Anabaptist Disciples of Christ

[Josh]

Based on the local ADC affiliates, I would see them as more aligned with the CMC and theological-conservatives than with BMA, Keystone, etc. and progressive-conservatives. Examples:

- More local choices and less conference based decision making
- Women adopting CMC style “doily” coverings
- Enthusiastic participation in organisations like MCC
- Sending young people to Rosedale

BMA and local churches that have similar attitudes (like Gospel Haven) are going in a different direction than my local ADC affiliates. For example, coverings are not changing to the circular, small “doily” style.

[QuietObserver]

Based on the local ADC affiliates, I would see them as more aligned with the CMC and theological-conservatives than with BMA, Keystone, etc. and progressive-conservatives. Examples:

- More local choices and less conference based decision making
- Women adopting CMC style “doily” coverings
- Enthusiastic participation in organisations like MCC
- Sending young people to Rosedale

BMA and local churches that have similar attitudes (like Gospel Haven) are going in a different direction than my local ADC affiliates. For example, coverings are not changing to the circular, small “doily” style.

Wow. It's hard to believe ADC were Beachy until recently.

[joshuabgood]

Similar to BMA but less top down (as an example they permit shorts as congregational decisions )

There were people in our church supporting staying with BMA that also wore shorts. I pointed out that if we stay, their ability to do so was coming to an end. Someone came back and said my concerns were overblown, that shorts were not prohibited, nor were they going to be. (This was not a dispute, just conversation. I don't even remember who came back with that.) I shrugged my shoulders and thought maybe somehow I was confused. No big deal, and we ended up leaving anyway.

Now you allude to this, and appear to have the same impression I did. I dunno... Don't really care more than mild curiosity.

Churches that already allowed shorts...pretty much all the original BMA ones, UB, FJMC, etc... are now grandfathered in. No new churches can join that allow them. This, was a sticking point for several LMC churches that were considering BMA.

As BMA has been tilting right with conservative pressure there has been increasing conference wide expectations for new congregations.

My concern would be the grandfathering solution is a technical solution for what really is an adaptive challenge.

[joshuabgood]

Based on the local ADC affiliates, I would see them as more aligned with the CMC and theological-conservatives than with BMA, Keystone, etc. and progressive-conservatives. Examples:

- More local choices and less conference based decision making
- Women adopting CMC style “doily” coverings
- Enthusiastic participation in organisations like MCC
- Sending young people to Rosedale

BMA and local churches that have similar attitudes (like Gospel Haven) are going in a different direction than my local ADC affiliates. For example, coverings are not changing to the circular, small “doily” style.

Wow. It's hard to believe ADC were Beachy until recently.

The ADC group I am familiar with is much more akin to Beachy, than BMA or CMC. I am under the impression from acqaintences that the more centralized approach of BMA wasn't quite what "fellowship minded people" were looking for.

Personally, I think there may be considerable demand for ADC. We see how wide the demand is with time.

[ragpicker]

Churches that already allowed shorts...pretty much all the original BMA ones, UB, FJMC, etc... are now grandfathered in. No new churches can join that allow them. This, was a sticking point for several LMC churches that were considering BMA.

As BMA has been tilting right with conservative pressure there has been increasing conference wide expectations for new congregations.

My concern would be the grandfathering solution is a technical solution for what really is an adaptive challenge.

Exactly as I understood and explained it. The push back was that no, it was just a concern a few people had and there were no rules about it. Doesn't really matter, as we are out.

[Josh]

Long term, I would predict BMA (and Keystone) will not transition to becoming “worldly” like CMC is or like MC USA did.

I would predict the opposite for most Beachy groups who seem to be transitional in nature.

[QuietObserver]

Long term, I would predict BMA (and Keystone) will not transition to becoming “worldly” like CMC is or like MC USA did.

I would predict the opposite for most Beachy groups who seem to be transitional in nature.

Not sure I see the difference. BMA has a lot of ex-Beachy and other transplants who grew up more conservative.

[Josh]

Long term, I would predict BMA (and Keystone) will not transition to becoming “worldly” like CMC is or like MC USA did.

I would predict the opposite for most Beachy groups who seem to be transitional in nature.

Not sure I see the difference. BMA has a lot of ex-Beachy and other transplants who grew up more conservative.

There seems to be a general shift in the direction BMA constituents want to go. Of note is that my local BMA affiliate is no longer affiliated, and they are definitely a transitional group (eg women wearing pants, covering defined as headbands or ballcaps, etc)

[joshuabgood]

Long term, I would predict BMA (and Keystone) will not transition to becoming “worldly” like CMC is or like MC USA did.

I would predict the opposite for most Beachy groups who seem to be transitional in nature.

BMA and Keystone both have been tilting right. So I agree with you there. I think the jury is probably out the other groups.

I think it remains to be seen whether BMA continues to be influenced by Wayne Grudem, Piper, et al, as they have been or if they start going more toward traditional Anabaptist thought. There are several influences occuring right now and it will be interesting to see how it comes out. EBI, influenced by Emerson and now Crit Smucker (a personal and good friend of mine), is very reformed sympathetic and Grudem's book is used in the theology teaching. However, in other influential circles, there is an interest in Anabaptist theology, Ransom Atonement, Christocentric hermeneutics, etc.

And having our own Ziegler present on Anabaptist thinking at the convention was big.

If BMA becomes too fundamentalist or too influenced by Calvinism or too centralized, it may drive off some of the neo-Anabaptists.

On the other hand if they embrace more traditional Anabaptist thinking, it may feel like worldliness and liberal theology to the reformed crowd. The next ten years or so will be really interesting as Sattler gets rolling and a number of BMA influential folks go through that neoAnabaptist school.

[Ms. Izzie]

On the other hand if they embrace more traditional Anabaptist thinking, it may feel like worldliness and liberal theology to the reformed crowd.

Could explain in more detail exactly what would feel like worldliness and liberal theology to the reformed crowd?