Winnipeg pastor Mary Anne Isaak is one of 15 women leaders who contributed to On Holy Ground: Stories By and About Women in Ministry Leadership in the Mennonite Brethren Church, which was released publicly last month. Three of the pages written by Isaak were removed from the book at the last minute at the request and expense of the Canadian and US designation agencies. “I thought about my whole journey as a pastor, but for three pages I also think about a question that came up in all three churches where I pastored, and that was about LGBTQ inclusion,” said Isaak, who pastored River East Church in last seven years. The teachings of the Mennonite Church of the Brethren clarify that marriage is only meant to be between a man and a woman, Isaac said. In the omitted pages, Isaak said, she explained how her perspectives on LGBTQ+ inclusion evolved during her 26 years of leadership, specifically, she says, her stance on whether a gay couple could marry inside the church. The book “On Holy Ground” was reprinted at the request of Canadian and American bodies representing Mennonite Brethren congregations to omit a section on LGBTQ+ inclusion. (Submitted by MB Historical Commission) “As I study the scriptures, I think there is room for a gay couple to get married,” Isaac said. The book was commissioned by the Mennonite Brethren Historical Committee, which is under the leadership of the Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches (CCMBC). The book was intended as a collection of women’s stories, or life writing, about their experiences serving in various ministry leadership roles. A few hundred advance copies were printed this spring before the CCMBC called a halt and ordered the copies destroyed. The book has since been printed without the three pages.
Reprinted book will be ‘more effective’
CMBBC declined an interview with CBC News and did not provide a written statement. Instead, a response co-authored with the American corps was published in the Mennonite Brethren Herald, which is published by the conference. The entry says the book was intended to be a collection of women’s stories about their encouraging or discouraging experiences serving in various ministry roles. “However, three pages of one author’s writing suddenly left to record reflections, experiences and questions about her evolving perspective on gay, queer and transgender people and the MB church,” the Herald article said. “The author describes her journey where she expresses her joy at the marriage of a Christian woman to her same-sex partner and how she found her ‘perspective on same-sex marriage began to change.’ The article says the pages went beyond the scope of their intended topic and into the realm of a theological essay, “arguing for a type of LGBTQ+ inclusion in conflict with a simple reading of the MB confession of faith.” Church officials said they regretted not being able to have conversations with the author, publisher and others involved, but were unable to do so because of the tight publication and distribution schedule. “We believe that the slightly shorter version of On Holy Ground… will reach a larger audience and be more effective in its purpose of sharing stories of UK women about their personal experiences in leadership,” the article states.
Opportunity for discussion
Isaac said he’s not necessarily pushing for change with the church, but advocates for a discussion: “How do we stay united and make room for different opinions?” Isaak says he wants to approach this conversation with compassion because he remembers being on the other side of it. “I remember how scared I was to have this conversation in an open and honest way,” she said. “When people got angrier or pushed harder, I just dug my heels in more,” he said. The pastor says the situation parallels another struggle that has played out within the church for many years – that of women’s ability to assume leadership roles in the church. “As a young man I was really against women and leadership, I thought the Bible said, ‘No, there’s no place for that,’” Isaak said. Isaak says she feels sad about how it turned out because the book is meant to help women in a male-dominated role find ways to validate their experiences and be heard. “I think the saddest thing would be if this controversy overshadowed the voices of all 15 writers,” he said.
