Board Reports: HISTORICAL COMMISSION

Commemorating God's activity

The task of the Historical Commission, according to its chair, Abraham Friesen, is to call the "marks of eternity" to the attention of the churches.

In its report to the convention, the commission highlighted several books they will be producing in 1997 with the help of Kindred Productions. Books like these, said Friesen, commemorate and preserve God's activity through a particular people.

Among the books were:

Only the Sword of the Spirit, by Jacob A. Loewen and Wesley J. Prieb, which traces the development of Anabaptist-Mennonite Brethren peace theology from the 16th century to the present;

Comanches and Mennonites on the Oklahoma Plains, by Marvin Kroeker, which recounts the first "foreign" missions undertaken by Mennonite Brethren in North America;

Russians, North Americans and Telegus, by Peter Penner, which reviews the events and practices of the first overseas mission work of Mennonite Brethren in India. Penner was on hand during the convention to autograph his book.

Friesen also made a plea for delegates to consider the historical perspective when deciding the future of the General Conference, and not focus only on the concerns of the present day.

The Historical Commission hosted a discussion of the dissolution issue during the workshop period on Friday.

Don Ratzlaff

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