Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 8
Merle observes that some missionaries conclude conservative Anabaptists are “evangelical Protestant Christians with a few extra added on” and then feel we should “drop those extra things”; what are the “extra things” people tend to treat as optional add-ons, and how would you argue (from Scripture, not habit) whether they are central or peripheral?
Another way to ask: What parts of conservative Anabaptist life do people treat like optional “extras”? How would you use Scripture (not just habit) to show whether those things are essential or not?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
The transcript does not specify which “extra things” people mean, but Merle insists they are not mere add-ons because “our whole theology” and “approach to church” are “so different” from evangelical Protestantism. His point is that workers need biblical and theological grounding so they can explain why these differences matter rather than discarding them under pressure.
- Merle reports a mindset some missionaries develop: conservative Anabaptists are “evangelical Protestant Christians with a few extra added on.”
- He says this can lead to the conclusion: “we ought to just kind of drop those extra things and just merge into the evangelical Protestant Church.”
- He rejects that framing: “in reality, our whole theology is so different and our approach to church is so different.”
- He argues the difference “has value” and there is “a need for [it] in the world now.”
- He says preparation must include “theological training” and the “biblical background for their own beliefs and practices.”