Summary: Christendom or believers church? Here a twentieth-century Anabaptist ponders this and other key questions while telling his 90-year life story. As he records, Peachey was shaped in the free church tradition and by encountering a traumatized post-World War II Europe. From that vantage point, he and Mennonite colleagues saw strengths in their heritage and developed concerns that their denomination’s focus on professionalization and institution building risked hiding the Anabaptist light under a bushel. This led to the "Concern" movement, whose themes still resonate in Peachey’s quest to discern whether his is "a usable past" able to offer fruitful perspectives on contemporary trends. Comment: “Through courageous examination of his life experiences and his extensive study, Peachey painstakingly unravels the threads leading to a variety of dissonances present among church and believers in our time. His insights challenge mindsets we take for granted and turn us toward the possibility of blessing the world.” —Vivian Headings, Member, Rolling Ridge Study Retreat Community “With humility, Peachey focuses on insights basic to the ways ahead for humanity. He is calling us to claim our true future. Read him and respond.” —The Rev. Robert Pollard (Episcopal clergyman) “Born in an Amish home, Peachey has covered a wide cultural and spiritual terrain. He has lived, worked, and studied in many countries, traveling more widely than most diplomats. His story entertains, informs, and provides a unique, even provocative interpretation of how God acts in history.” —Calvin Redekop, Sociologist and Author “Reading this work is a remarkable and stimulating experience. The book introduces the prophetic role of this ‘servant of God’ who, with wife Ellen, has touched so many lives for peace and for the kingdom of Christ.” —Dr. Myron S. Augsburger, President Emeritus,Eastern Mennonite University Market: Anyone interested in a blend of autobiography and biblical, theological, and sociological reflection on the believers church tradition and implications for today’s postmodern world. Shelving: Autobiography/memoir—religious, Anabaptist, Mennonite. BISAC: Autobiography. RTM: 170 Autobiography; 690 Religion/Ethics. The Author: Paul Peachey, Harrisonburg, Virginia, retired sociologist and scholar, taught at the Catholic University of America and Eastern Mennonite University. He served with Mennonite Central Committee, was executive secretary of the Church Peace Mission, and helped found the Rolling Ridge Study Retreat Community. Peachey is author of published books plus articles in Christian Century, Christianity Today, Mennonite Quarterly Review, and more.. Publisher: Cascadia
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