Mennonite Churches "East of the River"

[mike]

I heard that a Mennonite historian said once that, in Mennonite church associations, the churches "east of the river" (the Susquehanna) have always tended to make the rules for the churches elsewhere in the country.

Discuss. Any truth to this?

[steve-in-kville]

I heard that a Mennonite historian said once that, in Mennonite church associations, the churches "east of the river" (the Susquehanna) have always tended to make the rules for the churches elsewhere in the country.

Discuss. Any truth to this?

This is/was true in the conservative Brethren groups. The west coast was always the progressive end, the east coast kept things the way it always was, and somewhere in the Midwest, the two blended.

To that end (for the most part) the Midwest was also the part that seemed to have the most unrest when it came to rules and standards. At least in my observations.

(by coast, I meant to that end of the country. Not literally on the beaches)

[mike]

It seems true of my conference, but I would have thought it was due to the fact that most of the congregations are east of the river.

[Neto]

... and I was thinking of the Mississippi. I have absolutely no idea where this other river is.

[Soloist]

I’ve also heard you can tell a person’s doctrine by their last name.
I would say most of my experience is with fellowships so I’m not super sure, I do know that our Pilgrim church isn’t necessarily on the same page as Pennsylvania Pilgrims.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

I heard that a Mennonite historian said once that, in Mennonite church associations, the churches "east of the river" (the Susquehanna) have always tended to make the rules for the churches elsewhere in the country.

Discuss. Any truth to this?

I was told that Isaac Sensenig supposedly said that in Bible times Jerusalem was the center of the Church, It is now Lancaster Co.

[HondurasKeiser]

... and I was thinking of the Mississippi. I have absolutely no idea where this other river is.

It splits Pennsylvania almost down the middle….Lancaster and Franconia…the original homeland of American Mennonites are well to the east of the Susquehanna.

[HondurasKeiser]

I’ve also heard you can tell a person’s doctrine by their last name.
I would say most of my experience is with fellowships so I’m not super sure, I do know that our Pilgrim church isn’t necessarily on the same page as Pennsylvania Pilgrims.

I’ve heard that too…certain last names were associated with pushing any and all envelopes.

[barnhart]

I heard that a Mennonite historian said once that, in Mennonite church associations, the churches "east of the river" (the Susquehanna) have always tended to make the rules for the churches elsewhere in the country.

Discuss. Any truth to this?

I was told that Isaac Sensenig supposedly said that in Bible times Jerusalem was the center of the Church, It is now Lancaster Co.

That is a staggering statement... It reveals a lot about the thinking of those in the East.

[AndersonD]

I heard that a Mennonite historian said once that, in Mennonite church associations, the churches "east of the river" (the Susquehanna) have always tended to make the rules for the churches elsewhere in the country.

Discuss. Any truth to this?

I was told that Isaac Sensenig supposedly said that in Bible times Jerusalem was the center of the Church, It is now Lancaster Co.

That is a staggering statement... It reveals a lot about the thinking of those in the East.

Was he joshing?