What defines you as conservative?

[Mayberry]

Nerto writes, "Threads like this remind me of my wife's family gatherings. ...... (And speaking of the color of men's shirts, both of my grandpas only wore light blue shirts to services. White shirts were considered worldly, a mark of pride.)"

White shirts worldly? I have no idea how that became a "truth." I've heard of a lot of strange things. But "blue" shirts? Wow! In my world that is a sign of a Baptist (not Anabaptist - grin). I give up, but thanks for the illustration.

[Neto]

Nerto writes, "Threads like this remind me of my wife's family gatherings. ...... (And speaking of the color of men's shirts, both of my grandpas only wore light blue shirts to services. White shirts were considered worldly, a mark of pride.)"

White shirts worldly? I have no idea how that became a "truth." I've heard of a lot of strange things. But "blue" shirts? Wow! In my world that is a sign of a Baptist (not Anabaptist - grin). I give up, but thanks for the illustration.

Russian Mennonite. We are the Dutch Mennonites, not related to the Swiss Brethren as most of the rest of you all on here are. Different people, different history - that's all I can say. (I could say that we are the "real Mennonites", since Menno Simons was also Dutch, but not wanting to sound proud about it.... )

[JimFoxvog]

Liberals think I'm conservative. I take the scripture as authoritative.

Conservatives think I'm liberal. I do not always accept their interpretation of scripture.

Sometimes I think I'm radical-wanting to go back to the roots of the faith.

But maybe that's reactionary, like the very old-fashioned idea of wearing a tunic. I could go for that.

[Dan Z]

I personally don't like the term "conservative" because it doesn't do a good job defining what drives my faith and practice - while I gain valuable insight from the faith traditions my Anabaptist family of faith, I'm not primarily driven by preservation. I'm not saying the term "conservative" is an inappropriate descriptor however - in fact I think it does a good job in describing the mindset and perspective of many (probably the majority) in the plain community.

While the lifestyle of my family and fellowship lines up with much of the list of practices Soloist identified as "conservative" - I would say that the internal drive is more about applied discipleship: a "radical obedience" to the teachings and example of Christ. Thirty-some years ago I was drawn to non-conformed Anabaptism not because of its traditionalism, but because of its willingness as a movement to seriously wrestle with what it means to live out the upside-down kingdom of Jesus in contemporary culture. From my study of the movement, I think that was the original motivation of most of the founders of Anabaptism in the 16th century - and it still is key to what motivates me and many others today.

I would only add that within non-conformed Anabaptist circles there is some palpable tension (that even shows up on MN) between the vision of the "discipleship" folks and those "contending for the faith once delivered to the saints"

[aussieandy]

I prefer the term 'radically non-conformist to the world'.

[aussieandy]

Nerto writes, "Threads like this remind me of my wife's family gatherings. ...... (And speaking of the color of men's shirts, both of my grandpas only wore light blue shirts to services. White shirts were considered worldly, a mark of pride.)"

White shirts worldly? I have no idea how that became a "truth." I've heard of a lot of strange things. But "blue" shirts? Wow! In my world that is a sign of a Baptist (not Anabaptist - grin). I give up, but thanks for the illustration.

Russian Mennonite. We are the Dutch Mennonites, not related to the Swiss Brethren as most of the rest of you all on here are. Different people, different history - that's all I can say. (I could say that we are the "real Mennonites", since Menno Simons was also Dutch, but not wanting to sound proud about it.... )

Much of the Dutch anabaptists went from one extreme to the other. Menno Simons got sick of all that and left for Switzerland I think? There, he found people of like mind and helped build what today is Swiss Anabaptism in all it's variations.

[JimFoxvog]

I prefer the term 'radically non-conformist to the world'.

I like it.

Does 'radically non-conformist to the world' need to mean radically conformed to my sect?

[Neto]

Nerto writes, "Threads like this remind me of my wife's family gatherings. ...... (And speaking of the color of men's shirts, both of my grandpas only wore light blue shirts to services. White shirts were considered worldly, a mark of pride.)"

White shirts worldly? I have no idea how that became a "truth." I've heard of a lot of strange things. But "blue" shirts? Wow! In my world that is a sign of a Baptist (not Anabaptist - grin). I give up, but thanks for the illustration.

Russian Mennonite. We are the Dutch Mennonites, not related to the Swiss Brethren as most of the rest of you all on here are. Different people, different history - that's all I can say. (I could say that we are the "real Mennonites", since Menno Simons was also Dutch, but not wanting to sound proud about it.... )

Much of the Dutch anabaptists went from one extreme to the other. Menno Simons got sick of all that and left for Switzerland I think? There, he found people of like mind and helped build what today is Swiss Anabaptism in all it's variations.

I have to wonder where you found this information. I know that he spent the latter (and greater) part of his Christian life in German speaking areas, but the reasons for leaving Holland (that I have seen written about) were all due to the more severe persecutions there, and the relative freedom in these other areas. (It is possible that the persecutions in general were not more severe in Holland, but due to his prominent leadership position there, he had a price on his head and was constantly on the run in his later years there, whereas he had some very settled years in the German speaking areas of Europe. Germany did not exist as a political entity until centuries later, so it is difficult for me to pinpoint where exactly he was, w/o studying a lot of maps, etc. Perhaps someone else has done this, I don't know.)

[ohio jones]

Much of the Dutch anabaptists went from one extreme to the other. Menno Simons got sick of all that and left for Switzerland I think? There, he found people of like mind and helped build what today is Swiss Anabaptism in all it's variations.

I have to wonder where you found this information. I know that he spent the latter (and greater) part of his Christian life in German speaking areas, but the reasons for leaving Holland (that I have seen written about) were all due to the more severe persecutions there, and the relative freedom in these other areas. (It is possible that the persecutions in general were not more severe in Holland, but due to his prominent leadership position there, he had a price on his head and was constantly on the run in his later years there, whereas he had some very settled years in the German speaking areas of Europe. Germany did not exist as a political entity until centuries later, so it is difficult for me to pinpoint where exactly he was, w/o studying a lot of maps, etc. Perhaps someone else has done this, I don't know.)

Gameo indicates a variety of places associated with Menno, but all of them appear to be in the Netherlands, northern Germany (nothing south of Bonn is mentioned), and Danzig. I haven't seen anything that would suggest he covered the additional 200+ miles south to Switzerland. He did not attend the Strasbourg conference in 1557 but communicated in writing. Any influence he had on the Swiss would probably have been through his publications, to the extent they were circulated there.

[barnhart]

But maybe that's reactionary, like the very old-fashioned idea of wearing a tunic. I could go for that.

Go for it Jim. Quite distinctive and stately.