Ethiopian Anabaptists Withdraw From Hosting 2028 Mennonite World Conference Assembly Amid Unity Crisis

The Anabaptist world has recently seen several divisions and disputes among its conferences and churches, according to an editorial by Paul Schrag, editor of Anabaptist World. Among the developments he cites are the split of Mosaic Mennonite Conference from Mennonite Church USA and a decision by Mennonite World Conference (MWC) not to appoint a Mennonite Church USA member to a representative role after leaders of other Anabaptist denominations objected.

Schrag also reports that Ethiopian Anabaptists withdrew from hosting the 2028 MWC assembly. He describes the withdrawal as occurring amid a “crisis of unity” over controversy about links to North American churches that accept same-sex marriage. He writes that Ethiopian leaders did not suddenly learn of LGBTQ-affirming Mennonites in North America and Europe and decide to reject them. In his account, they acted because of recent developments, including social media attacks that he says sowed division in a fast-growing church with many new Christians.

Some traditionalists have praised the Ethiopian decision as a victory for truth, Schrag notes. He argues, however, that the situation is not simply a contest over who is right about same-sex marriage, but concerns whether MWC will remain a body that all Anabaptists can join. He says the full context of conflict, mistrust and threats to safety that some in Ethiopia have experienced may be hard for North Americans to fully understand, and awkward for Ethiopians to fully explain. He points to a Substack article by Henok T. Mekonin, a global leadership collaboration specialist at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, as helpful on the subject.

Schrag writes that the global Anabaptist family should extend grace to the Ethiopian churches, and he notes that leaders of other Anabaptist groups have shown grace to one another despite their conflicts. He calls unity across differences a basic principle of MWC’s existence, one that he says “feels endangered” at present (John 17:21).

Schrag notes that the crisis arrives at the close of Anabaptism’s 500th anniversary year. He reports that last May in Switzerland, Anabaptist pilgrims from around the world celebrated reconciliation with Reformed, Lutheran and Catholic churches.

He also points to a tool MWC already has. In March, it will mark 20 years since the MWC General Council approved a “Statement of Shared Convictions,” which he describes as 240 words summarizing seven basic beliefs held in common. By contrast, he notes, the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective used by Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada has 24 articles, which he says have been called teaching points but have also been used as tools of conformity and exclusion.

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