9 February 2026, by Marianne Mettjes

Photo: religion and peace & justice studies

Online Course: Doing Theology from Anabaptist-Mennonite Perspective
2026: REVISITING (MENNONITE) PEACE THEOLOGY & ETHICS

This year, the ONLINE course “Doing Theology from Anabaptist -Mennonite Perspective” will focus on revisiting (Mennonite) peace theology & ethics. 

During the 20th Century, Mennonites have developed a remarkable peace theology and peace ethics. “Non-resistance”, once an identity marker of the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition, had been transformed into “active nonviolence” as an engaged and prophetic witness in society. In correlation, nonviolence became a “regulative principle” for exploring systematic theology (in basically all traditional topoi, such as Christology, Ecclesiology, Eschatology, etc.). And new biblical exegetical contributions proved the centrality of justice and peace in Scripture. 

Mennonites became known as one of the “historic peace churches”, considered a serious dialogue partner – in the academy, in ecumenical relations, as well as in the socio-political realm. This “school” of doing peace theology & ethics, so closely interrelated, has shaped self-understandings and identities in Mennonite churches around the globe.  

Fact is, that most of that theology & ethics had been developed by white male scholars in North America, Canada, and Western Europe. Towards the end of the 20th Century, more diverse contributions came to the fore, including feminist, “contextual” (explicitly reflecting the given contexts) or ecumenical approaches. In its ethical dimensions, the scope was broadened to address the phenomena of systemic and cultural violence (in gender relations, economic systems, in relations of different contextual and ethnic backgrounds, in different political constellations, etc.) – again, finding resonance in unique theological reflections.  Further information