Anabaptists, Mennonites, Quakers.

[Michael Snow]

Along with Church of the Brethren, these are known as the Historic Peace Churches.

In the past, conscientious objection had been an important part of their witness in the world.

40 years ago, they joined in unison for the "New Call to Peacemaking" initiative.

I would like some feedback from any who attend these churches on the current state of conscientious objection.
When I was at Earlham (Quaker/Friends) seminary we had some joint classes with Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart. One class was on Liberation Theology which was then in vogue. It seemed at that time and since then that the peace testimony was morphing into more of a social justice movement. Any feedback on that?
My limited experience senses that few of the evangelicals in these churches support pacifism, that the left wings of these churches concentrate mostly on the current 'social justice' agendas and even tend toward endorsing violence in some cases. Would like to hear an assessment of this.

I do not live near any of the above churches and have been outside the circle for some time, though still keep tabs on a few friends/Friends. https://snowfar4.wixsite.com/christianpacifism/about

 

[GoodLightSJ]

I was an attending member of a meeting a few years ago (and visited my fair share of others). I still get e-mails and letters from them and they still seem to think of me as an attending member, even though I've moved on and made sure to cordially inform them.

All of the meetings I was a part of were heavy on liberation theology, but especially social justice. Conscientious objection was still a thing that was casually recognized, but didn't get much spotlight. More than one of the meetings I attended were openly aggressive toward conservatives, though not violently. It was more that, if they found out a worshiper was registered or voting Republican, that they would try to 'change their heart' on political matters, politic to have them removed from committee positions, or try to find something in their words to soil their reputation.

Quakerism has offered society much, and still has the potential to do so. Just speaking of what I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears.

 

[Michael Snow]

I was an attending member of a meeting a few years ago (and visited my fair share of others). I still get e-mails and letters from them and they still seem to think of me as an attending member, even though I've moved on and made sure to cordially inform them.

All of the meetings I was a part of were heavy on liberation theology, but especially social justice. Conscientious objection was still a thing that was casually recognized, but didn't get much spotlight. More than one of the meetings I attended were openly aggressive toward conservatives, though not violently. It was more that, if they found out a worshiper was registered or voting Republican, that they would try to 'change their heart' on political matters, politic to have them removed from committee positions, or try to find something in their words to soil their reputation.

Quakerism has offered society much, and still has the potential to do so. Just speaking of what I saw with my own eyes and heard with my own ears.

Sad to say, that is the gist of what I expect to hear. A seminary classmate who was a life-long Friend, was turned off by East Coast Friends meetings. Now, he attends a non-denominational church.