Description: Once upon a time a group of young Anabaptist scholars took it upon themselves to convene a series of incisive conversations that addressed questions of Christian renewal. Among other topics that the CONCERN group (1955-1971) took on was the subject of how to think about higher education in the context of Christian renewal. At the dawn of the twenty-first century, ""intentional Christian communities"" are being created in the context of student leadership development programs, and a new generation of Programs for Theological Exploration of Vocation (PTEV) at church related colleges are providing mini-grants for students involved in the New Monasticism movement. With such endeavors in mind, these essays--by Joanne Zerger Janzen, Walter Klassen, Albert Meyer, John Howard Yoder and company--raise probing questions that remain worth engaging by Christians who are concerned about what it means to seek the renewal of Christian higher education today. About the Contributor(s): Virgil Vogt was a leader for many years of Reba Place Church and Reba Place Fellowship, a Christian community in Evanston, Illinois. He continues as a member of this community but currently serves as Associate Conference Minister for the Illinois Mennonite Conference. He has written and spoken widely about economic issues and building Christian community.

Description: In the aftermath of World War II, seven American Mennonite graduate students spent eleven days together in Amsterdam discussing their concerns around the state of North American Mennonite churches. Out of this historic gathering came a publication project known as Concern: A Pamphlet Series for Questions of Christian Renewal. While the series extended from 1952 to the early 1970s, the first four volumes, now printed in this single volume, comprise the roots, that is, the foundations that preceded the many articles that were written thereafter. Throughout The Roots of Concern, the discussion revolves around the recovery of an Anabaptist view of church life and discipleship. Here we find the seeds of a theme that would gain much attention in later years: the primary identity of the church as alternative community as opposed to its positive identification with the world. The fourteen articles in this volume cover a variety of issues such as form and spirit in the church, preaching, fellowship, discipleship, dissent, and property. An article coauthored by Yoder reveals his seminal thoughts around Mennonite church organization in relation to both biblical and contemporary denominational structures. Endorsements: ""In these essays we see the excitement of discovery and the enthusiasm and passion of youth. We see a theological engagement with 'the Anabaptist vision, ' offered, as the 1954 editorial note said, 'For a strengthening of prophetic Christian faith and conduct.' Here we have, among these essays, some of the first incisive theological reflections of John Howard Yoder."" -Mark Thiessen Nation, Eastern Mennonite Seminary ""The larger world opened to us via a college education was breathtaking. As newly minted Anabaptists the realities of post-World War II Europe confronted us with serious cognitive dissonances. There seemed to be a need for firm 'markers' to deal with these dissonances, but what and where were they?"" -Calvin Redekop, Harrisonburg, VA About the Contributor(s): Contributors Include: Paul Peachey John Miller John H. Yoder David Shank Norman Kraus