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CURRENTLY IN BOOKS
Mennonite leader’s faith, theology compatible with MBs

Abe Dueck

J.J. Thiessen: A Leader For His Time Esther Epp-Tiessen. Winnipeg, Man.: CMBC Publications, 2001. 346 pp.

Jacob J. Thiessen (JJ) was named one of 10 outstanding leaders of North American Mennonites in the 20th century by Christian Living magazine in 1999. Few Mennonite Brethren today would remember him at all, even though his life and service intersected with MBs in very important ways for about 50 years. Probably most of us have also forgotten our own leaders during the 20th century. This book may be an invitation for us to recall our own past and the dedicated service of many who have gone before.

Although this book is about a leader of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada (GC), it should be of great interest to Mennonite Brethren. To a large extent, it mirrors what was happening in the Canadian MB Conference and in our own congregations. Not only are the issues and developments surprisingly parallel, but there is a great intersection of major leaders, organizations and institutions.

JJ Thiessen (1893–1977) came to Canada in 1926 and soon settled in Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Later he became a city missionary in Saskatoon, was in charge of the Maedchenheim (Home for Girls) and was pastor of First Mennonite Church in Saskatoon. He became moderator of the Conference of Mennonites in 1943 and held that post for 33 years, in addition to seven years as vice-chair. He became chair of the Board of Colonization, with B.B. Janz as vice-chair, in 1947. In the same year, he became a member of the MCC executive committee and was vice-chair of Mennonite Central Relief Committee of Canada while B.B. Janz was chair. He was also chair of the Board of Canadian Mennonite Bible College and a member of the General Conference Foreign Mission Board, in addition to many other responsibilities.

In many respects, JJ’s faith and theology was very compatible with Mennonite Brethren. He had a strong emphasis on conversion and was quite pietistic in his religious orientation. He was less outspoken than many within his own denomination on issues of peace and nonresistance. He was a man who was warm in his personal relationships and tried always to be a reconciler. Sometimes that led to accusations that he was willing to compromise truth for the sake of harmony.

While JJ usually had good relationships with MBs, there were also points of tension. The book provides interesting perspectives on the attempts to resolve some of the tensions in South America related to the sympathy for National Socialism and the controversies between MBs and Kirchliche, which prompted a lengthy visit by B.B. Janz to South America in 1947. In 1950, JJ also visited South America and was not pleased with some of the legacy of Janz’s visit. It is interesting to compare this account with the account in the biography of B.B. Janz, With Courage to Spare, by John B. Toews.

Another parallel story of GCs and MBs is the story of the Bible colleges. While Mennonite Brethren Bible College was established first (1944), the GCs had also discussed the issue as early as the 1930s. The advent of MBBC in effect goaded the GCs to act in order to demonstrate their own concern for the training of ministers and to ensure that their own people would not all attend MBBC. The issues confronting the two schools were similar: Bible or liberal arts education; German or English; fundamentalism or what was perceived as liberalism (e.g. biblical criticism); and the degree of accommodation in lifestyle issues. Both colleges had to deal with issues of dismissal of faculty, and JJ was in the forefront of many of the difficult issues at CMBC.

Epp-Tiessen deals with many sensitive issues, but in a way that is charitable and fair. At points there may be a perceived conflict of interest when issues involving her own father Frank H. Epp are discussed, but she appears to deal with them quite objectively. The writing style is very readable.

A few errors and weaknesses do appear. Epp-Tiessen states that about half of the immigrants of the 1920s came to Saskatchewan, quoting the story of Rosthern Junior Academy (p. 95). However, Frank H. Epp’s later book, Mennonites in Canada (II), indicates that approximately 27 per cent came to Saskatchewan. Later, the author states that Mennonite Brethren commissioned rather than ordained women missionaries (p. 186), whereas that distinction only came into effect in 1957. Some of the photographs are of poor quality. An index would also have been a helpful addition to the book.

Esther Epp-Tiessen has written a truly fine biography. Mennonite Brethren have much to learn about their own history in this book, as well as about Mennonite history in general during the half-century from 1925 to 1975.

Abe Dueck is director of the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies in Winnipeg.

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Last modified December 2, 2002.

© 2002 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
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