The words and actions of Pope Francis resonate with much of Mennonite faith and practice. OK, I’ll admit it. I count myself among the Christians
Jean and Howard Schmitt woke up to a routine morning on Sept. 15, 2011, in Plain City, Ohio. “Howard and I got up at the usual time, ate breakfast and did the online jigsaw puzzle, as was our custom,” Jean says. Then Howard, 77, went to the basement to finish his sermon for Sunday. Howard, a longtime pastor, was serving as part-time pastor at South Union Mennonite Church in West Liberty, Ohio. The year before he had celebrated 50 years in ministry …
These were two questions Mark S. Smith, professor of Hebrew and Judaic studies at New York University, asked in this year’s Theological Lectureship at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary March 19-20.
His answers demonstrated what AMBS professor Ben Ollenburger described as Smith’s strength: bringing the Bible into conversation with our time and our questions.
