The Bulletin | Spring/Summer 2025
About the Cover
Illustration by Hannah Gerig Meyer ’08
Menno Simons, a Dutch Catholic priest who joined the Anabaptist movement in 1536, became the namesake for Mennonites — the faith tradition to which Goshen College connects. In 2025, Mennonites and other Anabaptists celebrate 500 years since the first believers gathered in secret, launching a renewal movement grounded in adult baptism, pacifism, discipleship and church-state separation. The cover features a visual rendering of some of Menno’s most famous and influential words. This anniversary invites reflection on how “true evangelical faith” is lived out at Goshen today — on campus, through alumni contributions and in a renewed vision for faith formation.
From the President
Awake, Our Souls!
By Rebecca J. Stoltzfus ’83, president
In her reflection, President Stoltzfus calls us to be courageous, fierce leaders and followers of Jesus. Centering around “active love for God and neighbor,” Stoltzfus draws on radical reformationist Ulrich Zwingli’s call to action: “For God’s sake… do something courageous — have the courage to love — actively, imaginatively, vulnerably.”
Features
LIVING TRUE EVANGELICAL FAITH
What does it mean to live out “true evangelical faith” today? Inspired by Menno Simons’ timeless words and in honor of the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism, this series of essays explores how Goshen College embodies this calling across campus and beyond.
Faith Behind and Beyond Bars
Robert Brenneman, professor of criminal justice and sociology and director of the honors program, explores the power within one course that criminal justice and restorative justice students take: “Inside-Out,” held within the Elkhart County Jail.
Tracing Faith through Time
Elizabeth Miller ’06, assistant professor of history and director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism, reflects on how Menno Simons’ idea of “true evangelical faith” continues to evolve across global Anabaptist contexts, inspiring active inquiry, engagement and formation.
Harmony with Purpose
Scott Hochstetler ’97, professor of music, reflects on how Goshen College’s vibrant musical life embodies Menno Simons’ call to “true evangelical faith” through active, communal singing that expresses worship, solidarity and hope.
Where Faith Takes Root
Jen Shenk ’94, campus pastor, compares campus ministry to planting tulips, emphasizing how patient, faithful tending — through worship and community — nurtures unseen spiritual growth that ultimately blossoms into active, visible faith.
ORIENTED TO LOVE
In January 2025, President Rebecca Stoltzfus wrote a white paper offering a contemporary vision for faith formation at Goshen College. In this abbreviated summary, Stoltzfus gives reflections and recommendations on faith today.
500 YEARS, ONE FAITHFUL VOICE
In this essay series, hear from Goshen-connected scholars, artists and alumni whose voices helped shape the Anabaptist Community Bible, a communal project from MennoMedia created to mark 500 years of Anabaptism.
Rooted in Scripture, Shaped by Community
John D. Roth ’81, professor emeritus of history and general editor of the Anabaptist Community Bible shares how the Community Bible, shaped by scholars, artists, historians and nearly 600 lay study groups, reflects a core Anabaptist belief in reading and interpreting Scripture communally.
Reading Together, Living Forward
Amy Gingerich ’99, executive director of MennoMedia, recounts how the idea for the Anabaptist Community Bible emerged from a MennoMedia retreat and evolved into a global, collaborative project that invited Anabaptists to reflect on Scripture in community while connecting past tradition with present faith.
Scripture that Moves Us: A True Communal Endeavor
Breanna Nickel ’10, associate professor of Bible and religion, reflects on contributing to the Anabaptist Community Bible and finds inspiration in its communal approach to Scripture, which invites engagement, honest questions, and a renewed call to live out biblical faith in action.
Living Into Uncertainty with Attention
Rafael Barahona ’01, MennoMedia board member and brand designer, reflects on helping brand the Anabaptism at 500 initiative and celebrates its call to “look back and live forward,” emphasizing the importance of embracing both constancy and change as we engage faith in a global and evolving world.
Lasting Ties
“So small as to be ridiculous…”
Joe Springer ’80, curator emeritus, Mennonite Historical Library
In 1924, Harold and Elizabeth Bender returned from Germany with a vision to promote academic research at Goshen College, helping launch a reconstituted Mennonite Historical Society. Their efforts led to the founding of The Mennonite Quarterly Review in 1927, a scholarly journal that has fostered rigorous research and intellectual engagement for nearly a century.