Racial-ethnic groups within the Church

[PetrChelcicky]

I just read:
https://anabaptistworld.org/mc-usa-crea ... ngagement/

Quotation about the new office:
“Our hope is that this [new role] will provide more support for the racial-ethnic groups and the Racial/Ethnic Council,” said Iris de León-Hartshorn, associate executive director. “We also hope that it will help to facilitate more connection between our agencies and racial-ethnic groups of the church, as well as continue to increase and grow intercultural work.”

I didn't know that MC USA has a Racial/Ethnic Council. But it seems a good idea as long as Whites (or different ethnic subgroups of Whites) have their own place in it. Does someone know more about that?

(Opinions are very different, of course. I remember having read that, after WW2, Richard Nixon organized different ethnic groups within the Republican Party, mostly for anti-communist refugees from eastern Europe, and this was rather successful - but denounced as one of the evil tricks of "tricky Dicky").

[Szdfan]

I just read:
https://anabaptistworld.org/mc-usa-crea ... ngagement/

Quotation about the new office:
I didn't know that MC USA has a Racial/Ethnic Council. But it seems a good idea as long as Whites (or different ethnic subgroups of Whites) have their own place in it. Does someone know more about that?

Yeah, the office is called “MCUSA.”

[Ken]

I just read:
https://anabaptistworld.org/mc-usa-crea ... ngagement/

Quotation about the new office:
“Our hope is that this [new role] will provide more support for the racial-ethnic groups and the Racial/Ethnic Council,” said Iris de León-Hartshorn, associate executive director. “We also hope that it will help to facilitate more connection between our agencies and racial-ethnic groups of the church, as well as continue to increase and grow intercultural work.”

I didn't know that MC USA has a Racial/Ethnic Council. But it seems a good idea as long as Whites (or different ethnic subgroups of Whites) have their own place in it. Does someone know more about that?

(Opinions are very different, of course. I remember having read that, after WW2, Richard Nixon organized different ethnic groups within the Republican Party, mostly for anti-communist refugees from eastern Europe, and this was rather successful - but denounced as one of the evil tricks of "tricky Dicky").

Do you think MCUSA is in danger of neglecting white people or something?

In point of fact, I doubt you can find a single major institution within the Mennonite Church (leadership committee, governing board, conference, college or university, etc.) that isn't majority white. And and I suspect very few institutions within the church are actually as diverse as the country as a whole. Put another way, white people are probably over-represented in every meaningful institution within the church.

[PetrChelcicky]

When I wrote this, I mostly needed more information. What is this "Racial-Ethnic Council"? Who sits in it, chosen by whom; and what are they doing there? How do they classify races and ethnies? (I have looked it up in the meantime and some questions are answered.)
When I studied inhabitant-immigrant conflicts in Germany I found that the politicians (mayors, councillors etc.) promised to do two things at the same time: represent the whole and represent the inhabitant (read in our context: White) part of it. And this is impossible: One of both promises is a lie. In former times perhaps the first promise, in our times much more often the second promise.
That's why I think we need a clear separation of functions. Either you are an official and work for the whole. Or you are a representant of Whites (or a particular white ethny or whatever) and their particular problems, grievances etc.

Ken, you would perhaps better understand this if you think about collective bargaining. On one side are the employers and their representants, on the other side the employees and their representants. State politicians may come in (e.g.as mediators), but state politicians cannot claim to satisfyingly represent either the employers or the employees (even if they have been employers or employees themselves). That would never work!

[Ken]

When I wrote this, I mostly needed more information. What is this "Racial-Ethnic Council"? Who sits in it, chosen by whom; and what are they doing there? How do they classify races and ethnies? (I have looked it up in the meantime and some questions are answered.)
When I studied inhabitant-immigrant conflicts in Germany I found that the politicians (mayors, councillors etc.) promised to do two things at the same time: represent the whole and represent the inhabitant (read in our context: White) part of it. And this is impossible: One of both promises is a lie. In former times perhaps the first promise, in our times much more often the second promise.
That's why I think we need a clear separation of functions. Either you are an official and work for the whole. Or you are a representant of Whites (or a particular white ethny or whatever) and their particular problems, grievances etc.

Ken, you would perhaps better understand this if you think about collective bargaining. On one side are the employers and their representants, on the other side the employees and their representants. State politicians may come in (e.g.as mediators), but state politicians cannot claim to satisfyingly represent either the employers or the employees (even if they have been employers or employees themselves). That would never work!

I grew up in the MCUSA church. Decades ago it was lily white and mostly ethnic Menno. As the church as grown in urban areas it has become somewhat more diverse (at least in urban churches). They have brought on more women and ethnic minorities into church leadership but it is still easily 2/3 majority white as you can see by looking at the profiles of the executive board and leadership:

https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-me ... d-members/
https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-me ... ard-staff/

The racial and ethnic council is just an advisory group that meets once a year to provide the majority-white executive board with insight on issues that affect people of color in the church. It has no actual power and meets every other year with the executive board to advise them:
https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-me ... c-council/

Some might call it nothing more than a "token" nod towards inclusivity and diversity since they only meet once a year and only in an advisory role.

[Josh]

Who’s the current executive director of MC USA?

[temporal1]

Who’s the current executive director of MC USA?

i expect you know the answer.

2020 / Glen Guyton reflects on first two years as MC USA executive director
https://anabaptistworld.org/glen-guyton ... -director/

.. Guyton often acknowledges he is part of Generation X and a non-ethnic Mennonite, which means that he did not come from the European heritage historically associated with Mennonites. This is true for many who are now Mennonites and Anabaptists. A study found that from 2002 to 2007, 25% of new MC USA members were from non-white racial/ethnic groups. As of 2018, North Americans made up only 30.5% of Mennonite World Conference membership, with about two-thirds of the global membership located in Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to MWC statistics.

There seems to be a generational shift in MC USA that values greater transparency, Guyton says, and he feels this relieves some of the church’s focus on traditional Mennonite ethnic identity.

“I have the benefit of having an outsider’s perspective,” Guyton says. “I see the value of our theology and the sense of belonging. People want to belong to this denomination, so we need to be open to that and see the growth potential that we have.”

Guyton started working for MC USA in 2009 to promote intercultural relations and became the first African American executive director of MC USA in 2018. He says he does not feel he needs to represent all black people or all younger people. “But it is something that I do have to keep in mind, and I want to do my best to break down negative stereotypes and bias,” says Guyton.

Guyton referred to the “glass cliff,” a trend that happens when organizations that are experiencing challenging circumstances and high risk are more open to promote women or people of color into leadership. If the organization succeeds, Guyton says, it tends to return to its more traditional leadership.

“That’s always in my mind: what’s next for MC USA,” says Guyton. “Often times, when you have the first of any group, there’s a response by institutions. And so, I wonder, will my non-traditional approach propel the institution to greater growth and openness, or will it lead to a snap-back into more traditionalism?”

“We always want to romanticize people of color, that they’re the growing edge of the church,” Guyton says.
“I don’t like that narrative.
If we live into who we are as Anabaptists, there are opportunities for all of us to live into our communities, to make a difference.
That’s not limited to a racial identity.”

Guyton says he has noticed that sometimes Mennonite leaders attempt to set aside their identities to be leaders, but he encourages people to bring who they are into their roles. “I think we should all be able to incorporate our identity into our leadership role, which is something we often miss in the Mennonite church,” he says. ..

.. He relates this theme to his own experience, which includes becoming part of the Mennonite church in 1993.

This led him to leave his position in the United States Air Force as a conscientious objector.
Now, after two years as executive director of Mennonite Church USA (MC USA), Guyton reflects on his experience and how Mennonites are uniquely positioned to speak prophetically to the issues of today. ..

Former Air Force.
This makes me wonder (again) about my observations of unnoticed aspects of the U.S. military, particularly the military way of demanding all sorts of recruits be forced to live together, work together, live+eat together, etc., under one set of common rules.

i don’t know Mr Guyton, but, i will venture to guess, he benefited from his military experience, as well as converting to become a committed CO.

not being military, i guess i just became interested after witnessing “the remains” of a clearly culturally mixed community that was formerly a military base. there were surprising aspects, possibly the one that impressed me most was a common sense of (values?) no matter socio-economic status, most humble to wealthiest. i believe the military influence “did that” - to recruits and in extension to family members and overall community.

unfortunately, that community has deterioted, since being inundated with non-military-influenced residents, crime+violent crime have relocated there, the former “profile” hangs on, but .. changed+changing. [The State of Chicago rules, not the U.S. military.]
Now we enjoy crime+violent crime while pretending everything’s fine.

Mr Guyton has his hands full. i pray for wisdom and leadership in his ministry. for his sanity.

MCUSA Executive Board Members
https://www.mennoniteusa.org/who-are-me ... ard-staff/

[Admiral Acbon]

He talks a good talk, but then I read this on his personal website:

...Glen has training in anti-racism and creating safe work environments.

https://www.glenguyton.com/about

[joshuabgood]

He talks a good talk, but then I read this on his personal website:

...Glen has training in anti-racism and creating safe work environments.

https://www.glenguyton.com/about

What are your issues with anti racism and safe work environments?

[HondurasKeiser]

He talks a good talk, but then I read this on his personal website:

...Glen has training in anti-racism and creating safe work environments.

https://www.glenguyton.com/about

What are your issues with anti racism and safe work environments?

I suppose it depends on what Mr. Guyton means by those terms. I suspect the good Admiral sees something problematic being smuggled in with otherwise innocuous-sounding terminology. After all, who could be for racism and against safety?