Conservative Mennonite Storybooks and the Construction of Evangelical Separatism

Journal of Amish and Plain Anabaptist Studies

Anderson, Jennifer, and Cory Anderson. 2014.

2(2):245-77.

Research Points
  • Conservative Mennonites/Amish-Mennonites, as evangelical ethnic sectarians, publish mission-oriented literature that constructs group identity by coding norms, values, orientations, and emphasizing/suppressing certain themes as they create narratives showing how to evangelize ā€œmainstreamā€ society.

  • Rod & Staff literatureā€”representing stricter Mennonitesā€”promotes living a Christian example through church communities to attract converts. Mennonite churches start in areas without Mennonites to represent a religious lifestyle.

  • Christian Light Publications and TGS (Christian Aid Ministries) literature frames evangelism as more aggressive, invading ā€œdarkā€ territory to win souls, focusing on individual conversion apart from the churchā€”a ā€œmission adventureā€ genre.

  • The ā€œmission adventureā€ genre allows engagement with worldly themesā€”alcohol abuse, violence, and gangs, for exampleā€”on the terms of ā€œourā€ trusted people.

  • It also innovates within traditional tropes by presenting ā€œourā€ people as protagonists rarely cognizant of sectarian symbols, suggesting moderate relaxation of sectarianism is necessary for ā€œrealā€ evangelism

  • The theological paradox of separatism and evangelism in mission books is reconciled with two logics ā€“ ā€œin but not of the worldā€ (R&S) versus ā€œmissions to a fallen worldā€ (CLP/TGS)

  • Mennonites believe outsiders see them as traditional Christians, true Christians, and/or Christian teachersā€”but these are idealized self-images. Mennonite mission literature depictions of outsiders reveal ethnocentric views and unfamiliarity with other cultures despite evangelical emphasis. Literature seems to perpetuate superior attitudes.

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