Abstract: Since the late sixteenth century until well into the modern era, many Mennonite groups sought to separate themselves not only from "the world," but also from other Christian groups. While this characterization still holds today for some Mennonite communities, since the early decades of the twentieth century there has been a growing involvement in ecumenical relations. This essay tells the story of that emerging conversation in two stages. In the decades following the formal beginning of the ecumenical movement in 1948, Mennonite scholars were often invited to offer their perspectives on discussions of the day, particularly on the themes of peace, justice, and nonviolence. A second stage of ecumenical relations emerged in the 1980s when representatives of Mennonite World Conference entered into international bilateral dialogue with five world communions: the World Alliance of Reformed Churches; the Baptist World Alliance; the Lutheran World Federation; the Seventh-day Adventists; and the Catholic Church. Today a substantial part of the global Mennonite community is engaged in ecumenical relations with Christians of non-Mennonite orientation. The essay concludes with some reflections on the "rules of engagement" for this rapidly spreading ecumenical phenomenon.

At the time of the sixteenth-century Reformation, the Anabaptists, forerunners of the Mennonites, distinguished themselves as "radicals," particularly in light of their missionary zeal and the resistance they encountered for their commitment to believers baptism, economic sharing, and an ethic of nonviolence. But that legacy proved to be short-lived. Under the pressure of severe persecution the Mennonites, particularly those groups with roots in Switzerland and South Germany, became known as "the quiet in the land." Over time, they withdrew from the mainstream of society and had relatively little contact with the state churches or, in North America, with Catholics or the mainline Protestant denominations. This situation persisted to a greater or lesser degree until well into the twentieth century.

However, in recent decades much has changed. While some Mennonites still fortify their faith and life within tightly knit religious communities, many have moved into the mainstream of society and into constructive relationships with other church bodies. Over the past century, conversation and cooperation between the Mennonite family of churches and their ecclesial counterparts have improved. Though this is noticeable at both national and international levels, the present essay focuses on the latter.

The first stage of development came at about the midpoint of the twentieth century, although there had been occasional exchanges between Mennonites and other church bodies for several decades before that time. (1) The two gruesome world wars that highlighted the first half of the twentieth century provided the occasion. At the time, the churches were asking hard questions: What is the will of God with respect to war and peace? What is the role of the churches in advocating for world peace? These questions were prominently on the agenda of the newly formed World Council of Churches (W.C.C.) in 1948. Because of their historic peace position, the Mennonite community was, for the first time, drawn into ecumenical discussion. To this...