Shepherds, Servants, Saints and Sinners

By Henry Neufeld.

"It is not more authority and power that we need, but community and especially servanthood," said Dr. Harry Loewen in an October lecture at the BC Mennonite Historical Society. Loewen traced the pattern of leadership in Russian Mennonite history from 1880 - 1960. In that era church leaders fell into categories of saints, sinners, servants and false prophets; some fit several of these categories.

Loewen, the former Chair of Mennonite Studies at the University of Winnipeg, spoke to over 500 at the CBC gymnasium in Abbottsford. "Mennonites have prided themselves in not having any popes," he said, but they still had strong leaders. In Menno Simons time church leaders had a lot of power and could enforce their authority without the consent or involvement of the congregation. He cited the example of a 17th century Danzig Mennonite portrait painter who was banned by the Danzig Mennonite church for creating "images." The painter moved to Holland where Mennonites were more tolerant of his art.

Loewen described Johann Cornies as a Mennonite czar and benevolent dictator: an economic leader who had an inordinate influence in all aspects of Mennonite colony life. Russia also produced Claas Reimer, the founder of the Kleine Gemeinde as well as Claas Epp, who led a group of followers to Asia to await the Second Coming of Christ. With the failure of that mission Epp was excommunicated from his own church, dying a lonely man.

Three types of leadership emerged in Russia, said Loewen. First, pastors, elders and deacons. Second, secular administrators, the Schultz and Oberschultze.Third, the emerging educated group, usually the teachers. This group expanded as Mennonite youth received higher education at European universities. That, combined with Russian government policies encroaching on Mennonite life, and young men entering the medical corps during WWI, resulted in Mennonite youth having much wider contact with the outside world than in earlier times.

"A Mennonite class of intellectuals became leaders and sought changes," said Loewen, citing Jacob H. Janzen's writing and directing dramas in the girl's school as an example. Artist and sculptor Johann Klassen, (later at Ohio's Bluffton College) returned to the Russian colonies after his European education and felt neither his family nor his community understood him. Despite the lack of understanding, the Mennonites who studied in Europe did not return as "angry young men," but sought new ways of serving their communities.

Women from that era are not mentioned as leaders, and this gave Loewen "much anxiety". "The absence of women leaders in these years reflects poorly on the men of our history." He emphasized that when men were arrested and killed in the Stalin era, it was women who provided the shelter, food and leadership.

Facing collectivization of farms, loss of their factories, the closing of the churches, and many men being exiled or shot, Mennonite leaders were courageous shepherds and servants. "These leaders were not saints but some came close to being saints. They led their people spiritually, culturally and practically when it was dangerous to do so…." Loewen cited C.F. Klassen and Peter Dyck as examples of "true servant - shepherd leaders."

While there are many dedicated leaders today, Loewen closed with two concerns: some church leaders "…don't care much about their faith heritage; they are lured by the "siren songs" of other evangelical traditions that are often too difficult to resist." Secondly, Loewen expressed concerns about churches and conferences being run like businesses with the CEO's and a few people on top making decisions.

Loewen encouraged involvement of the body of believers in decision making, noting that Acts 15 provides a sound model where elders and the whole church made decisions. Loewen concluded with a plea for prayer for our leaders.

The evening included singing led by Holda Fast Redekop, music by Heidi Hein and a brief illustrated report on the Molotschna 2004 celebrations by Dr. Art Friesen.