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Minding the Church
Scholarship in the Anabaptist Tradition

Summary: Through autobiographical narratives, Minding the Church details contributions of fourteen Anabaptist scholars to their disciplines plus features thoughtful responses. From philosophy to economics, from history to biblical studies, this volume gives voice to Anabaptist scholars as they explain their motivations and objectives as teachers, researchers, and writers.

Comment: “Minding the Church is a valuable resource for understanding how Anabaptist scholars today view their vocations.”
—George Marsden, Francis A. McAnaney Professor of History, University of Notre Dame; and author, The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship

“Think scholars are stuffy, off in their own worlds, seeing ‘truths’ no one cares about or understands? This book may surprise you. It provides a rare glimpse into the lives of contemporary Anabaptist scholars. We see the human and the divine in these marvelous essays describing an uneasy calling.”
—Lee Snyder, President, Bluffton College

“The writers of these essays give convincing—and inspiring!—testimony to the power of the Anabaptist vision for the scholarly life. Firmly rooted in a community that has long urged the rest of us to take the radical claims of the gospel with utter seriousness, they extend the argument here to cover the intellectual life. When we choose to follow Jesus, they insist, we must bring our minds along with us. This book is an important gift to the larger Christian academy!”
—Richard J. Mouw, President and Professor of Christian Philosophy, Fuller Theological Seminary

“These compelling personal narratives challenge readers to embrace the public dimension of Christian scholarship. . . .”
—Kim S. Phipps, Provost, Messiah College

“These essays are written transparently and passionately by people of both deep faith and deep intellect. If these scholars are representative of their colleagues in our Anabaptist schools —and I believe they are—then I have tremendous hope for the future of Anabaptist higher education. And for the churches our colleges and seminaries serve.”
—Keith Graber Miller, Professor of Bible, Religion, and Philosophy, Goshen College

“A sterling contribution to the growing body of literature that explores the meaning of higher education in the Christian genre.”
—Richard Hughes, Director, Center for Faith and Learning, Pepperdine University; and author, How Christian Faith Can Sustain the Life of the Mind, in the Foreword.

Market: Students and scholars; church leaders, pastors; anyone who believes intellectual pursuit should exhibit the marks of Christian discipleship.

Shelving: Education—Higher, United States; Anabaptist-Mennonites—Education; Christian theology; Universities and colleges. BISAC: Education and Teaching, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Religion/Bibles. RTM: 340 Education; 690 Religion/Ethics.

The Editor: David L. Weaver-Zercher, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, is Assistant Professor of American Religious History at Messiah College, where he also directs the Sider Institute for Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan Studies. Weaver-Zercher received his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. His book The Amish in the American Imagination (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001) examines ways the Amish are put to use by those who encounter, mediate, and consume them.

Quote: “The phrase 'minding the church' underscores the reality that the contributors are intellectuals who, through both calling and training, have devoted their intellect and creativity to serving the church. . . . [and] acknowledges that Anabaptist scholars are sometimes frustrated by the theological, cultural, and political boundaries the institutional church sets. —David Weaver-Zercher, in the Introduction.

Publisher: Pandora Press U.S.
Copublisher: Herald Press, Scottdale, PA
Publication date: May 15, 2002 (copies available now)
Pages: 280
Format: 6 x 9 trade paper
Prices: $22.95 US, $34.95 Can.
ISBN: 1-931038-05-8

Minding the Church orders:

• Pandora Press U.S. Online Order Form
• Pandora Press U.S., Herald Press, and other order options
• Credit card orders through Minding the Church page, MennoLink Online Bookstore