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Look
at the subtitles of the Mennonites in Canada series. The
first volume, covering 1786-1920, is subtitled The History of
a Separate People. The second, volume, 1920-1940, A People's
Struggle for Survival. The subtitle of the third volume is
A People Transformed. Between 1939 and 1970, the years
covered in the third volume, Canadian Mennonites changed as never
before.
In
1939, at the beginning of the Second World War, most Mennonites
lived in isolated farming communities. In fact, of the more than
111,000 Mennonites in Canada in 1941, nearly 87% lived on farms
or in small towns. Mennonites tried to preserve their values by
remaining separate from the rest of the world.
All
this changed after the war. By 1971, fewer than 30% of Mennonites
lived on farms. The remainder lived in towns or cities. Suddenly,
Mennonites were in the mainstream of Canadian life. They had to
deal with new people, new ideas, and new situations. More than ever,
Mennonites began to participate in all aspects of Canadian life.
The
conscientious objector experience played a role in this transformation.
For many of the COs, the alternative service work was the first
time they had been away from home. The alternative service program
forced them to see different parts of the country and meet people
with different backgrounds and ideas. This was very challenging
for many Mennonites. You might think this would destroy some of
their beliefs. For some Mennonites, this was true. But for others,
having a wider perspective meant applying their Mennonite values
to the world beyond their own community.
David
Fransen writes that:
“The
camps accomplished even more than providing the forum for facilitating
religious toleration and great inter-Mennonite cooperation. They
also provided the impetus for a new service consciousness on the
part of Mennonites…. Now, … Mennonites began to see themselves
as participants in a society much broader than their own. Christian
responsibility now required not only ministering to one's own
people, but to society in general.”
 Listen
to Henry Gerbrandt share he feels the conscientious objector's expereince
had a possitive impact on society and the church where they came
from.
This
became evident in a number of new service and relief organizations
established by Mennonites after the war. COs were one reason why
Mennonites began to open themselves to the outside world and to
see the opportunities for national and global service.
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