Theology, spirituality
1,2,3 John, Believers Church Bible Commentary. J. E. McDermond. Herald Press, 2011, 344 pages.
This is the 24th volume of the Believers Church Bible Commentary series.
Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront Their Sinful Pasts. Jeremy M. Bergen. T&T Clark International, New York, N.Y., 2011, 338 pages.
Bergen explores public apologies made by churches in various countries, asking many questions about how and why churches repent. Bergen teaches religious studies at Conrad Grebel University College.
God’s Healing Strategy: An Introduction to the Bible’s Main Themes, Revised Edition. Ted Grimsrud. Cascadia Publishing House, 2011, 190 pages.
Grimsrud, a professor of theology at Eastern Mennonite University, has revised his overview of the Bible story. He shows how the Old and New Testaments relate to each other, and how God’s purpose is about love and healing.
Overcoming Violence in Asia: The Role of the Church in Seeking Cultures of Peace. Donald Eugene Miller, Gerard Guiton and Paulus S. Widjaja. Cascadia Publishing House, 2011, 293 pages.
The essays from this collection are from a conference of Quakers, Mennonites and Church of the Brethren that met in Solo, Indonesia, in 2007, and represent some voices of peace theology from Asia. The conference was part of the Decade to Overcome Violence.
Setting the Agenda: Meditations for the Organization’s Soul. Edgar Stoesz and Rick M. Stiffney. Herald Press, 2011, 290 pages.
As well as examining how the boards of faith-based organizations can strengthen their faith dimension, this book provides a variety of meditations that would work well in a boardroom setting.
To See History Doxologically: History and Holiness in John Howard Yoder’s Ecclesiology. J. Alexander Sider. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2011, 237 pages.
This adaptation of the author’s doctoral dissertation examines some of the ideas of John Howard Yoder. Sider is assistant professor of religion at Bluffton University.
Third Way Allegiance: Christian Witness in the Shadow of Religious Empire. Tripp York. Cascadia Publishing House, 2011, 123 pages.
York asks some hard questions about the practice, politics and worship expressions of Christianity in North America. The 18 short chapters include discussion questions that could be used for an adult education elective or small group study.
History
History and Mission in Europe: Continuing the Conversation. Mary Raber and Peter F. Penner, eds. Neufeld Verlag and Institute of Mennonite Studies, 2011, 420 pages, distributed by Herald Press.
The writers who contributed essays to this collection are friends and colleagues of Walter Sawatsky. The subject matter is primarily Mennonites of the 20th century. A few articles are written in German and Russian, and many deal with the former Soviet Union.
Side by Side: A Memoir of Parents, Anna Enns and Heinrich M. Epp. Linda Epp Sawatzky. Privately published, 2010, 185 pages, hardcover.
This hardcover book with photos and maps tells the story of the Enns and Epp families who emigrated from the Caucasus, Russia, to the Canadian Prairies in 1924. Heinrich was the leading minister at the Lena, Man., and West Abbotsford Mennonite, B.C. churches. They were the parents of Frank H. Epp, first editor of The Canadian Mennonite.
Other Books
The ‘Ideal’ Couple: The Shadow Side of a Marriage. Marilyn J. Minter Wolgemuth and J. Carl Wolgemuth. Dreamseeker Books (Cascadia Publishing House), 2011, 128 pages.
Although the Wolgemuths’ lengthy marriage may have appeared ideal, Carl’s attraction to men made it difficult and painful. The authors candidly describe the pain and sorrow they dealt with as they struggled to remain faithful to God’s call.
A Large Harmonium. Sue Sorensen. Coteau Books, Regina, Sask., 2011, 220 pages.
This novel, written by a professor of English at Canadian Mennonite University, is set in Winnipeg, Man. It explores the struggles of modern-day family life from the perspective of a mother who teaches at a university.
A Life Fully Lived: Loving Hildegard. Helmut Lemke. Privately published, 2010, 428 pages.
Hildegard and her husband emigrated to Canada in 1955, settling in B.C. Her biography is the story of a professional Mennonite woman who raises her family and explores her self-image in the second half of the 20th century.
Meditations by Peter B. and his daughter L. Marie. L. Marie Enns, ed. Guardian Books, Belleville, Ont., 2010, 550 pages.
Many of these meditations were written by Peter B. Friesen and published in a weekly column in Meadow Lake, Sask. These short devotionals reflect on special days and seasons, and various aspects of Christian life.
Mennonite Girl. Mary Ediger. Bryler Publications Inc., Chester, N.S., 2011, 262 pages.
Using creative non-fiction, the story of the early years of Welcome Inn in Hamilton, Ont., is told from the perspective of a child. Ediger’s family moved from rural Oklahoma to Hamilton in 1966 to establish a Mennonite mission in the city.
Mennonite Girls Can Cook. Lovella Schellenberg, Anneliese Friesen, Judy Wiebe, Betty Reimer, Bev Klassen, Charlotte Penner, Ellen Bayles, Julie Klassen, Kathy McLellan, Marg Bartel. Herald Press, 2011, 208 pages.
The recipes in this hardcover collection come with many colour illustrations and some have step-by-step photos to enhance the instructions. Many of the recipes reflect the contributors’ Russian Mennonite heritage.
A Table of Sharing: Mennonite Central Committee and the Expanding Networks of Mennonite Identity. Alain Epp Weaver, ed. Cascadia Publishing House and Herald Press, 2011, 435 pages.
The variety of essays in this collection explore many aspects of Mennonite Central Committee, including its history, its relationship with Mennonite World Conference and its broad grassroots support, as well as questions raised through the New Wineskins consultation. Several writers are Canadian.
Teatime in Mogadishu: My Journey as a Peace Ambassador in the World of Islam. Ahmed Ali Haili, as told to David W. Shenk. Herald Press, 2011, 140 pages.
Born and raised as a Muslim in Somalia, Haili became a Christian and studied at Mennonite schools in the U.S. He returned to Somalia in the 1980s and spent many years there and in Kenya working at peacemaking.
This Crowded Night and Other Stories. Elrena Evans. Dreamseeker Books (Cascadia Publishing House), 2011, 222 pages.
The short stories in this collection are set in Bible times and are told from the perspective of women. Familiar stories from the New Testament have been given a creative twist.
Resources
After We’re Gone: A Christian Perspective on Estate and Life Planning for Families that Include a Dependent Member with a Disability. Duane Ruth-Heffelbower. Mennonite Publishing Network, 2011, 80 pages.
Supportive Care in the Congregation: Providing a Congregational Network of Care for Persons with Significant Disabilities. Dean Preheim-Bartel, Aldred Neufeldt, Paul Leichty and Christine Guth. Mennonite Publishing Network, 2011, 120 pages.
Wonderfully Made: Women, Faith and Self-Care. Terri J. Plank Brenneman. Faith & Life Resources, 2011, 71 pages.
The 13 short chapters of this booklet are designed to be used by women’s groups or individuals as meditations or Bible studies. Women are encouraged to reflect on how to care for themselves so that they can also care for others.
Youth Ministry at a Crossroads: Tending to the Faith Formation of Mennonite Youth. Andy Brubacher Kaethler and Bob Yoder, eds. Herald Press and the Institute of Mennonite Studies, 2011, 155 pages.
The essays in this collection provide insight into the challenges of ministering to today’s youth. They probe deep questions about how to help youth develop a personal, sincere and meaningful faith.
—Compiled by Barb Draper, Books & Resources Editor
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