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Re: "Voluntary Christian Order" or "The Remnant"
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 12:49 pm
by Josh
RZehr wrote:So the plain culture is the problem and it would be better to have an American culture or something else?
The writer is a liberal Mennonite. I would argue liberal Mennonite culture is indeed a problem. Conservative Mennonite culture is not.
In the CGCM, 10% of our membership and leaders are not white people, and the number goes up each year. Those people do have their own Holdeman culture now though, including parts mandated by scripture, such as the veiling and nonresistance. When I meet a brother from Nigeria, I feel like I have more in common with him than I do when I interact with a liberal Mennonite at my home town hardware store.
Re: "Voluntary Christian Order" or "The Remnant"
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 6:31 pm
by lesterb
I think that probably more of our "plain" culture is actually adapted from North American culture than we realize. Anabaptists didn't wear plain suits and cape dresses. Their traditional peasant culture met the Biblical criteria for dress.
Biblical culture can take many different forms. I don't think we should go to another country where the ethnic culture is very different and give the people American clothing when they become Christians. Instead, help the local ethnic group find a way to be Biblical in their own culture. Christians have been doing that for almost 2,000 years.
Re: "Voluntary Christian Order" or "The Remnant"
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 7:42 pm
by Josh
lesterb wrote:I think that probably more of our "plain" culture is actually adapted from North American culture than we realize. Anabaptists didn't wear plain suits and cape dresses. Their traditional peasant culture met the Biblical criteria for dress.
Biblical culture can take many different forms. I don't think we should go to another country where the ethnic culture is very different and give the people American clothing when they become Christians. Instead, help the local ethnic group find a way to be Biblical in their own culture. Christians have been doing that for almost 2,000 years.
That is exactly how we (CGCM) approach an existing culture that has a form of attire that is already modest and simple. (Although we have never been very focused on strict attire standards.)
Re: "Voluntary Christian Order" or "The Remnant"
Posted: Thu Dec 28, 2017 8:19 pm
by Ernie
Josh wrote:lesterb wrote:I think that probably more of our "plain" culture is actually adapted from North American culture than we realize. Anabaptists didn't wear plain suits and cape dresses. Their traditional peasant culture met the Biblical criteria for dress.
Biblical culture can take many different forms. I don't think we should go to another country where the ethnic culture is very different and give the people American clothing when they become Christians. Instead, help the local ethnic group find a way to be Biblical in their own culture. Christians have been doing that for almost 2,000 years.
That is exactly how we (CGCM) approach an existing culture that has a form of attire that is already modest and simple. (Although we have never been very focused on strict attire standards.)
Yes, there are definitely some things other plain people could learn from CGCM.