Confession of Faith

The General MB Conference Board of Faith and Life has been in the process of revising the Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith since 1993. BFL presented a completed draft of the new Confession at last summer's convention in Waterloo, Ont. and is now in the process of gathering feedback about the draft. BFL invites your participation in this important process. With this issue, we begin a series that will focus on several of the new or most significantly revised articles. In this first installment, Lynn Jost, BFL chair, first answers some often-asked questions about the project.

Why revise the Confession of Faith, anyway?

I'd identify at least three reasons:

First, the context of our world is changing. Some may say, "The Bible hasn't changed. Our beliefs haven't changed. So why do we need a new Confession?" The Confession of Faith is a bridge between the Scriptures and our context. How do we interpret the Bible for the post-modern new millennium? This Confession attempts to answer that question.

Second, we have "new" issues to address. As Mennonite Brethren reach agreement on key issues facing this changing world, we include these faith statements in the Confession. In the new Confession are articles on issues such as creation, stewardship, evil, a high view of human life and other faiths.

Third, our language is changing. In 1975--the last time the Confession was revised--most of us understood a term such as "man" to include both genders. Now we need to speak more clearly. We are using terms such as "humanity", "people" and "men and women" to reflect contemporary forms.

Why is the Confession of Faith so comprehensive?

How much should be included in our Confession of Faith? Shouldn't we just confess a minimum of orthodox doctrine? What if I disagree with some statement--am I no longer a full Mennonite Brethren?

While the Confession does not seek to address every question, it does go beyond basic Christian orthodox statements about God, humanity and the church. It is important for both new attenders and long-time members to know how the MB Church reads the Bible on important issues.

When members dissent, we hope their attitude is one of openness to further light and dialogue, and that they agree not to teach views contrary to our common understanding.

BFL has written a revision draft of the 18 articles of the Confession (in accordance with the mandate of the 1993 General MB Conference convention). The draft has been circulated to all 389 Mennonite Brethren congregations in North America. Additional copies are available through the internet. Congregations and individuals are asked to send comments, suggestions, affirmations and concerns to BFL, c/o Herb Kopp, 200 McIvor Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R2G 0Z8, e-mail: lynnj@tcnet.tabor.edu

The first Mennonite Brethren Confession of Faith was written in Russia in 1902. Since 1975, non-North American MB conferences have translated and revised the North American Confession for their use. There is no single international Mennonite Brethren confession. The present revision is for Canada and the United States exclusively. The revision has been submitted to the other 17 national conferences and to the International Committee of Mennonite Brethren for comment.

After the General Conference completes its work, we envision that ICOMB will be asked to approve the Confession. Other conferences will be free to follow similar procedures with their own documents. The Canada-US Confession will be translated into the languages of our North American congregations (Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Russian) as needed.

We believe in God, the one, true, living God, eternal spirit, creator of heaven and earth, who reigns over all things visible and invisible. We confess that God is loving, holy, merciful, just, powerful, wise, slow to anger, and faithful in covenant love.

The Scriptures reveal God as redeemer, refuge, protector, king, deliverer, counselor, lawgiver. God is like a mighty warrior, a guiding shepherd, a nurturing mother, a faithful husband. God enters covenant relationships with humanity, judges and forgives, and keeps the divine promises to provide, guide, and restore. With the New Testament we confess God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God is love. God the Father, the source of all life, creates a family in heaven and on earth. Through Jesus Christ the Father adopts all who respond in faith to the gospel and enters into a new covenant with them. God hears the prayers of his children and forgives those who repent from their sin. God's creative and redemptive love sustains the world until the end of the age.

God the Son took on human nature to redeem people. Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus revealed the fullness of God through his obedient life and teaching, and triumphed over sin through his death and resurrection. God raised Jesus from the dead and exalted him as Lord of creation and the church. Christ, the Messiah, through whom all things were created and who holds all things together, is the image of the invisible God. The Savior of the world invites all to be reconciled to God, offers peace to those far and near, and calls them to follow his example. Until the Lord Jesus returns in glory, he intercedes for believers, acts as their advocate, and calls them to be his witnesses.

The Holy Spirit, the gift of the risen Christ to the church, empowers the people of God and gives new life in Christ. The Counselor leads people to God and glorifies Jesus by convicting them of sin and guiding them into truth. By the Spirit believers are baptized into one body. The Spirit testifies that they are God's children, gives them spiritual gifts for ministry and mission, and nurtures them into maturity. The Comforter helps God's children in their weakness and intercedes for them according to God's will.

Gen 1; Ex 15:2-3; 34:6-7; Deut 6:4-6; Ps 8; 23; 139; Is 55:8-9; Jer 31:31-34; Mt 1:18-25; 5-7; 28:18-20; Jn 1:1-1 8; 15:26; Acts 2:1-4; Rom 8:1-17; 1 Cor 12:4-7, 13; 15:3-8; 2 Cor 5:16-21; 13:14; Eph 1:15-2:22; 3:14-21; Phil 2:6-11; Col 1:15-20; 1 Tim 5:15, 16; 2 Tim 2:11-13; 1 Pt 2:21-25; 1 Jn 2:2; Rev 5:5-6, 9-10

The starting point for any Christian confession is God, the subject and object of our faith. Do Mennonite Brethren believe something unique about God? Perhaps not, but following a biblical framework rather than a philosophical structure influences how we speak of God. The opening paragraphs use biblical metaphors, similes and adjectives to describe God. The editors have chosen these from among the many biblical word pictures. The next three paragraphs follow New Testament trinitarian language--Father, Son and Holy Spirit--and discuss the unique ministry of each person of the one being. The final paragraph in particular expands earlier Confessions, to discuss the work of God the Holy Spirit.

1. Does the article adequately express the "otherness" (transcendence) of God? Does it reveal God as "awesome"? Do you get the sense of God's grandeur, holiness, wrath, judgement? Conversely, does the article adequately reveal God's tender love?

2. An earlier draft included the words "[God is] neither male nor female." This draft uses both feminine and masculine biblical images. Is this balance appropriate to confess what we believe about God?

3. Are the separate paragraphs describing God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit sufficiently comprehensive? Do they describe God in clear yet elegant terms?

4. What additional Scripture texts, if any, should be included in the footnote?