Public lecture in Paisley, hosted by the Scottish Baptist College, with Ruth Gouldbourne on ‘What did the Anabaptists ever do for us?’

Dr. Andrew Suderman, Associate Professor in Theology, Peace and Mission at EMU, will speak about "Anabaptism Today: Being Reminded of an Anabaptist Vision." Throughout the twentieth century and into the twenty-first, the Anabaptist movement has become a global phenomenon. The majority of those who call themselves Anabaptists are no longer in the North Atlantic region; the majority are in the majority world. This truly global perspective, and the contexts from which it arises, has challenged – and continues to challenge – the North Atlantic-centric character that has largely been seen as normative regarding an “Anabaptist identity.” Yet, this global movement continues to offer and remind those of the North Atlantic of an Anabaptist vision and the contribution it provides in and for the world.

Along with his work at EMU, Dr. Suderman is the Director of Global Partnerships at Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite World Conference's Peace Commission Secretary.

A one-day conference at Regent's Park College, Oxford

Caleb Schrock-Hurst will speak about "Migration, Modernization, and Mission." Nineteenth-century Mennonites worldwide grappled with the realities of technological and social innovation, which presented new challenges and opportunities to cohesion and faithfulness. The rise of modern nationalism and various technological developments led to significant migrations and divisions, setting the stage for global Anabaptist growth in the twentieth century.

Caleb Schrock-Hurst has served on the staff of the Virginia Mennonite Conference and earned a Master of Arts in Religion at Eastern Mennonite Seminary. He and his wife, Stephanie, intend to serve with the Mennonite Mission Network in Taiwan beginning sometime in 2025.

Elwood Yoder will speak about "Farmers in Search of Land, Renewal, and Religious Freedom." Most eighteenth-century Mennonite families farmed for a living. However, political difficulties, wars, and persecution pushed them to search for new land for large families. They found increased tolerance for their beliefs, though many migrated to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ontario, Poland, Prussia, and Ukrainian Russia in the eighteenth century. Mennonites became known for innovations in agricultural methods and increased productivity. An Amish division took place in the early eighteenth century. Amish and Mennonites sought to renew their faith, find religious freedom, and settle on fertile land where they could farm and prosper.