Ron Sider at the Mennonite World Conference in Strasbourg, France, 1984

Over the past 450 years of martyrdom, immigration and missionary proclamation, the God of shalom has been preparing us Anabaptists for a late twentieth-century rendezvous with history. The next twenty years will be the most dangerous—and perhaps the most vicious and violent—in human history. If we are ready to embrace the cross, God’s reconciling people will profoundly impact the course of world history . . . This could be our finest hour. Never has the world needed our message more. Never has it been more open. Now is the time to risk everything for our belief that Jesus is the way to peace. If we still believe it, now is the time to live what we have spoken. 


“Unless we . . . are ready to start to die by the thousands in dramatic vigorous new exploits for peace and justice, we should sadly confess that we never really meant what we said, and we dare never whisper another word about pacifism to our sisters and brothers in those desperate lands filled with injustice. Unless we are ready to die developing new nonviolent attempts to reduce conflict, we should confess that we never really meant that the cross was an alternative to the sword . . .

"Christians should be troublemakers, creators of uncertainty, agents of a dimension incompatible with society." -Jaques Ellul

Mother Brown testifying at the Church of the Blessed Trinity (Centerville, VA)

There is something here I envy.  I sense a release in such expression like a dance which cannot be explained, but flows from the heart.  I honestly cannot understand what Sister Brown is saying, but I feel it.  In an anglo Mennonite community where we don’t even “amen” a moving point in the Sunday service, we have something to learn from such deeply expressed gratitude.

As citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we must recognize that all people are our brothers and sisters in God’s family. We would want the best for our family. We would want good education and health care for them and we would willingly help in any way possible for that to happen. If they are being victimized and oppressed we would move heaven and earth to speak out against such evil. If dictators do not respect their rights, we will not stand by and say it’s none of our business. It is our business to be where there is pain and suffering and to oppose injustice with all our strength. Our brothers and sisters are in trouble and we cannot enjoy peace if we do nothing.

-Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Painted in one of the ancient underground catacombs of Rome, this image of Jesus is one of the oldest, dating from around the year AD375. The early Christians were reluctant to make pictures of Christ, so this early painting is very rare.

If a picture could tell a story, imagine this one's tale with its clear and broad strokes.

What do you think the artist is communicating about Jesus?

I find the eyes fascinating. In them I see depth of character and feeling. Even in times of stress, I gain a sense of calm from this picture and imagine such a face saying, "Here is the bottom line: do not worry about your life. Don't worry about what you will eat of drink. Don't worry about how you clothe your body. Living is about more than dressing up. Worrying does not do any good - who can claim to add even an hour to their life by worrying? Let tomorrow worry about itself. Living faithfully is enough for today."

-Matthew 6.25, 27, 34 (the Voice of Matthew)