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Atonement thesis falls short

SHIRLEY ISAAC

J. Denny Weaver. Scottdale, Pa. and Waterloo, Ont.: Herald Press, 1997. 280 pp. $28.50.

In this historical survey of late 19th century Mennonite and Amish atonement theology, Weaver proposes to discover a doctrine of atonement suitable for a modern peace-church theology. Whereas Mennonite theology has sometimes been viewed as uncritically adopting the satisfaction theory of atonement made popular by 19th century evangelicalism, Weaver challenges this thesis by pointing to the distinctive ecclesiology and ethics that have shaped the Mennonite understanding of atonement. When this integration didn't take place, theology became separated from ethics and the distinctive Mennonite emphasis on a lived faith crumbled. Weaver's thesis is that the satisfaction theory of atonement itself is responsible for this demise of a distinctive Mennonite theology.

While Weaver provides thorough documentation to support his historical analysis, it falls short as a theological critique. He argues that the Anselmian satisfaction theory is inadequate since it views Christ's atonement as a legal transaction; consequently, salvation is primarily individualistic rather than social. His critique fails to recognize the connection between the satisfaction of God's justice and the restoration of order to the cosmos. To the Anselmian model, restoration doesn't take place apart from human history. God isn't a sole actor in the drama. Jesus' humanity is as important as His divinity in restoring justice and order to the cosmos. If there are any implications for social ethics to be drawn from this, Weaver doesn't explore them.

Whether the Anselmian model of redemption can be as easily dismissed as Weaver implies is doubtful given the biblical evidence. The close connection between Jesus' death and the forgiveness of sins, which this model emphasizes, is central to the New Testament. (See Romans 4:25; Ephesians 5:2; I Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 2:14; I Corinthians 15:3; II Corinthians 5: 21.)

Moreover, Weaver rejects the understanding of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb--a central motif to the Anselmian model and in the book of Hebrews. Although Weaver maintains that the Anselmian model of redemption is unsuitable as a basis for Mennonite theology, his alternative doesn't do justice to the history of the Anabaptist experience. He refers to an understanding of the Christian faith that emphasizes following the example of Jesus, rather than personal conversion experience. However, if Weaver were to take history back further, he would find that Dutch Anabaptism represented by Menno Simons and Dirk Philips stressed personal conversion experience, and was not unlike classical Protestantism.

While the attempt to find a theological basis for a modern peace-church theology is positive, Weaver's argument that the satisfaction theory of atonement poses a threat to this theology has been too hastily drawn. The corrective Weaver proposes is insufficient to take in all the biblical data regarding redemption. An alternative to his model might be to discover a new ethic that identifies with the crucified Christ, rather than imitates. Weaver does not consider this, probably because it ties in too closely with the assumptions of classical Protestantism, and in this sense doesn't point in the direction of a distinctive Anabaptist theology.

MENNONITES IN AMERICAN SOCIETY, 1920-1970: MODERNITY AND THE PERSISTENCE OF RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY. Paul Toews. Scottdale, Pa.: Herald Press, 1996, 440 pp.

This is the fourth and final volume in the Mennonites in America series, whose purpose was to examine "how Mennonites have preserved their identity through the twentieth century". The four decades covered in this volume (1930-70) were times of upheaval and social disorder. Toews examines them in 13 tightly packed and thoughtfully reasoned chapters. He shows that although Mennonites were often a troubled, misunderstood people, they were able to resist absorption into American culture because they were deeply rooted theologically and historically.

Toews is a professor of history at Fresno Pacific College, director of the Center for MB Studies and a skilled, methodical historian. He shows amazing familiarity with prominent leaders and organizations throughout the Mennonite world, often noting the central impact that Mennonite Central Committee has had. He holds up a mirror, showing how Mennonites might have bent in response to social pressure but, for the most part, did not break.

Toews examines how Mennonites responded to economic adversity (the Great Depression), to war (World War II and the Vietnam War) and to spiritual forces (such as fundamentalism and evangelicalism). The impact on occasion was catastrophic, as when 87% of the young men in one Mennonite denomination enlisted for regular military service. A central consequence of these forces, Toews notes, was the "the death of Mennonitism and the birth of Mennonitisms"—so that both progressives and traditionalists have been able to preserve a sense of identity. This new-found awareness of Mennonite identity has expressed itself in theological reflection, in new missions and social service programs and in helpful inter-Mennonite collegiality. Toews is also respectful of the large diversity within the Mennonite family, prompting him to conclude that "twentieth century Mennonites live both at the margins of American society and in many of its central institutions".

This is a book that all Mennonite leaders should read. It is highly recommended for all academic libraries that support Mennonite studies. It makes a very strong case for the resilience as well as the contemporary relevance of the Anabaptist vision.

DAVE GIESBRECHT IS LIBRARIAN AT COLUMBIA BIBLE COLLEGE IN ABBOTSFORD, B.C.

Heinrich Goerz. Translated by Eric Enns with Esther E. Enns and Ingeborg H. Enns. Winnipeg, Man.: CMBC Publications and the Manitoba Mennonite Historical Society, 1997. Paper, 103 pp.

Memrik is a translation of #10 in the Echo Verlag series, and is the eighth in the series to be translated and published. The original German volume appeared in 1954.

Memrik was a daughter colony of the Molotschna colony in southern Russia. It was founded in 1885 and soon grew to be a prosperous settlement with a number of villages. As was the case with other settlements, it experienced the turmoil and hardship of the Revolution, civil war, famine and oppression. Still, it survived until it succumbed to the events surrounding World War II, the Great Trek and the exile to the remote regions of the Soviet Union. The story of Memrik is essentially the story of most other settlements located in Ukraine.

The author describes in considerable detail the rapid agricultural and economic transformation in the early years, the development of schools, churches and other institutions. The book includes brief biographies of significant leaders in the church and society as well as photographs of many. Mennonite Brethren readers may be particularly interested in the chapter dealing with the development of the MB Church.

The author's perspective is of an industrious and capable people who had created a glorious model community that was destroyed by an evil Communist empire. Although the author asks some questions about the reasons why God allowed such pain and devastation to occur, on the whole, the answers are not provided.

The quality of the translation is uneven. Sometimes the German idioms or sentence structures remain. I also found some serious errors which leads to a lack of confidence about the general accuracy of the translation. For example, on page 36 a reference is made to "Janzen" which should be "Paetkau".

A number of maps and photographs enhance the value of the book. Some of the photo reproductions are not of high quality, and some endnotes appear haphazard.

Despite certain shortcomings, Memrik will help provide the next generation with helpful insights into an era of Mennonite history that would otherwise too quickly be forgotten.

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