soft and flabby: "The packaging of Evangelical spirituality has made it easy to adapt."40 Things that previously caused them spiritual concern are now "entirely uncontroversial or else celebrated as part of the Christian experience."41 There is a high degree of tolerance for a diversity of lifestyles. People should be free to live the way they want even if it is very different from the way I live. Finally self-fulfill- ment is no longer a natural by-product of a life committed to