MWR : Articles : May 14, 2012

Articles : May 14, 2012

Jesus, the great life-giver

John 11 gives us great drama. Jesus shows his life-giving power when he brings his friend Lazarus back from the dead, an act leading directly to the plan to kill Jesus.

Stand up for workers

About 15 years ago, not a single Christian denomination in the United States employed an advocate for worker justice. Today there are only two such staff persons, says Kim Bobo, executive director and founder of Interfaith Worker Justice.
The most sinful weapons

Iran’s supreme religious leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameinei, declares nuclear weapons are sinful. He is right about that. He has been saying such things for years. In 2005 he called nukes un-Islamic.

Illinois Conference celebrates all of its ‘good Mennonite names’

Illinois Mennonite Conference of Mennonite Church USA is home to a large number of “good Mennonite names.” To be exact, as of December there were 1,606.

Words that divide

Does it make a difference what words we use? I have been sensitive to calling houses “homes.” I was a realtor for two years, and I never sold a home. My conviction is that homes are people, not houses. Calling houses “homes” seems to devalue homes. We need to strengthen our homes.
Evangelical identity

Thank you for your April 16 editorial, “The Best of Both Worlds,” which stated that we should all be open to learn from the Mennonite Brethren’s emphasis on evangelicalism. Hopefully your citing of the Conservative Mennonite Conference is not exhaustive of the additional groups that embrace both evangelical and Anabaptist views. Although the Brethren in Christ would want to be included under such a label, historically we do not claim to be Mennonite. Some would classify us as coming out of an Anabaptist-pietist tradition. From the denomination’s start in the late 18th century it has acknowledged the Anabaptist connection.
Mideast reconciliation

I appreciated the article by Sheldon C. Good about the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference (“Event in Holy Land Faces Israeli-Palestinian Conflict,” April 16), sponsored by Bethlehem Bible College and held in Bethlehem March 5-9. My husband, Ben, and I were also there, but seeing the suffering of Palestinians was very hard for me. It is so unfair.

MCC meets Syrian refugees’ basic needs in Jordan

AKRON, Pa. — Until a year ago, Reham and her three young children lived a middle-class, economically secure life in Dir’a, Syria, supported by her husband, Jamal, who owned and operated a barber shop and beauty salon with several employees.
MWR wins 5 press association awards

CHICAGO — In its last year as Mennonite Weekly Review, MWR won five awards at the Associated Church Press annual convention May 2.
Religion study: In a few counties, Mennonites and Amish stand out

A new study of religion in the United States that lists congregational adherents by county shows that in at least six counties, a particular Mennonite or Amish group is the largest religious body.