One of the things that first attracted me to Anabaptism was its insistence on following Jesus. Being a Christian was about more than getting your theological ducks in a row. Good theology should result in a good life. The predominant way I learned to think and talk about that good life was as obedience. The … More Obedience, Authority and Power-Over
It seems like every month I’m hearing about another Mennonite Brethren (MB) church being placed on “membership suspension” by their MB Conference for adopting (or even discussing) LGBTQ inclusion in some form. Whether by making space for gay marriage as a “disputable or secondary matter” or affirming that the marriage covenant is open to same-sex … More On the “Centrality of the Confession of Faith” for MB Leadership Suspending Church Membership Due to LGBTQ Inclusion
One of the reasons people are reluctant to talk about LGBTQ inclusion is that it is difficult and often uncomfortable to wrestle through this in conversation with other people. I am thankful that Mary Anne Isaak has been willing to speak with me a couple of times over the last few months, first to catch … More Story Weaving, Take Two
“How does the story of God at work in our world impact our decisions as we are involved with the lives of the people in our congregations?” Pastor Mary Anne Isaak, reflecting on the lives of queer people and their loved ones within the congregations she’s served and on her own life as a woman … More Does God Make Room? Story Weaving with 1 Samuel
All theology is contextual. I like to think of context as the story of a thing: in the case of theology, it is the who, what, when, where, why and how that shapes the process and content of biblical, spiritual and ethical understandings. Often when I’m talking about theology and LGBTQ inclusion, I’m exploring contexts … More Story, Theology & Making Room
Three pages sounded the alert. The CCMBC and USMB Executive Boards (EBs) sprang into action. Even though the MB Historical Commission (HC) had already reviewed, approved, printed and distributed the first copies of On Holy Ground, the EBs–who are not part of the HC’s normal publishing process–swooped in to save the day. They saved the … More When They Silenced Her, They Silenced Us All
Michelle F. Morrow 