Features of Lancaster Mennonite Conference that transmitted to Conservative Spin-offs

[ken_sylvania]

I’d like to get a copy of that book but don’t currently have a few thousand dollars spare for one.

You'd probably also like a copy of "The Earth Is the Lord's" by John Ruth, although even that can be had for less than $1,000.

This is great news. There was another similar book I also had trouble finding.

I'm not sure if it's my mercenary spirit or what, but it surely bothers me that I didn't buy at least two copies of John Ruth's book when it was reprinted a couple years ago.

[mike]

You'd probably also like a copy of "The Earth Is the Lord's" by John Ruth, although even that can be had for less than $1,000.

This is great news. There was another similar book I also had trouble finding.

I'm not sure if it's my mercenary spirit or what, but it surely bothers me that I didn't buy at least two copies of John Ruth's book when it was reprinted a couple years ago.

I think I bought mine on eBay a long time ago. I have never read through it all the way, but I want to. Edsel Burdge/Samuel Horst's Building on the Gospel Foundation also purchased used on eBay, and the funny thing was, it had a letter inside addressed to one of the people who wrote a blurb for the cover, clearly accompanying the complimentary copy of the book. I can't remember who it was, but they apparently didn't like the book enough to keep it around. I did read that book all the way through. My wife is from Franklin County and I needed all the help I could get to figure her out.

[mike]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

[Josh]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

I've wondered about that, because before the conservative splits, Mennonites actually had "conservative" colleges: originally Goshen, and then EMC was established because Goshen was getting a little too liberal. Of course, those days are long behind us, but that was originally the way things worked. College was, of course, much cheaper back then too. And the LMC was fine with seminary-trained pastors.

[HondurasKeiser]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

I've wondered about that, because before the conservative splits, Mennonites actually had "conservative" colleges: originally Goshen, and then EMC was established because Goshen was getting a little too liberal. Of course, those days are long behind us, but that was originally the way things worked. College was, of course, much cheaper back then too. And the LMC was fine with seminary-trained pastors.

I think I remember reading though that there was, and for quite a while, a lot of hesitance in LMC about sending our youth to those colleges...even EMC. Even when I was young in the 80's I remember it was much more common for our youth to go to Hesston or EMU as opposed to Goshen.

[ken_sylvania]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

Closest was probably the six-week Bible Study course offered at LMS.
In its early days it was fairly common for students to do two or even three of the three-week terms at Numidia so that they would have six or nine weeks combined in one year.

[mike]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

Closest was probably the six-week Bible Study course offered at LMS.
In its early days it was fairly common for students to do two or even three of the three-week terms at Numidia so that they would have six or nine weeks combined in one year.

How many terms per year do the EPMC bible schools offer?

[Josh]

The origin of the conservative Mennonite Bible school system is interesting. Other groups (like Holdemans, Apostolic Christians, etc.) that don't share a lineage or much contact don't have this system at all.

[ken_sylvania]

Did LMC used to have these 3-week Bible schools that all the conservative conferences seem to have?

Closest was probably the six-week Bible Study course offered at LMS.
In its early days it was fairly common for students to do two or even three of the three-week terms at Numidia so that they would have six or nine weeks combined in one year.

How many terms per year do the EPMC bible schools offer?

I think maybe four although it varies by year and sometimes one or the other might have a term that the other doesn't.

[JayP]

What is particularly interesting in watching this discussion is the innate bias so many have. I don't mean that in a necessarily negative connotation. We're just a product of where we are, how we see things. For example, the discussion of where "Conservative Mennonites" go to college in the 60's or 70's (i.e. Goshen, etc.) when at the same time, the folks that think THEY define conservative Mennonite (first LMC, then Eastern) wouldn't remotely consider ANY college.

In fact, there's a whole lot to think about when you consider the new "old men" of Eastern, are themselves graduates of schools, levels of education, and have the wisdom of earthly experiences they would steadfastly deny their own youth.
Let me be specific. How many who hold much influence in Eastern attending Lancaster Mennonite High School, which I'd bet you dollars to donuts while conservative-ish, was an education that wildly exceeds that of most 'good' public high schools today. The men I knew, although not college graduates, often had equal educations. And those that served in the Danville and Wilmington VS units in the late 60s (thru MMM) had convictions forged in pretty hot fire. Yet they would think sending youth into such environments not worth the risk. I am not making a judgment here.

But pointing out there are a lot of ironies.

FWIIW, as someone who's an "NMB" I can recognize why Eastern feared contagion from the mission fields (which was a reality for LMC among others). They even went further in recognizing (I give them credit), it was not just the worldly influence but the evengelical protestant line of thought that changed Mennonite missions. But their solution was a draconian 'cloning' of Lancaster churches into Paraguary, Guatemala, etc. which leads to problems in other directions.

I don't pretend to have the answers, just some observations. My point being features of LMC that transmitted to Conservative spin-offs exist in multiple states. Some good, some bad, some reactionary responses.

Another interesting note (someone tell me, I have no idea) is that I believe LMC was more bishop district organizationally than say EPMC is SUPPOSED to Be. As I have stated elsewhere, EPMC is supposed to be a conferring fellowship by their own writings. In reality it's a bit of a blend. It certainly is NOT a true conferring fellowship, and while it tends to usually function like LMC's structure, it does not officially. What do finally call a Penguin that quacks like a duck?