A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

Wuest personally, have brought new light, new warmth, and food into the house of Menno, which, though once good, had become practically desolate, empty and cold. 1 In this passage Friesen identifies three main streams, or perhaps better, one main stream and two tributaries — in the spiritual heritage of the Mennonite Brethren: Anabaptist, Pietist, and Baptist. For a brief discussion of these influences we turn first to the main historical source of Mennonite Brethren theology: early Anabaptism. Anabaptist Influences Throughout this book, and especially in the discussion of the confessional statements of the early M. B. Church, the influence of Menno Simons and other Anabaptist leaders on the theological views of the Mennonite Brethren has been indicated. Confessions of faith have been an important channel for transmitting the Anabaptist heritage to succeeding generations. According to A. J. Klassen "two of the three official Mennonite Brethren confessions of faith draw heavily upon many of these earlier Anabaptist-Mennonite confessions." 8 In fact, the earliest confession accepted by the Mennonite Brethren of the Molotschna was the Friesisch-Flaemisch confession of 1660, published by the Rudnerweide Mennonite Church in 1853. The 1902 Confession carefully preserves the distinctives of Anabaptist-Mennonite theology. This is true not only in such articles as "Concerning the Taking of an Oath," "Concerning Revenge, Nonresis- tance and Love of Enemies" and "Concerning the washing of the feet by the Lord and among believers," but also in articles dealing with the nature of the church and the calling of ministers. 9 In both of these latter areas the brotherhood character of the church is emphasized. Although perhaps unaware of the continuing Arminian-Calvinist controversy in Western Protestantism, the brethren in good Anabaptist tradition carefully avoided the pitfalls of either extreme position. This is how they formulated their views: "Concerning divine election and man's will we believe, that from eternity it has been the free good-pleasure and gracious purpose of God to redeem sinners to the praise of his glory . . . that all who obey His Gospel and believe on Him should not perish but have everlasting life." 10 This emphasis on spiritual identity with the views of the Anabaptists, and especially of Menno Simons, is found repeatedly in the correspondence of the Brethren. As early as December 27, 1860, the Brethren make the following claims in a letter addressed to the Supervisory Commission: We are not a newly-established sect, as the worthy Supervisory Commission likes to call us. On the contrary, we are the seed of the imperishable Word of God, which was preached to us by the Apostles, explained through the Holy Spirit, 364 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH and have become a fruit of the living faith of our beloved founder iStammuater) Menno Simons, who in all his church regulat