A History of the Mennonite Brethren Church, Ja Toews

, 297 Zions-Klaenge, 242, 252 Zoar KMB Church, 181 Zoar Academy and Bible School, 181, 189 Zurich, 5, 330 Zwingli, 4-8 HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH This book portrays the story of the Mennonite Brethren: their Anabaptist roots and backgrounds, beginning and expansion in Russia. Following emigration to U.S.A. and Canada, new congregations were organized here. Various institutions and as- pects of conference life are outlined and analyzed. Each chapter blends the general with the particular, the abstract with the con- crete. Throughout the author has maintained a balance between historical objec- tivity and personal conviction. Here is a helpful guide to understanding the life and witness of the Mennonite Brethren Church. THE AUTHOR John A. Toews was born in Russia, emigrated to Canada in his youth, and was active in many spheres of Mennonite Brethren church life. In addition to pas- toral experiences in Canada and U.S., he actively pursued preaching and teaching ministries at home and abroad. His call to the ministry came through the church at Namaka, Alberta. He began his teaching career in the Coaldale Bible School, then served for twenty years at the Mennonite Brethren Bible College, the last eight as president, served as professor of his- tory at Trinity Western College, and ended his many years of public service back at the Mennonite Brethren Bible College, teaching the courses he loved most. He died in January, 1 979. Toews traveled and lectured widely throughout the Mennonite world brother- hood. In 1950 he served in an evangelistic ministry, in South America under the Board of General Welfare. During 1 967-68 he was engaged in a Bible conference ministry in the European Mennonite brotherhood under the sponsorship of the Board of Missions and Services. In the summer of 1973 he lectured in Anabaptist history and theology in the South American brotherhood, under the Theological Education by Extension program of the M.B. Biblical Seminary. He also served as a member of the Mennonite World Conference presidium. He earned the B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan, B.D. from United College, Winnipeg; M.A. from the University of Manitoba, and Ph.D. from the Uni- versity of Minnesota. In addition to True Nonresistance Through Christ (1955) and Alternative Service in Canada During World War II (1 959), he wrote numerous arti- cles for The Voice, and other periodicals. THE EDITOR A. J. Klassen, the editor, is presently the pastor of the King Road Mennonite Breth- ren Church, Abbotsford, B.C., and was formerly the dean and professor of theol- ogy at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary in Fresno, California. He holds a baccalaureate degree from the University of British Columbia, a B.D. from Goshen Biblical Seminary, an M.A. from Wheaton College Graduate School, an S.T.M. from Union College, and a Ph.D. from Claremont Graduate School.