The Mennonite denomination has postponed its world conference, after the host nation pulled out due to differing stances on same-sex marriage.
The 18th Mennonite World Conference (MWC) assembly was set to take place in January 2028 in Ethiopia. But after the host, Meserete Kristos Church (MKC), got wind the conference would include the more liberal American branch of the denomination, it withdrew its offer to host the event.
The official reason was “due to an internal crisis of unity,” according to a Nov. 27 MWC statement. The unofficial reason: Same-sex marriage.
The Mennonites are experiencing what other global Christian bodies, such as the Anglicans and Methodists, have encountered: While their western congregations have affirmed homosexual practice in some manner, their African congregations generally have not.
“MWC Assemblies are meant to be a blessing for our churches. If they become a burden during a crisis, we should reconsider moving forward with plans,” MWC General Secretary César García stated.
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The MKC executive committee on Nov. 23 stated that “associating with a conference that includes churches supporting homosexuality contradicts the core beliefs of our church,” according to Anabaptist World.
In addition, MKC and its associated seminary has cut ties with Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana. The two organizations had partnered for six years on graduate theological programs.
In a Nov. 24 statement, AMBS President David Boshart said that a “wave of misinformation has spread through social media in Ethiopia targeting the partnership between MKC and AMBS.” He said it created “a volatile and challenging environment for students and church leaders.”
The controversy began when MKC leaders went on a fundraising tour in the U.S., visiting several Mennonite churches and officials, including some that allowed same-sex marriage. Word about this got back to Ethiopia, giving rise to rumors that the 2028 conference would import these ideas to Ethiopia, where homosexual relationships are illegal.
The public backlash got so intense, MKC leaders not only cancelled the conference, they informed AMBS they would permanently suspend the partnership
“(It’s) not due to any loss of goodwill between MKC and AMBS, but because the spread of misinformation has created risks for their leaders and students and threatened the unity of the church,” Boshart stated.
Boshart told The Roys Report (TRR) in an email that the “wave of misinformation” described publicly circulating social media claims in Ethiopia that portrayed the AMBS-MCK partnership in inaccurate and misleading ways.
“These included false claims about the nature of our agreement and about AMBS’s commitments when teaching in Ethiopia,” Boshart told TRR. “As noted in the memorandum of understanding, AMBS faculty agreed to respect MKC’s doctrinal positions while teaching in Ethiopia, and we honored those commitments throughout the partnership.”
Boshart declined to comment further on specific social media sources or actors to protect the “safety and well-being of students and church leaders in Ethiopia.”
“Our focus remains on supporting affected students and continuing to communicate transparently with our Ethiopian friends,” he said.
Garcia told Anabaptist World that because the fundraising tour included contacts with the Mennonite Church USA, this led to a “huge problem” once the MKC officials returned to Ethiopia. The former approved an LGBTQ-affirming resolution in 2022.
“In Ethiopia, same-sex relationships are considered not only a sin by all the religions in the country, but also illegal,” Garcia said. “You can imagine the risks of being seen as supporting illegal conduct. … The church is at risk of going into division internally.”
Because the Mennonite Church USA belongs to MWC, the conference “was immediately associated as one of the entities that is promoting same-sex marriage,” Garcia said.
MWC does not have an official position on same-sex marriage, and only four of its 110 churches are “on the more progressive side” on the issue, Garcia said.
MWC plans to release more information about its next assembly in the coming weeks. Garcia said it could be postponed a few months or a year as the organization searches for a new host.
“We invite your prayers for the unity of MKC, the leaders of MWC who are discerning a new plan for our next assembly, and for the entire global Anabaptist communion in 61 countries around the world as each struggle with their own polarities and trials,” García stated.
The Ethiopian Anabaptist Church is the world’s largest Mennonite conference, with more than 514,000 baptized members, according to Anabaptist World.
Ann Marie Shambaugh has reported as a print journalist in multiple states, including currently in Carmel, Indiana.
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14 Responses
To be fair, “Mennonite” is really an umbrella term covering literally dozens of distinct groups. I’m not sure about the specific Mennonite denomination you listed, but I have lived in a very large Mennonite and Amish community for over 30 years and I am not aware of a single sect amongst them that in any way endorses same-sex marriage. The vast majority still dress modestly and live clean. I will just add: If same-sex marriage becomes accepted by traditional Mennonites know the apocalypse is imminent, because the only time most Mennonites change direction is when the horse decides to turn the buggy somewhere else. (I know most Mennonites drive nowadays – humor intended.)
At least two Mennonite universities left the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities over this very issue. Personally, I’ve seen the children and grandchildren of plain-clothes farmer Mennonites graduate from university and support same sex marriage. So, stay ready :)
Any denomination or confessional tradition will see apostasy amongst its people. Sadly. The Menno seminary pres quoted here said that there had been a campaign of ‘misinformation’ launched against his school. But this is not a hazy or fuzzy issue here– he can simply be asked ‘does your denomination accept homosexuality? Does your school?’ Anything other than an unqualified ‘no’= something from which faithful believers need to depart.
My main writing partner (Fantasy & SF) is an Anabaptist pastor in rural Pennsylvania. He described the relationship between the various denoms/groups this way:
“Mennonites are one step beyond Anabaptists.
Old Order Mennonites are one step beyond Mennonites.
Amish are one step beyond Old Order Mennonites.
Old Order Amish is one step beyond Amish.
I don’t think it’s possible to go beyond Old Order Amish.”
“Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My Words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the Chabod of His Father with the set apart angels.” Mark 8:38
Blessings to you, Meserete Kristos Church, as you follow the admonition of Yahshua here in this verse and remain unashamed of Him, the Word of YHWH Made Flesh Who tabernacled among us – He sees and He hears and He honors those who honor Him. He will not be ashamed to call you His Bride as He presents you to His Father, some day, soon. We join Him in praying for you, dear Chabarim!
It is not loving to coerce people to go against conscience and their commitment to obey God and believe His word..
The quoted person states that hosting this conference “threatens the unity of the church.” It appears, rather, that this reveals the DISunity of the church.
Also, I’m doubting that the Western congregations are pushing gay sex per se; they are “pushing” inclusion of a swath of people.
I know real Mennonites. These folks are not “Mennonite” any more than some rainbow-haired Reform “rabbi” who is constantly agitating for abortion, LGBTQ, and Gaza is “Jewish”. It’s shameful that TRR makes no effort to distinguish these apostates from genuine Anabaptist practice.
As a Mennonite pastor here in Canada, I totally agree with Michael Costas’ comments. It’s only a small percentage of Mennonites, here in Canada that would go a long with same-sex affirming theology. However, they are many times the out-spoken ones. The liberal churches are dying quickly. I’m suggesting a little more research before writing the wrong assumptions in the above article. Most Mennonites are very conservative in their theology. I, personally, am a charismatic Mennonite.
“Misinformation,” declaim the enlightened. Cute.
To review for the umpteenth time: A church council that would change guidance on sexual ethics has forgotten its reason for being. Have the highly educated never read, say, Acts 15 in its full context? (Is it a reading comprehension issue? Or, as theological progressives are wont to do, are they just disregarding the inconvenient parts, like verse 29, perhaps pulling tortured linguistic rabbits out of hats over the true meaning of certain Koine Greek words to tell the credulous that the text doesn’t really mean what it very much says?)
When a church split occurs over sexual ethics, the division represents the Holy Spirit separating the sheep from the goats, as He does continually amidst the exhausting temporal controversies of each generation. Time after time over the past 3,000+ years, the goats have inherited the power politics, the legacy institutions, the endowment funds, the prettiest buildings, and the prime real estate, while the sheep are sent wandering. In time, the goats die out in their spiritual bankruptcy, but not before driving their institutions into the ground. Soon enough, the auctioneer arrives to dispose of the remaining assets, the sale goes to the highest bid, the world moves on, and most of these empty edifices of human ambition crumble to dust, forgotten by history. But the sheep know their one true and unchanging Shepherd by voice, and they are the meek who ultimately will inherit the earth.
I went to AMBS. They are ALL for same-sex relationships and everything else in that category. In fact, you get talked to if you dare speak a conservative viewpoint because “you need to show empathy.” There are profs there that push the gay agenda. I saw women come in happily married and halfway through they cut their hair super short, hated men and files for divorce and then came out as LGBTQ. That school is a hot mess and not at all what true Anabaptistim was/is. The African students are lied to. When they come and realize “oh this is not what they come and say to us” they then form prayer groups and pray over the campus. Several have said “God must have sent me here as a missionary to this school.” They are some of the most amazing people at AMBS! I’m glad Africa has stood against the liberal mennonites! They keep votes conservative and it drives the mennonites and Methodists crazy!
You’re right Lynn! I live in SE PA and most Mennonite churches here are liberal and flying the rainbow flag, overtly or at least subtly. Also sad is that down the road from AMBS is Goshen College where the same sinful things are taught in the name of ’empathy’. God says homosexuality is an abomination (God is not very ’empathetic’ I suppose). Seems like some of these Mennonites know how to love gay people better than God does! Terrible. I will concede that the evangelical church has not done a good job loving gay people but sin cannot be tolerated as empathetic or normal.
Any church supporting same-sex union, is the equivalent of sacrificing a pig to Dagon on the church’s altar. It’s sacrilege, heresy, demonic and evil. Besides that, it’s perfectly fine.
This surprises me, mostly because I have understood Mennonite beliefs and practices to be rather conservative.
I would like to clarify that there is a difference between “pushing a gay agenda” and “teaching us how to love those who are/identify as gay.” We as the church do a TERRIBLE job of the latter because we conflate it with the former.
We can love the sinner and hate the sin. I’m sure we can all think of those caught up in lying, fornication, hate, gossip, and other sins listed throughout scripture – yet we have found a way to love and disciple them without tolerating, accepting or participating in their sin. WHY does this concept suddenly become so hard when it comes to homosexuality?
Funny thing is, I’ve seen WAY more “acceptance” of second and third marriages, and silent acceptance of known fornication and living together/having children outside of wedlock in the church….yet not a PEEP of concern about “pushing an agenda”. I guess because it’s not same sex, it’s ok?