Conservative Mennonites

Conservative Mennonites
ClassificationAnabaptist
OrientationMennonite
Origin1956
Ontario, Canada; Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, United States

Conservative Mennonites include numerous Conservative Anabaptist groups that identify with the theologically conservative element among Mennonite Anabaptist Christian fellowships, but who are not Old Order groups or mainline denominations.[1]

Conservative Mennonites adhere to Anabaptist doctrine as contained in the Schleitheim Confession and the Dordrecht Confession, with Doctrines of the Bible compiled by Mennonite bishop Daniel Kauffman being used for catechesis.[2][3] Seven Ordinances are observed in Conservative Mennonite churches, which include "baptism, communion, footwashing, marriage, anointing with oil, the holy kiss, and the prayer covering."[4]

Conservative Mennonites have Sunday school, hold revival meetings, and operate their own Christian schools/parochial schools. Additionally, Conservative Mennonite fellowships are highly engaged in evangelism and missionary work; a 1993 report showed that Conservative Anabaptist denominations (such as Conservative Mennonites and the Dunkard Brethren Church) in general grew by fifty percent overall within the previous fifteen years.[1] A directory of Conservative Mennonite denominations called Pilgrim Ministry is maintained by the Pilgrim Mennonite Conference.[5]

  1. ^ a b Myers, Tim. "Why I Am a Conservative Mennonite". Pilgrim Mennonite Conference. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  2. ^ Scott, Stephen (1 January 1996). Introduction to Old Order and Conservative Mennonite Groups: People's Place Book No. 12. Good Books. p. 201. ISBN 978-1-56148-101-9.
  3. ^ Wenger, John C. (3 October 2000). Glimpses of Mennonite History. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 215. ISBN 978-1-57910-465-8.
  4. ^ Hartzler, Rachel Nafziger (30 April 2013). No Strings Attached: Boundary Lines in Pleasant Places: A History of Warren Street / Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-62189-635-7.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference PMC2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).