Dear Mr. President: Waterboarding is on my mind. I know you have expressed firm convictions that it is necessary. I also understand that as a politician you need to show progress in your efforts to prevail against terrorism. Since we both claim to be Christians I thought I would tell you a story from my own faith history that may be helpful for your deliberations regarding the use of waterboarding and other methods of torture to eliminate the enemy all the way to the gates of hell …
A three-day “people’s summit” in Winnipeg, Manitoba, for U.S. and Canadian Mennonites originally held some promise. Now the purpose of this “crossroads” gathering July 8-10 seems to be in peril. While more than 400 Canadian Mennonites will attend, only 50 U.S. Mennonites are registered. Furthermore, the goal of the gathering is to help build relationships among members of both denominations at the “grass roots.” But many of the U.S. registrants will represent Mennonite Church USA agencies …
Among the bravest people I know are families who have deliberately placed themselves in hope’s way, choosing to adopt infants or children who are at risk. Some are clearly hardship cases, suffering from trauma or neglect. Some are cross-cultural adoptions; many cross lines of wealth and poverty …
It was finally the end of a particularly frustrating and disheartening night for the BreakAway Junior High ministry at Orrville (Ohio) Mennonite Church. What we had planned as a fun, laid-back night to let loose with some dodge ball games in the local elementary school gym proved to be anything but relaxing …
I am the descendent of generations of Mennonite and Church of the Brethren pacifists. While my innate aversion to war and things military runs deep, as a citizen of the United States I have not been able to avoid the implications of living in a country that depends so mightily on its military …
The first seven years of this new millennium have proven to be a challenging time for peacemakers. Wars devastated Sudan and the Congo and continue to rage in Iraq and Afghanistan, while violent civil conflict grips Colombia and Myanmar/Burma. The U.S. invasion and ongoing occupation of Iraq, in particular, generates intense opposition both in the United States and internationally. Individuals passionate about peacemaking, who also happen to be U.S. citizens, face a particularly difficult dilemma. How do we work constructively for peace while we are furious with the behavior of our own government? …
Stephanie Hirschler and Michael Honderich—both Goshen (Ind.) College graduates— married on June 7 and took a new route with their wedding registries. They registered at Target and Ten Thousand Villages, but also provided options for people to give gifts to causes in their names …
The Christian faith is filled with a number of creative tensions that never get fully resolved. It’s a little like walking. If I stand on my left foot for a long time I get shaky and unstable. But if I keep walking and shifting my weight from one foot to the other, I remain stable and keep moving forward. These tensions are not meant to be resolved. They are creative. They generate forward movement. One such tension is the one between urgency and patience …
