View source for Fast, Henry A. (1894-1990)

__TOC__
[[File:Henry%20A.%20Fast.jpg|300px|thumb|right|''Henry A. Fast, 1949<br /> Source: Mennonite Library and Archives, Bethel College, North Newton, KS: #2009-0164'']]     

Henry Fast shaped the Mennonite witness as pastor, teacher, administrator, and relief worker, beginning in 1922 as professor of New Testament at [[Witmarsum Theological Seminary (Bluffton, Ohio, USA)|Witmarsum Theological Seminary]] ([[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]]), [[Bluffton (Ohio, USA)|Bluffton, Ohio]].

He was born 12 October 1894 in [[Mountain Lake (Minnesota, USA)|Mountain Lake]], Minnesota, the son of Herman J. and Aganetha (Becker) Fast. A graduate of [[Bethel College (North Newton, Kansas, USA)|Bethel College]] and Witmarsum Seminary, he received his PhD degree from Hartford Theological Seminary in 1936, having done research on [[Nonresistance|nonresistance]] in the synoptic gospels, a work later published as <em>Jesus and Human Conflict </em>(Scottdale, 1959).

In 1936, the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference Mennonite Church]] called him to visit its congregations, an assignment that covered [[Mexico|Mexico]], [[Paraguay|Paraguay]], and [[Brazil|Brazil]], as well as the [[United States of America|United States]] and [[Canada|Canada]]. In 1940, he was on the peace church team that worked with the United States government to develop [[Civilian Public Service|Civilian Public Service]] (CPS), an alternative for World War II [[Conscientious Objection|conscientious objectors]]. He thus secured rights not available to him in 1918, when he was drafted into the army and endured abuse to secure work in the base hospital at Fort Riley, KS. He directed the CPS camps assigned to the [[Mennonite Central Committee (International)|Mennonite Central Committee]] (MCC) until 1943 when he became professor of Bible at Bethel College, a post he held for 17 years.

After World War II, he promoted the movement that founded a number of Mennonite [[Mental Health Facilities and Services, North America|mental health centers]] as well as [[Mennonite Health Services Alliance |Mennonite Mental Health Services]]. He was MCC's vice-chairman (1943-1960) and, in 1951, led its relief work in Europe. He promoted [[Voluntary Service|voluntary service]] and a ministry to the aging both in MCC and as a member of the Commission on Home Ministries (GCM). From 1941 to 1968, he helped the General Conference Mennonite Church rewrite its constitution and refine its organization.

He was pastor of the [[Bethel College Mennonite Church (North Newton, Kansas, USA)|Bethel College Mennonite Church]], [[North Newton (Kansas, USA)|North Newton]], Kansas (1925-1930), and the [[Eden Mennonite Church (Moundridge, Kansas, USA)|Eden Mennonite Church]], [[Moundridge (Kansas, USA)|Moundridge, Kansas]] (1965-1971), and also taught in public schools in [[Whitewater (Kansas, USA)|Whitewater]], Kansas and Mountain Lake, Minnesota. He died 3 January 1990.
= Bibliography =
"Henry A. Fast" as told to Maynard Shelly, in <em>Something Meaningful for God: The Stories of Some Who served with MCC</em>, ed. Cornelius J. Dyck Scottdale, PA: Herald Press,1981: 32-70.

Bartel, Barry C.  "Henry A. Fast: A Man with a Purpose." A research paper with a bibliography of writings by Fast 1983, copy at [http://www.bethelks.edu/services/mla/ Mennonite Library and Archives (North Newton, Kansas, USA).]

Fast, H. A.  <em>C.P.S.—Past and Future</em>. No date indicated, a 4-page Manuscript, [http://www.bethelks.edu/services/mla/ Mennonite Library and Archives]).
{{GAMEO_footer|hp=Vol. 5, p. 295|date=1990|a1_last=Shelly|a1_first=Maynard |a2_last= |a2_first= }}
[[Category:Persons]]
[[Category:Ministers]]
[[Category:General Conference Mennonite Church Ministers]]
[[Category:College/University Faculty and Staff‏‎]]
[[Category:Bethel College (North Newton, Kansas) Faculty and Staff‏‎]]
[[Category:General Conference Mennonite Church Leaders‏‎]]
[[Category:Conference Leaders‏‎]]