Mennonite Life, 2215 Millstream Road, Lancaster, will host a guest speaker event for its members on Thursday, Aug. 24, at 7 p.m. The event will feature presentations from author and Bluffton University professor Gerald Mast, who will explore the life and writings of Menno Simons and his role in the foundation of the modern-day Anabaptist church.

Simons was a Dutch priest who was born in the late 15th century. He was ordained in the Roman Catholic church circa 1515, but he began to question its teachings in the years following. One of Simons' primary points of contention with the church was the concept of infant baptism, which he believed to have no basis in Scripture; he aligned with the Anabaptist movement and officially departed from the Roman Catholic church in 1536. Simons became one of the most influential figures in the Dutch Anabaptist religion, resulting in the term Mennonite being derived from his first name.

Mast will detail Simons' ideology and shed light on the experiences that influenced his teachings, including Simons' concept of "true evangelical faith." The concept revolves around a hopeful approach toward one's neighbors, salvation and relationship with God. Mast will explain the five theological characteristics of Simons' teaching: converting to Jesus Christ in a personally transformative way, confessing to Christ's work through repentance, creating a covenant within the congregation through baptism, maintaining a community of peace and reconciliation, and serving as a witness against all violence and killing.

"I hope the audience receives a strong appreciation for how Menno influenced the direction of the Mennonite church and a new curiosity about how his writings can help the church today," Mast said.

In the Mennonite Life Community Room, audience members will have an opportunity to ask questions about Mast's work, which includes a series of articles on the heritage of Pennsylvania Mennonites. Mast was inspired to write the series after he noticed that Simons' writing possessed an eloquence that distinguished it from many other works within the religion. Mast was also fascinated by Simons' decision to join the Anabaptist movement during a time when it had resorted to violent methods. Although more translations and editions of Simons' work exist today than those of any other Anabaptist writer, Mast felt that it had been paid less attention in recent years.

During the event, attendees will have an opportunity to view a 1681 edition of Simons' writings in Dutch, which will be accompanied by an illustration by Jan Luyken. Luyken was an engraver who created the images found in "Martyr's Mirror," a book of stories that remains highly significant to both Mennonite and Amish communities today.

Mennonite Life members may attend the free event in person or via Zoom. For more information, visit http://www.mennonitelife.org/events.