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VIEWPOINT
An open letter to MCC

Ron Redekop and the Elders’ Board of Northside Community Church, Mission, B.C.

While we have always supported the mandate of the Mennonite Central Committee (Service “In the Name of Christ”), and believe that much good has been, and continues to be, done on behalf of needy people both here and around the world (e.g. relief sales; disaster aid; Self-Help stores; assisting the handicapped), we have become increasingly uncomfortable with certain aspects of MCC’s work.

For instance, we find the radical feminist agenda of MCC Women’s Concerns alarming, and at times even blasphemous and heretical. References in the MCC Women’s Concerns Report to God as “she” and a “wet-nurse and mid-wife”, and a lamenting that a recently published songbook was not more “inclusive of gay and lesbian Christians” are simply not acceptable. Why does MCC allow the inclusion of such twisted biblical perspectives in its literature?

In another theological vein, we are disturbed by the frequent allusions in MCC materials to a universalist understanding of salvation. Whether this be references to participation in Native religious rituals or implications that we all (Christians, Muslims, Native spiritists, etc.) worship the same God, there is a uneasy sense that MCC has strayed from an orthodox Christian world view. When an MCC “occasional paper”, addressing Global Ecumenicity, states, “Christianity’s claim on the world through its embrace of an exclusivist understanding of ‘salvation history’ has slowly been forced by circumstance to embrace a more inclusivist understanding of an emerging pluralist world”, it leaves us asking some hard questions. Is it MCC’s position that we need to “understand salvation history in new, increasingly pluralist, terms”? Should we, for example, “affirm . . . African metaphysical and religious understandings of the world”?

In addition is the blatant politicization of many of MCC’s activities and perspectives. It was drawn to our attention that at a recent fundraising banquet, an MCC speaker gave unqualified support to the Palestinian cause in the Palestinians’ ongoing dispute with Israel. Why do we find such a none-too-subtle pro-Palestinian bias in many MCC resources and news releases? Genesis 12:3 notwithstanding, what business is it of MCC to take sides in this situation? Our task is simply to extend the love of Christ through humanitarian aid. Period. The minute one gets embroiled in the politics of the situation, he sets himself up to be used as a political pawn – and that, unfortunately, is exactly what is happening. With a little historical perspective, one could just as easily (and probably more accurately) make a case for the Israeli side in this war. But that is not the point. MCC should not involve itself in this political tug-of-war.

Further, and more to the point of the issue that finally prompted our letter, is the literature we received regarding the Treaty Making Referendum taking place here in British Columbia, urging us to “vote ‘No’ on question 6 and leave all others blank”. Since when is it the mandate of MCC to tell anyone how to vote? Previously, we received a booklet outlining the “correct” principles of treaty making, and explaining why we should support the Nisga’a agreement. Again we ask, why is MCC involving itself in the political realm? We know the standard answer – “our mission is to help the oppressed.” The problem is that this assumes an open-and-shut issue – which this is not. It is political. Political from many sides, granted, but it is political. Taking a side on this matter is not the role of MCC. It is too complicated for us to get enmeshed in.

Again, let us reiterate that we totally support the principles for which MCC was founded. However, the trends we are witnessing trouble us. We wish to distance ourselves from such tendencies, and we hope this letter might bring some needed changes. We will, though, continue to support those arms of MCC that fulfill its mandate.

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Last modified July 12, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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