Four faculty and staff at 草莓社区 are interviewed in a documentary about the Protestant Reformation, . The documentary, released in September, is a production of .
Participants include聽, emeritus professor of peace theology; , now vice president of and the School of Graduate and Professional Studies;聽 history professor and department chair; archivist and seminary professor ; and , executive director of the .
The film gives a historical account of reformer Martin Luther’s life, the revolutionary act of his 95 theses, and the theological impact on Christianity. Key questions raised by the filmmakers are 鈥淒id the Reformation go too far?鈥� and 鈥淐an the unity Jesus called for ever be achieved?鈥�
鈥淚t gives a good overview of the 16th century Reformation in an interesting and engaging way,鈥� says Grimsrud. 鈥淭here is helpful attention paid to present-day relevance of that event.鈥�
The EMU representatives primarily speak on Anabaptist history, specifically its role in and reaction to the Reformation. Other featured experts include university and seminary faculty, theologians and clergymen.
鈥淐ertainly, and appropriately, the bulk of the film focuses on the mainline Reformation 鈥� Lutherans and Reformed 鈥� and the Catholic response. But the Anabaptists do get lengthy and respectful attention,鈥� says Grimsrud.
Byler was tapped primarily to talk about 鈥渢he Center for Justice and Peacebuilding as a contemporary Anabaptist expression of engaging the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ohan’s emphasis on the tendency of denominational bodies to stress their differences rather than commonalities is an important challenge in this new season of polarization.鈥�
EMU鈥檚 featured experts and their talking points
- Grimsrud gives an introduction Anabaptist history, including Menno Simons’ early life as a Catholic priest and brother’s involvement in the small, violent 鈥淢unsterite鈥� faction of Anabaptism.
- Sprunger explains historical context as to the political subversion of adult baptism. 鈥淚t was a movement of the people,鈥� she says in the film, peasants and artisans forming separate congregations with distinct personalities.
- Byler and King round out Anabaptist perspectives on nonviolence, a literal interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount and humanization of 鈥渢he enemy.鈥�
- Yoder contributes bonus material to the film about conscientious objectors in World War I and intra-church dynamics among early Anabaptists. He explains that the Anabaptist’s Reformation was 鈥渞adical鈥� in the sense that it was 鈥済oing back to the root,鈥� both to emulate the purity of early Christianity, and to excise the corruption resulting from the conflation of church and state.
The three-hour series is available on DVD and online streaming at