Bunny Trails

[JohnL]

That's a new one to me too.

Are you familiar with the various constituencies involved in CASP?

No.What is CASP? What are these constituencies?
More importantly who are The Kingdom Builders as Elmer asked?

[JohnL]

I see that Christian Aid Ministries has a group called "The Kingdom Builders" as one of the church constituencies involved with CASP. Does anyone know who "The Kingdom Builders" are?

I'd be interested too.

[Elmer]

That's a new one to me too.

Are you familiar with the various constituencies involved in CASP?

No.What is CASP? What are these constituencies?
More importantly who are The Kingdom Builders as Elmer asked?

"In 2005, several brethren had the vision to
develop a program where young Amish
and Mennonite men could serve in case of a
military draft. They asked CAM to help provide leadership in this endeavor. The draft
preparation service program that developed
out of this effort is called the Conservative
Anabaptist Service Program (CASP).
CASP’s primary purpose is to provide
alternative places of employment approved
by the United States Selective Service System
(SSS) where conscientious objectors can
serve their required time, should a draft be
activated by the U.S. government. Church
constituencies that meet CASP’s minimum
requirements may participate in the program."

"Church constituencies involved with CASP:
Agape Christian Fellowship
Ambassador Amish Mennonite
Beachy Amish Mennonite
Berea Amish Mennonite
Bethel Fellowship
Dunkard Brethren
Keystone Fellowship
Maranatha Amish Mennonite
Mennonite Christian Fellowship
Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship
Midwest Beachy Amish
Midwest Mennonite Fellowship
New Order Amish, Midwest
New Order Amish, Holmes Co., Ohio
New Order Amish, Northern Michigan
Old German Baptist New Conference
Pilgrim Mennonite Conference
Tampico Churches
The Kingdom Builders
Western Fellowship"

[JohnL]

Thank you, Elmer. That sounds like a creative and positive solution that gives help to communities needing it. I like that idea.

Are you familiar with the various constituencies involved in CASP?

No.What is CASP? What are these constituencies?
More importantly who are The Kingdom Builders as Elmer asked?

"In 2005, several brethren had the vision to
develop a program where young Amish
and Mennonite men could serve in case of a
military draft. They asked CAM to help provide leadership in this endeavor. The draft
preparation service program that developed
out of this effort is called the Conservative
Anabaptist Service Program (CASP).
CASP’s primary purpose is to provide
alternative places of employment approved
by the United States Selective Service System
(SSS) where conscientious objectors can
serve their required time, should a draft be
activated by the U.S. government. Church
constituencies that meet CASP’s minimum
requirements may participate in the program."

"Church constituencies involved with CASP:
Agape Christian Fellowship
Ambassador Amish Mennonite
Beachy Amish Mennonite
Berea Amish Mennonite
Bethel Fellowship
Dunkard Brethren
Keystone Fellowship
Maranatha Amish Mennonite
Mennonite Christian Fellowship
Mid-Atlantic Mennonite Fellowship
Midwest Beachy Amish
Midwest Mennonite Fellowship
New Order Amish, Midwest
New Order Amish, Holmes Co., Ohio
New Order Amish, Northern Michigan
Old German Baptist New Conference
Pilgrim Mennonite Conference
Tampico Churches
The Kingdom Builders
Western Fellowship"

[Ken]

Rodney was born into the Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church. Stauffer Mennonites view themselves as the one true church, believe you cannot know if you are saved (church membership is your best chance), and enforce a long list of extra-biblical rules, forbidding every thing from zippers to men's beards to electricity. Those who leave this group are handed over to the devil, and that's exactly what happened to Rodney's parents when his family left during his teen years.

Following this experience, Rodney continued to attend other types of Mennonite churches until he and his wife concluded they would need to fully leave in order to be spiritually fed and grow in their faith. He shares how, during this process, he came to understand the gospel of grace and learned to trust in Christ for his salvation—not himself, his church, or his works.

•••

It is the mission of Berean Holiness to develop free, faith-based resources for those who are leaving hyper fundamentalism. If you would like to support believers leaving strict Mennonite churches and similar groups, you can give today at:

They’d have a lot more credibility with me if they didn’t immediately start off with misrepresenting assurance / hope of salvation.

They’d also have a lot more credibility if they didn’t refer to Old Orders as “hyper fundamentalist”, when they are pretty much the polar opposite of fundamentalism.

What is your definition of fundamentalist?

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary:

fundamentalist: someone who believes in traditional forms of a religion, or believes that what is written in a holy book, such as the Christian Bible, is completely true:
Muslim/Christian fundamentalists

Dictionary.com:

fundamentalist: an adherent of fundamentalism, a religious movement characterized by a strict belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts.

The polar opposite of fundamentalism would be more like Unitarians or Episcopals.

[Pelerin]

What is your definition of fundamentalist?

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary:

fundamentalist: someone who believes in traditional forms of a religion, or believes that what is written in a holy book, such as the Christian Bible, is completely true:
Muslim/Christian fundamentalists

Dictionary.com:

fundamentalist: an adherent of fundamentalism, a religious movement characterized by a strict belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts.

The polar opposite of fundamentalism would be more like Unitarians or Episcopals.

I mean there’s already been a lot written on this forum about fundamentalism, its history, and relative influence among various Anabaptist groups. Like, a lot. There’s often a relevant insight someone can and will make about it in many topics. It might even make the list of top ten things we talk about.

[Ken]

What is your definition of fundamentalist?

According to the Cambridge English Dictionary:

fundamentalist: someone who believes in traditional forms of a religion, or believes that what is written in a holy book, such as the Christian Bible, is completely true:
Muslim/Christian fundamentalists

Dictionary.com:

fundamentalist: an adherent of fundamentalism, a religious movement characterized by a strict belief in the literal interpretation of religious texts.

The polar opposite of fundamentalism would be more like Unitarians or Episcopals.

I mean there’s already been a lot written on this forum about fundamentalism, its history, and relative influence among various Anabaptist groups. Like, a lot. There’s often a relevant insight someone can and will make about it in many topics. It might even make the list of top ten things we talk about.

There was a fundamentalist MOVEMENT within the US in the early part of the 20th Century, especially among evangelicals. Some Mennonites got caught up in that movement but not all.

But that is different from a simple definition of fundamentalism when it comes to religion. Which generally refers to traditionalist religions with a strict adherence to literal interpretation of the Bible. Which describes most conservative Anabaptists frankly.

[ohio jones]

They’d also have a lot more credibility if they didn’t refer to Old Orders as “hyper fundamentalist”, when they are pretty much the polar opposite of fundamentalism.

There was a fundamentalist MOVEMENT within the US in the early part of the 20th Century, especially among evangelicals. Some Mennonites got caught up in that movement but not all.

The Old Orders, as a relevant example, did not get caught up in that movement.

Please do not sidetrack the thread.

[Ken]

They’d also have a lot more credibility if they didn’t refer to Old Orders as “hyper fundamentalist”, when they are pretty much the polar opposite of fundamentalism.

There was a fundamentalist MOVEMENT within the US in the early part of the 20th Century, especially among evangelicals. Some Mennonites got caught up in that movement but not all.

The Old Orders, as a relevant example, did not get caught up in that movement.

Please do not sidetrack the thread.

They didn't need to get caught up in that movement because they were already fundamentalist. And it accurate to describe them as such in the way that this video does.

[JohnH]

They’d also have a lot more credibility if they didn’t refer to Old Orders as “hyper fundamentalist”, when they are pretty much the polar opposite of fundamentalism.

There was a fundamentalist MOVEMENT within the US in the early part of the 20th Century, especially among evangelicals. Some Mennonites got caught up in that movement but not all.

The Old Orders, as a relevant example, did not get caught up in that movement.

Please do not sidetrack the thread.

They didn't need to get caught up in that movement because they were already fundamentalist. And it accurate to describe them as such in the way that this video does.

No, they aren’t fundamentalist; going back to the original topic from that thread:

Rodney was born into the Old Order Stauffer Mennonite Church. Stauffer Mennonites view themselves as the one true church, believe you cannot know if you are saved (church membership is your best chance), and enforce a long list of extra-biblical rules, forbidding every thing from zippers to men's beards to electricity.

Part of “fundamentalism” is griping about anything “extra-biblical”.