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CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
Prominent Bible scholar addresses issues

Bruce Guenther

Finding Your Way: Confronting Issues in the Mennonite Brethren Church
David Ewert. Winnipeg: Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, 1999. 188 pp.

David Ewert is well known across Canada and around the world as a gifted and respected preacher, teacher and scholar. While he has served the Mennonite Brethren denomination loyally and with distinction for almost six decades, his retirement years continue to be distinguished by a prodigious range of publications and an ongoing international lecture schedule. This volume marks his 10th book since his official retirement in 1992.

Finding Your Way is a collection of articles and papers written by Ewert over a period of almost 50 years, and it addresses such subjects as the preservation of the saints, the charismatic movement, the last days, homosexuality, the role of women in the church, baptism and church membership, and the discernment of spirits.

This book is not only a personal glimpse into the mind of a prominent biblical scholar as it wrestles with a wide range of issues, but it is also a window into the controversial theological and ethical questions that have occupied Mennonite Brethren in North America during the second half of the 20th century. Many of the chapters were written in response to requests by church leaders and first circulated as discussion papers at MB study conferences.   Although Ewert’s “voice” continues to be heard (e.g., in the language of the MB Confession of Faith), it is worth noting his lament at the loss of a denominational forum within which to address theological and ethical issues, and his appeal to leaders to find a process by which consensus on vital issues can be obtained.

The articles exemplify Ewert’s forthright and even-handed approach to difficult subjects, as well as his characteristic thoroughness and charitableness. More important is the consistent biblicism which permeates the book, including a chapter entitled “What does it mean to be biblical?” Not only is this a fascinating guide through many problematic texts in the Bible, but also evident is Ewert’s passionate desire to bring the teachings of Scripture to bear on various cultural issues in general and our actions as Christians in particular. It is precisely this example, along with his challenge to the current generation of MB leaders to be “biblical”, that will help us “find our way” in the 21st century.

Bruce Guenther is assistant professor of church history at MBBS-BC, Langley, B.C.

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Last modified May 4, 2000.

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