Looking forward instead of backwards

I just listened to an interesting (if you are interested in Anabaptism) series of talks from 2008. This series of four talks, linked below, by Reuben Sairs delivered at Plainview Mennonite Church in Hutchinson, Kansas deals with an overview of Anabaptism, some of the ways it does and doesn't work currently and how it can work for the future.

Anabaptism, Part 4 - Why Anabaptism Has A Bright Future (4-14-8) - Reuben Sairs
Anabaptism, Part 3 - Why Anabaptism Will Work (4-14-8) - Reuben Sairs
Anabaptism, Part 2 - What Doesn't Work (4-13-8) - Reuben Sairs
Anabaptism, Part 1 - History (4-13-8) - Reuben Sairs

I like a lot of what he had to say. There is a real tendency among admirers, proponents and practitioners of Anabaptism to look back to the past and seek to recreate that era. Anabaptism is one of those movements that can be overly nostalgic about the past. In fairness this is true of lots of movements. My fellow Reformed believers often pine for the days of Calvin's Geneva or the Puritans or Charles Spurgeon. This is especially odd among Anabaptists because in the “golden age” of Anabaptism they were hunted by Catholic and Protestant alike.

Something else he pointed out was that while our ethnic heritage is vital and is something that shouldn’t be avoided by Anabaptists, it also shouldn’t divide us. I would agree in principal with what he said, that if our ethnic traditions create barriers with other believers that is a bad thing He is less separatist than many traditional conservative Anabaptists.

I think Reuben hit on the big question. The real question is what can we learn about the church from the Anabaptists and apply it to today? We aren't going back to the 16th century or the 18th century or even the 20th century. There is nothing gained from horse drawn carriages but there is far more to Anabaptism than quaint clothing traditions.

There is a real sense that the modern evangelical church at large can learn a lot from the Anabaptists. The emphasis on peacemaking and non-resistance would be a welcome change. The simplicity that is a hallmark as well as the sense of separation is important. The Anabaptist view of the church is in many ways a healthier and dare I say more Biblical model than the prevailing traditional view. We can learn a lot from our fellow Christians in the Anabaptist camp, I just don’t think that we need to emulate all of the traditions that they have accumulated over the centuries or try to recreate 16th century Anabaptism in the 21st century.