Southern Cone Anabaptists consider challenges

Delegates from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay considered the challenges of mission in postmodern times at the 12th Southern Cone Anabaptist–Mennonite Congress in Curitiba Jan. 19–23.

Ruben Driedger of Uruguay, who spoke in three sessions, observed that there is not an absence of spirituality today. On the contrary, people are seeking a new spirituality. They go around the religious supermarket, shopping for the most attractive form of belief or a combination of several.

For Mennonite believers, Driedger said, Christ is the only foundation and solid base for our life (1 Corinthians 3:11). And we believe that what was supremely important for Jesus continues to be supremely important to us.

In group sessions, participants dealt with practical issues related to doing mission: being a missional church, the discernment and use of gifts, examining indigenous mission styles, the place of peace and justice in the message of the gospel, and the role of women and men in ministry.

A traumatic event on the first day of the Congress was the sudden death of José Rodriguez, 43, delegate of the Argentine church of Choele Choel, as a result of a heart condition. His body was returned to Choele Choel, where some 500 people attended his funeral Jan. 23.

Anabaptist–Mennonite women from the Southern Cone countries had gathered two days prior to the Congress to discuss the situation of women who have acquired some formal theological training, as well as those who perform pastoral and general leadership roles in these countries.

The women drew inspiration from the experience of African sisters who have organized themselves into a network of women theologians. Their aim is to have women and their gifts recognized and valued and to encourage women to pursue higher academic education to enable them to better serve in leadership.

The 13th Southern Cone Congress will take place in two years in Uruguay.

—from MWC releases