Church-State Relations - Revision history

SamSteiner at 12:00, 19 February 2022

2022-02-19T12:00:33Z

SamSteiner: correction per Troy Osborne

2020-02-24T10:47:34Z

correction per Troy Osborne

SamSteiner: corrected date of quotation from Hans de Ries

2020-02-22T14:37:14Z

corrected date of quotation from Hans de Ries

RichardThiessen: Text replace - "Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I," to "''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I,"

2017-01-16T00:04:26Z

Text replace - "<em>Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I," to "''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I,"

RichardThiessen: Text replace - "Mennonite Quarterly Review" to "''Mennonite Quarterly Review''"

2017-01-15T23:04:52Z

Text replace - "<em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em>" to "''Mennonite Quarterly Review''"

SusanHuebert at 14:52, 26 March 2014

2014-03-26T14:52:16Z

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SamSteiner: Edit footer

2013-11-17T12:32:38Z

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RichardThiessen at 05:11, 5 October 2013

2013-10-05T05:11:52Z

RichardThiessen at 05:11, 5 October 2013

2013-10-05T05:11:17Z

RichardThiessen at 05:10, 5 October 2013

2013-10-05T05:10:40Z

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@@ Line 139: / Line 139: @@
 If those who move from "witness" to "involvement" in government may, at least in some cases, step outside the mainstream of Mennonite thought on church-state relations, there are others who do so by stepping out in different directions. Some, particularly in the United States, take part in more dramatic and controversial kinds of witness to government, such as war tax resistance, and military draft and draft registration resistance (the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Church [MC] have pledged support of draft resisters, but have not called on all members to act likewise). Some have also engaged in protests and [[Civil Disobedience|civil disobedience]] opposing the arms race. On the other side are those who reject the idea that the church should witness to government at all, who claim Christians have no business telling governments how to govern, and who see themselves as the true inheritors of the Mennonite heritage.
-The dual emphases on the value of justice and the systemic analysis of the causes of injustice, as noted above, have also led some to question the rejection of revolution which has been a part of Mennonite thought. This kind of questioning has grown out of experiences of workers in places like [[Vietnam|Vietnam]], Central America, the [[Philippines|Philippines]], and [[South Africa, Republic of|South Africa]], where meaningful changes seem to be blocked by ruling elites. Along with this has come a certain questioning of pacifism. What if justice is apparently best served by violent revolution? While this question is not fully resolved in Mennonite thought, the direction being explored most seriously now is that of nonviolent direct action (witness the interest in the "[[Christian Peacemaker Teams|Christian Peacemaker Teams]]" idea suggested at the 1984 Mennonite World Conference). Along with a more activist understanding of peacemaking (sociopolitical activism) has come a widespread rejection of "nonresistance" as an adequate understanding of the positive peacemaking task. This interest in a more activist posture, and in social change in the direction of justice, has contributed to a new understanding of the ethic of Jesus. The emerging view rejects "nonresistance" in favor of the use of active (perhaps even "coercive") nonviolent action in pursuit of justice (Duane Friesen).
+The dual emphases on the value of justice and the systemic analysis of the causes of injustice, as noted above, have also led some to question the rejection of revolution which has been a part of Mennonite thought. This kind of questioning has grown out of experiences of workers in places like [[Vietnam|Vietnam]], Central America, the [[Philippines|Philippines]], and [[South Africa, Republic of|South Africa]], where meaningful changes seem to be blocked by ruling elites. Along with this has come a certain questioning of pacifism. What if justice is apparently best served by violent revolution? While this question is not fully resolved in Mennonite thought, the direction being explored most seriously now is that of nonviolent direct action (witness the interest in the "[[Community Peacemaker Teams|Christian Peacemaker Teams]]" idea suggested at the 1984 Mennonite World Conference). Along with a more activist understanding of peacemaking (sociopolitical activism) has come a widespread rejection of "nonresistance" as an adequate understanding of the positive peacemaking task. This interest in a more activist posture, and in social change in the direction of justice, has contributed to a new understanding of the ethic of Jesus. The emerging view rejects "nonresistance" in favor of the use of active (perhaps even "coercive") nonviolent action in pursuit of justice (Duane Friesen).
 But all of these approaches are not necessarily widely representative of Mennonites as a whole. It is true that political participation, at least as measured by voting, is increasing at the "grassroots" level. But despite the focus of "official" Mennonite structures dealing with policy questions centered on peace and justice issues, the evidence suggests that Mennonite voting patterns are heavily dependent on the social, economic, and political ethos of their communities. Thus in the [[United States of America|United States]] rural Mennonites, who are more accessible to analysis than urban Mennonites, tend to vote heavily for conservative Republican candidates. Some of this may be explained by the influence of conservative radio and television preachers in parts of the Mennonite world.

@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 But by degrees the Mennonites frequently accepted office, especially the "lower" ones in which the shedding of blood was not involved. In the course of the 17th and 18th centuries the aversion to public office disappeared among the Mennonites, though the strict group ("fijne") held to the principle until about 1790. Thus in 1719 Pieter Zwart, a deacon in the Frisian congregation of [[Niedorp (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Oude-Niedorp]], was nearly excommunicated for accepting the office of <em>schepen</em> (alderman). That few public offices were held by Mennonites in the 18th century is also due to the fact that these offices were considered the prerogative of members of the established church; on the whole Mennonites were excluded. Even in places where the Mennonites were in the majority, such as North Holland, they were hardly ever in public office. As soon as this ban was lifted the Mennonites went into the offices, and by the time of the French occupation we find many Mennonites as mayors and as members of city councils. In [[Hengelo (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Hengelo]] it was, for instance, decided that the city council should consist of three Catholics and two Mennonites. Since 1800 many Mennonites have held important posts in the government, up to the very high positions; thus there was a relatively high number of Mennonite ministers of state; at one time four of the eleven members of the cabinet were Mennonites.
-That obedience to the state is an obligation of the Christian is expressly stated in all Dutch Mennonite confessions of faith where the subject is treated at all. The very first one, the Waterlander "[[Confession of Faith (Hans de Ries, 1618)|Short Confession]]" of [[Ries, Hans de (1553–1638)|Hans de Ries]] (1618) says (Article 37): "The temporal power or government is a necessary ordinance of God, ordained and instituted for the preservation of the state and of a good, natural, civil life, to the good for protection, to the evil for punishment. We confess ourselves obliged and bound by God's Word to fear the government, to show it honor and obedience in all things which are not in conflict with the Word of the Lord. We are bound to pray to the Almighty God for it, to thank the Lord for good, honest benevolence, and to give without murmuring the tax, tithe, and fees due it." The other confessions agree with this, especially the Dordrecht Confession and that of Cornelis Ris.
+That obedience to the state is an obligation of the Christian is expressly stated in all Dutch Mennonite confessions of faith where the subject is treated at all. The "[[Confession of Faith (Hans de Ries, 1618)|Short Confession]]" of [[Ries, Hans de (1553–1638)|Hans de Ries]] (1618) says (Article 37): "The temporal power or government is a necessary ordinance of God, ordained and instituted for the preservation of the state and of a good, natural, civil life, to the good for protection, to the evil for punishment. We confess ourselves obliged and bound by God's Word to fear the government, to show it honor and obedience in all things which are not in conflict with the Word of the Lord. We are bound to pray to the Almighty God for it, to thank the Lord for good, honest benevolence, and to give without murmuring the tax, tithe, and fees due it." The other confessions agree with this, especially the Dordrecht Confession and that of Cornelis Ris.
 "All the doctrines and confessions of faith of the Mennonites," writes [[Maatschoen, Gerardus (d. 1751)|Maatschoen]] (p. 321), "contain nothing that gives the least appearance or suggestion to sedition or revolt against any princes or governments, or say nothing of inciting men to commit them, but they teach and command the opposite. For their instructions and confessions state clearly, and earnestly instill into the hearts of their pupils and followers, that it is not free to any subject to set up a distinction between the legality or illegality of the supreme authority or to pass judgment on its institutions and laws, but to render complete and faithful obedience to all to protect oneself from threatening evil and money fines, but also and especially for the sake of conscience, as they have learned from the Apostle Paul, Romans 13: 1-7." "No church praises obedience to the supreme authority more emphatically than the Mennonites," a statement that is corroborated by various confessions, in which the author points out the great contrast between them and the fanatics in Germany and the revolt in Münster. -- ''Nanne van der Zijpp''

@@ Line 97: / Line 97: @@
 But by degrees the Mennonites frequently accepted office, especially the "lower" ones in which the shedding of blood was not involved. In the course of the 17th and 18th centuries the aversion to public office disappeared among the Mennonites, though the strict group ("fijne") held to the principle until about 1790. Thus in 1719 Pieter Zwart, a deacon in the Frisian congregation of [[Niedorp (Noord-Holland, Netherlands)|Oude-Niedorp]], was nearly excommunicated for accepting the office of <em>schepen</em> (alderman). That few public offices were held by Mennonites in the 18th century is also due to the fact that these offices were considered the prerogative of members of the established church; on the whole Mennonites were excluded. Even in places where the Mennonites were in the majority, such as North Holland, they were hardly ever in public office. As soon as this ban was lifted the Mennonites went into the offices, and by the time of the French occupation we find many Mennonites as mayors and as members of city councils. In [[Hengelo (Overijssel, Netherlands)|Hengelo]] it was, for instance, decided that the city council should consist of three Catholics and two Mennonites. Since 1800 many Mennonites have held important posts in the government, up to the very high positions; thus there was a relatively high number of Mennonite ministers of state; at one time four of the eleven members of the cabinet were Mennonites.
-That obedience to the state is an obligation of the Christian is expressly stated in all Dutch Mennonite confessions of faith where the subject is treated at all. The very first one, the Waterlander confession of [[Ries, Hans de (1553–1638)|Hans de Ries]] (about 1580) says (Article 37): "The temporal power or government is a necessary ordinance of God, ordained and instituted for the preservation of the state and of a good, natural, civil life, to the good for protection, to the evil for punishment. We confess ourselves obliged and bound by God's Word to fear the government, to show it honor and obedience in all things which are not in conflict with the Word of the Lord. We are bound to pray to the Almighty God for it, to thank the Lord for good, honest benevolence, and to give without murmuring the tax, tithe, and fees due it." The other confessions agree with this, especially the Dordrecht Confession and that of Cornelis Ris.
+That obedience to the state is an obligation of the Christian is expressly stated in all Dutch Mennonite confessions of faith where the subject is treated at all. The very first one, the Waterlander "[[Confession of Faith (Hans de Ries, 1618)|Short Confession]]" of [[Ries, Hans de (1553–1638)|Hans de Ries]] (1618) says (Article 37): "The temporal power or government is a necessary ordinance of God, ordained and instituted for the preservation of the state and of a good, natural, civil life, to the good for protection, to the evil for punishment. We confess ourselves obliged and bound by God's Word to fear the government, to show it honor and obedience in all things which are not in conflict with the Word of the Lord. We are bound to pray to the Almighty God for it, to thank the Lord for good, honest benevolence, and to give without murmuring the tax, tithe, and fees due it." The other confessions agree with this, especially the Dordrecht Confession and that of Cornelis Ris.
 "All the doctrines and confessions of faith of the Mennonites," writes [[Maatschoen, Gerardus (d. 1751)|Maatschoen]] (p. 321), "contain nothing that gives the least appearance or suggestion to sedition or revolt against any princes or governments, or say nothing of inciting men to commit them, but they teach and command the opposite. For their instructions and confessions state clearly, and earnestly instill into the hearts of their pupils and followers, that it is not free to any subject to set up a distinction between the legality or illegality of the supreme authority or to pass judgment on its institutions and laws, but to render complete and faithful obedience to all to protect oneself from threatening evil and money fines, but also and especially for the sake of conscience, as they have learned from the Apostle Paul, Romans 13: 1-7." "No church praises obedience to the supreme authority more emphatically than the Mennonites," a statement that is corroborated by various confessions, in which the author points out the great contrast between them and the fanatics in Germany and the revolt in Münster. -- ''Nanne van der Zijpp''

@@ Line 177: / Line 177: @@
 Händiges, Emil. <em>Die Lehre der Mennoniten in Geschichte und Gegenwart.</em> Ludwigshafen, 1921.
-Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. <em>Mennonitisches Lexikon</em>, 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 68 f.; v. III, 289 f.
+Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. ''Mennonitisches Lexikon'', 4 vols. Frankfurt &amp; Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 68 f.; v. III, 289 f.
 Hershberger, Guy. F. <em>Christian Relationship to State and Community.</em> Akron, 1942.

@@ Line 155: / Line 155: @@
 See also [[Business|Business]]; [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]]; [[Development Work|Development Work]];[[Education Among the Mennonites in Russia| Education Among the Mennonites in Russia]]; [[Education, Hutterite|Education, Hutterite]]; [[Education, Mennonite|Education, Mennonite]]; [[Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee|Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee]]; [[Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/ Comité Mennonite suisse pour la paix (SMFK/ CMSP; Swiss Mennonite Peace Committee)|Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/Comité mennonite suisse pour la paix]]
 = Bibliography =
-Bender, H. S. "The Anabaptists and Religious Liberty in the Sixteenth Century." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 29 (1955): 83-100.
+Bender, H. S. "The Anabaptists and Religious Liberty in the Sixteenth Century." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 29 (1955): 83-100.
-Bender, H. S. "The Pacifism of the Sixteenth Century Anabaptists." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 30 (1956): 5-18.
+Bender, H. S. "The Pacifism of the Sixteenth Century Anabaptists." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 30 (1956): 5-18.
-Bender, H. S. Bender. "Church and State in Mennonite History." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 12 (1938): 83-103.
+Bender, H. S. Bender. "Church and State in Mennonite History." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 12 (1938): 83-103.
 Cate, Steven Blaupot ten. <em>Geschiedenis der Doopsgezinden in Groningen, Overijssel en Oost-Friesland</em>, 2 vols. Leeuwarden: W. Eekhoff en J. B. Wolters, 1842: v. II, 40.
@@ Line 181: / Line 181: @@
 Hershberger, Guy. F. <em>Christian Relationship to State and Community.</em> Akron, 1942.
-Hillerbrand, Hans J. "An early Anabaptist Treatise on the Christian and the state," <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 32 (1958): 28-47 (including a photographic reproduction of the complete text of the important tract <em>Aufdeckung der Babylonischen Hurn und Antichrists (Disclosure of the Harlot of Babylon and of the Antichrist . . . Also About the Victory, Peace, and Reign of the True Christians and How They Are Obedient to the Magistrate, Carrying the Cross of Christ in Patience and Love, Without Rebellion and Resistance</em>).
+Hillerbrand, Hans J. "An early Anabaptist Treatise on the Christian and the state," ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 32 (1958): 28-47 (including a photographic reproduction of the complete text of the important tract <em>Aufdeckung der Babylonischen Hurn und Antichrists (Disclosure of the Harlot of Babylon and of the Antichrist . . . Also About the Victory, Peace, and Reign of the True Christians and How They Are Obedient to the Magistrate, Carrying the Cross of Christ in Patience and Love, Without Rebellion and Resistance</em>).
 Hillerbrand, Hans J. "Die politische Ethik des Oberdeutschen Taufertums (unpublished dissertation, University of Erlangen, 1957).
-Hillerbrand, Hans J. "The Anabaptist View of the State," <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 32 (1958): 83-110.
+Hillerbrand, Hans J. "The Anabaptist View of the State," ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 32 (1958): 83-110.
 Hoop Scheffer, Jacob Gijsbert de. <em>Inventaris der Archiefstukken berustende bij de Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente to Amsterdam</em>, 2 vols. Amsterdam: Uitgegeven en ten geschenke aangeboden door den Kerkeraad dier Gemeente, 1883-1884: v. I, 447.
@@ Line 205: / Line 205: @@
 Muralt, L. von. <em>Glaube und Lehre der schweizerischen Wiedertäufer in der Reformationszeit.</em> Zürich, 1938.
-Neufeld, Elmer. "Christian Responsibility in the Political Situation." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> (1958): 141-62.
+Neufeld, Elmer. "Christian Responsibility in the Political Situation." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' (1958): 141-62.
 Reimer, Gustav E. and G. R. Gaeddert. <em>Exiled by the Czar.</em> Newton, 1956.
@@ Line 219: / Line 219: @@
 Wunsch, Georg. <em>Evangelische Ethik des Politischen.</em> Tubingen, 1936.
-Yoder, Edward. "Christianity and the State." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 11 (1937):191-95.
+Yoder, Edward. "Christianity and the State." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 11 (1937):191-95.
-Yoder, Edward. "The Obligation of the Christian to the State and Community." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 13 (1939):104-22.
+Yoder, Edward. "The Obligation of the Christian to the State and Community." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 13 (1939):104-22.
 Yoder, John H.  "Der Staat im Neuen Testament," <em>Mennonit </em>10 (1957): 84 f., 132 f., 151.
@@ Line 253: / Line 253: @@
 Hershberger, Guy F. <em>War, Peace, and Nonresistance.</em> Scottdale, 1944.
-Hoekema, Alle. "Pieter Jansz (1820-1904), First Mennonite Missionary to Java," <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 52 (1978): 58-76.
+Hoekema, Alle. "Pieter Jansz (1820-1904), First Mennonite Missionary to Java," ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' 52 (1978): 58-76.
 Janzen, William. "Militarism and the response of Canadian Mennonites from the 1940s to the 1980s," unpublished MCC Canada discussion paper, Sept. 12, 1986.
@@ Line 293: / Line 293: @@
 Stayer, James M. <em>Anabaptists and the sword</em>. 2nd ed. Lawrence, Kansas: Coronado Press, 1976.
-Toews, John B. "The Origins and Activities of the Mennonite <em>Selbstschutz</em> in the Ukraine (1918-1919)." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> (1972): 5-40.
+Toews, John B. "The Origins and Activities of the Mennonite <em>Selbstschutz</em> in the Ukraine (1918-1919)." ''Mennonite Quarterly Review'' (1972): 5-40.
 Toews, John B. <em>Czars</em>, <em>Soviets and Mennonites.</em> Newton, 1982.

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:32, 17 November 2013
Line 306:		Line 306:

	Yoder, Lawrence. "The church of the Muria: A History of the Muria Christian Church of Indonesia" (PhD Thesis, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1981).		Yoder, Lawrence. "The church of the Muria: A History of the Muria Christian Church of Indonesia" (PhD Thesis, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1981).
−	{{GAMEO_footer\|hp=Vol. 4, pp. 611-619, 1148; vol. 5, pp. 159-162\|date=1989\|a1_last=Bender\|a1_first=Harold S.~~, Nanne~~ van der Zijpp\|~~a2_last~~=Koontz\|~~a2_first~~=Theodore J.}}	+	{{GAMEO_footer-3\|hp=Vol. 4, pp. 611-619, 1148; vol. 5, pp. 159-162\|date=1989\|a1_last=Bender\|a1_first=Harold S.\|a2_last=van der Zijpp\|a2_first=Nanne\|a3_last=Koontz\|a3_first=Theodore J.}}

@@ Line 151: / Line 151: @@
 Little has been written about the relations of indigenous Mennonites to the state in areas where the church was planted as a result of mission efforts, usually within the last 100 years. It is clear that relations have varied greatly, depending upon the concerns of the missionaries, the culture and history of the country involved, and the attitude of the government toward the churches. Both lack of information and variety make any generalizations hazardous. in most places, it appears that working out a relationship with the state self-consciously within the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition has not been a high priority, though this appearance may reflect as much the lack of information available in the West as a lack of concern. It seems that often the gospel has been understood largely as dealing with personal piety, ethics, and one's individual relationship to God, without much thought given to its social and political implications. To what extent this indicates a rejection of important strands of historic Mennonite perspectives on the state is not clear. In many places the explanation may be that major problems in this area simply have not yet demanded the attention of the church.
-There are some important exceptions to this general picture. The small Mennonite churches in Japan have been deeply concerned with peace questions, have wrestled with relations toward and witness to government, including the "war tax" question, and have sought self-consciously to be Anabaptist. Taiwanese Mennonites have wrestled with the problem of compulsory military service, sometimes serving only with great reluctance. In [[Ethiopia|Ethiopia]], since the early 1980s a severe conflict between the Marxist government and the Mennonite church has caused much soul searching. In [[Argentina|Argentina]] and some other parts of Latin America, increased priority is being given to peace education, including perspectives on church-state relations. In some Latin American countries, efforts are being made to secure the right of conscientious objection to military service. In [[Honduras|Honduras]], Mennonites are responding to refugees from the war in [[Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] and El Salvador-and coming into conflict with government over the "political" implications of their humanitarian aid. in Nicaragua, Mennonites are struggling with conscription and conscientious objection in a war situation. Other examples could be given, but the story of Mennonite church-state relations among the newer churches is yet to be written. -- TJK
+There are some important exceptions to this general picture. The small Mennonite churches in Japan have been deeply concerned with peace questions, have wrestled with relations toward and witness to government, including the "war tax" question, and have sought self-consciously to be Anabaptist. Taiwanese Mennonites have wrestled with the problem of compulsory military service, sometimes serving only with great reluctance. In [[Ethiopia|Ethiopia]], since the early 1980s a severe conflict between the Marxist government and the Mennonite church has caused much soul searching. In [[Argentina|Argentina]] and some other parts of Latin America, increased priority is being given to peace education, including perspectives on church-state relations. In some Latin American countries, efforts are being made to secure the right of conscientious objection to military service. In [[Honduras|Honduras]], Mennonites are responding to refugees from the war in [[Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] and El Salvador-and coming into conflict with government over the "political" implications of their humanitarian aid. in Nicaragua, Mennonites are struggling with conscription and conscientious objection in a war situation. Other examples could be given, but the story of Mennonite church-state relations among the newer churches is yet to be written. -- ''Theodore J. Koontz''
 See also [[Business|Business]]; [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]]; [[Development Work|Development Work]];[[Education Among the Mennonites in Russia| Education Among the Mennonites in Russia]]; [[Education, Hutterite|Education, Hutterite]]; [[Education, Mennonite|Education, Mennonite]]; [[Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee|Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee]]; [[Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/ Comité Mennonite suisse pour la paix (SMFK/ CMSP; Swiss Mennonite Peace Committee)|Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/Comité mennonite suisse pour la paix]]

@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 The history of the attitude and practice of the American Mennonites on participation in government is substantially different from the record in Europe.
-The Mennonite immigrants to America came in successive waves from Switzerland-South Germany 1707-56 to [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], [[Amish|Amish]] from [[Alsace (France)|Alsace]] Lorraine, Hesse, and Bavaria 1815-60 to the central states and [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], Mennonites from Switzerland and South [[Germany|Germany]] 1815-60 to the same area, Mennonites from Russia to the western prairie states and provinces 1874-80, and Mennonites from [[Russia|Russia]] to [[Canada|Canada]] 1922-25, 1930-31, 1948-53. These groups brought with them attitudes on participation in government reflecting their state of mind and practice in Europe at the time, and naturally perpetuated them in the groups which they constituted in America. The first two immigrant groups later constituted the [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church (MC)]], the Amish, and related conservative groups. Here the attitude of complete non-participation was established. It has been fixed in the legislation of the conferences and was maintained uniformly into the 1950s. The only exceptions have been a few cases of participation in local government. For instance, T. M. Erb, a bishop at Hesston, [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], and long business manager of [[Hesston College (Hesston, Kansas, USA)|Hesston College]], served on the Hesston town council, and the mayor of [[Souderton (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA)|Souderton]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], was a lay member of a local Mennonite congregation a generation ago. There have no doubt been other cases of participation in town councils. Many Mennonites and Amish have served on local elected school boards, and some have served as township trustees.
+The Mennonite immigrants to America came in successive waves from Switzerland-South Germany 1707-56 to [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]] from [[Alsace (France)|Alsace]] Lorraine, Hesse, and Bavaria 1815-60 to the central states and [[Ontario (Canada)|Ontario]], Mennonites from Switzerland and South [[Germany|Germany]] 1815-60 to the same area, Mennonites from Russia to the western prairie states and provinces 1874-80, and Mennonites from [[Russia|Russia]] to [[Canada|Canada]] 1922-25, 1930-31, 1948-53. These groups brought with them attitudes on participation in government reflecting their state of mind and practice in Europe at the time, and naturally perpetuated them in the groups which they constituted in America. The first two immigrant groups later constituted the [[Mennonite Church (MC)|Mennonite Church (MC)]], the Amish, and related conservative groups. Here the attitude of complete non-participation was established. It has been fixed in the legislation of the conferences and was maintained uniformly into the 1950s. The only exceptions have been a few cases of participation in local government. For instance, T. M. Erb, a bishop at Hesston, [[Kansas (USA)|Kansas]], and long business manager of [[Hesston College (Hesston, Kansas, USA)|Hesston College]], served on the Hesston town council, and the mayor of [[Souderton (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA)|Souderton]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]], was a lay member of a local Mennonite congregation a generation ago. There have no doubt been other cases of participation in town councils. Many Mennonites and Amish have served on local elected school boards, and some have served as township trustees.
 In all the other Mennonite groups established in America, the [[General Conference Mennonite Church (GCM)|General Conference]], the [[Mennonite Brethren Church|Mennonite Brethren]], etc., there has seemingly never been any tradition or regulation forbidding participation in governmental functions at any level, except participation in the police function. Even here there were in the 20th century two cases where General Conference Mennonites served as sheriff, one a member of the congregation at [[Deep Run West Mennonite Church (Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA)|Deep Run]], [[Bucks County (Pennsylvania, USA)|Bucks County]], [[Pennsylvania (USA)|Pennsylvania]].
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 There are some important exceptions to this general picture. The small Mennonite churches in Japan have been deeply concerned with peace questions, have wrestled with relations toward and witness to government, including the "war tax" question, and have sought self-consciously to be Anabaptist. Taiwanese Mennonites have wrestled with the problem of compulsory military service, sometimes serving only with great reluctance. In [[Ethiopia|Ethiopia]], since the early 1980s a severe conflict between the Marxist government and the Mennonite church has caused much soul searching. In [[Argentina|Argentina]] and some other parts of Latin America, increased priority is being given to peace education, including perspectives on church-state relations. In some Latin American countries, efforts are being made to secure the right of conscientious objection to military service. In [[Honduras|Honduras]], Mennonites are responding to refugees from the war in [[Nicaragua|Nicaragua]] and El Salvador-and coming into conflict with government over the "political" implications of their humanitarian aid. in Nicaragua, Mennonites are struggling with conscription and conscientious objection in a war situation. Other examples could be given, but the story of Mennonite church-state relations among the newer churches is yet to be written. -- TJK
-See also [[Business|Business]]; [[Amish|Amish]]; [[Development Work|Development Work]];[[Education Among the Mennonites in Russia| Education Among the Mennonites in Russia]]; [[Education, Hutterite|Education, Hutterite]]; [[Education, Mennonite|Education, Mennonite]]; [[Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee|Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee]]; [[Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/ Comité Mennonite suisse pour la paix (SMFK/ CMSP; Swiss Mennonite Peace Committee)|Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/Comité mennonite suisse pour la paix]]
+See also [[Business|Business]]; [[Amish Mennonites|Amish]]; [[Development Work|Development Work]];[[Education Among the Mennonites in Russia| Education Among the Mennonites in Russia]]; [[Education, Hutterite|Education, Hutterite]]; [[Education, Mennonite|Education, Mennonite]]; [[Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee|Deutsches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee]]; [[Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/ Comité Mennonite suisse pour la paix (SMFK/ CMSP; Swiss Mennonite Peace Committee)|Schweizerisches Mennonitisches Friedenskomitee/Comité mennonite suisse pour la paix]]
 = Bibliography =
 Bender, H. S. "The Anabaptists and Religious Liberty in the Sixteenth Century." <em>Mennonite Quarterly Review</em> 29 (1955): 83-100.