2010 Commencement reflects languages of graduates

Voices in six languages set the stage for the commencement service of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary at College Mennonite Church, Goshen, Ind., on May 22, just one day before Pentecost.

Members of the graduating class read in their first languages the call in Matthew 7 and Luke 11 to care for others the way God does. Kelbessa Muleta Demena from Ethiopia read in Amharic, Raimonda Balciuniene in Lithuanian, Rolando Sosa Granados in Spanish, Samantha Lioi in English, Syvie Guden Koehn in French and Takanori Inoue in Japanese. These six were part of the class of 40 who received degrees and certificates in the afternoon service.

C. Arnold Snyder, professor of history at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont., challenged the graduating class by suggesting that the Anabaptist Vision, set forth in H. S. Bender’s classic essay in 1944, must be significantly refocused. Bender’s essay proposed three key characteristics of Anabaptism: the essence of Christianity is discipleship, the church is to be a fellowship of believers and believers are marked by new ethic of love and nonresistance.

However, Snyder pointed out, the “Anabaptist Vision is not Anabaptist enough.” A life of discipleship, being committed to other believers and caring for others requires a spiritual rebirth and “calls for the continued gift of God’s grace.”

Snyder noted that Bender himself, in an article published in Mennonite Quarterly Review in 1961, said, “A life of discipleship is one in which the Holy Spirit works with power.” Snyder indicated that he wished this last article published just before Bender’s death, would receive as much attention as the earlier one, because it is in this later document that Bender answers the central question of how one becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ.

“This cannot be accomplished without prayer, meditation on Scripture and cultivation of our relationship with the Vine,” Snyder said. “Take time to ponder the truth expressed by Anabaptist faith parents. Have a heart open to the living God. Then we can go forth in the confidence that we can indeed give not a stone but bread to those who hunger.”

The 2010 class included three who completed the Seminario Bíblico Anabautista program in Dallas, Texas. Oneida Dueñas of Ferris, Texas; Samuel Moran, pastor of Ministerios Restauracion, Portland, Ore.; and Blanca Vargas, pastor of Iglesia Menonita Comunidad de Vida, San Antonio, Texas, each received the AMBS Certificate in Theological Studies for completing a Spanish-language masters-level program in theological and pastoral studies.

Nineteen graduates received the Master of Divinity degree which prepares people for ministry in a variety of settings. Five received the Master of Arts: Theological Studies, three the Master of Arts: Peace Studies, four the Master of Arts in Christian Formation, and six received certificates in addition to the three Spanish-language graduates.

Eighteen of the 40 graduates are pastors or are pursuing pastoral ministry assignments. Six will pursue further graduate studies; four are involved in chaplaincy ministry or are entering Clinical Pastoral Education programs. Others are providing pastoral counseling, spiritual guidance and bilingual therapy, are involved in area church and service agencies, or are pursuing international ministries.

AMBS is a seminary of Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA, preparing Christians of many faith traditions to be leaders for God’s mission in the world.

Mary E. Klassen / May 2010