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

[cooper]

I don’t understand considering Wash/Frank much different than Eastern. It simply made the same choice at a different time. The groups freely trade pulpits, marry, etc,

Indeed, I would argue groups like WashFrank, yorkAdams and even now Appl will survive only because EPMC and NWF provide the center these smaller groups can rotate around. I do not think they would survive otherwise.

I think Josh’s analysis is accurate. Dispensationalism and fundamentalism that entered Lancaster Conference in the 1900s is in EPMC DNA. Wash Franklin maintained amillenial theology and is less influenced by fundamentalism. Most of the EPMC preachers frequently used by Wash Franklin are amillenial. Wash Franklin adopted Sunday Schools but because there was no Old Order split there was shifts in practice in early 1900s but no theological shifts like Lancaster.

[JayP]

Although I am one to warn against historical and current Protestant threats to Mennonite churches, if you look at Sunday School, the Mennonite implementation did not turn out too bad.

I think there is no more overblown issue than the ah versus pre debate. But not just overblown when the two sides debate, but talking about if a group is this or that. While I openly admit I am more ah, and more of Eastern leans pre, I really do not think it matters much.

[cooper]

I think there is no more overblown issue than the ah versus pre debate. But not just overblown when the two sides debate, but talking about if a group is this or that. While I openly admit I am more ah, and more of Eastern leans pre, I really do not think it matters much.

My point is that Eastern and W/F have different histories and the eschatological differences are signs of this difference. Eastern/Nationwide Fellowship/York Adams are much more similar to each other than Wash Franklin is to those groups. Wash Franklin does not have prayer meetings, less expressive of their faith. Leaving Wash Franklin and going to Eastern requires learning new lingo to sound more spiritual.

[cooper]

I see Eastern, Pilgrim, Northeast, Hope Fellowship as more similar (at least culturally) than Eastern and Wash Franklin.

[Ernie]

I agree with Cooper's last two posts.

When Washington/Franklin folks greet each other with the Holy Kiss, they say each other's names, but nothing like "Bless you" or "God Bless you" or "Blessings", etc. I use this as an example of non-expressiveness and non-lingo.
The above phrases are what you would hear at Eastern, Northeast, Hope, Pilgrim, etc.

[JayP]

I do not disagree culturally EPMC is over there, and WashFran more over here.
I confess, I have lost the point of where this is going.

[Josh]

I agree with Cooper's last two posts.

When Washington/Franklin folks greet each other with the Holy Kiss, they say each other's names, but nothing like "Bless you" or "God Bless you" or "Blessings", etc. I use this as an example of non-expressiveness and non-lingo.
The above phrases are what you would hear at Eastern, Northeast, Hope, Pilgrim, etc.

Holdemans don’t say anything after a greeting either. Come to think of it, I don’t think Apostolics or German Baptists do.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

I think there is no more overblown issue than the ah versus pre debate. But not just overblown when the two sides debate, but talking about if a group is this or that. While I openly admit I am more ah, and more of Eastern leans pre, I really do not think it matters much.

My point is that Eastern and W/F have different histories and the eschatological differences are signs of this difference. Eastern/Nationwide Fellowship/York Adams are much more similar to each other than Wash Franklin is to those groups. Wash Franklin does not have prayer meetings, less expressive of their faith. Leaving Wash Franklin and going to Eastern requires learning new lingo to sound more spiritual.

I agree that W/F and Eastern have different histories but only in that W/F adopted their own discipline in the early 1900's after using the Lancaster Conference discipline until that time.

[Martin]

Although I am one to warn against historical and current Protestant threats to Mennonite churches, if you look at Sunday School, the Mennonite implementation did not turn out too bad.

I think there is no more overblown issue than the ah versus pre debate. But not just overblown when the two sides debate, but talking about if a group is this or that. While I openly admit I am more ah, and more of Eastern leans pre, I really do not think it matters much.

The pre view doesn't matter too much????...um until a Pilgrim fellow recently put up a "We stand with Israel" sign in his yard.

[Martin]

I don’t understand considering Wash/Frank much different than Eastern. It simply made the same choice at a different time. The groups freely trade pulpits, marry, etc,

Indeed, I would argue groups like WashFrank, yorkAdams and even now Appl will survive only because EPMC and NWF provide the center these smaller groups can rotate around. I do not think they would survive otherwise.

Washington-Franklin doesn't rotate around Eastern. They "held the fort" so to speak when all the rest of the conferences changed in the mid 1900's. And the older generation in WF had a lot of family ties with Lancaster and watched immediate family members leave Mennonite values.

And, although, Eastern preachers speak in WF, they are forbidden from preaching on "speculative prophecy".