Message from Sara Wenger Shenk

Sara Wenger Shenk, former President of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) shared these thoughts in a Facebook post on February 13, 2025. Sara wrote her post in response to a Facebook post by Anicka Fast, available here and below, responding to MCC’s February 5, 2025 public statement. Sara quotes comments by Desalegn Abebe, the President of Meserete Kristos Church (the largest Mennonite World Conference member church), also made on Facebook. Shared here with permission.

Though many years ago, my husband and I served with MCC in Eastern Europe, I am not an insider to MCC. I am not in a position to ascertain the veracity of what is alleged about MCC’s abuse of power. Nor do I know Anicka Fast well. But when Anicka first published her story (along with her husband) of MCC’s abuse of power, I wrote on FB in June of 2024,

As one who has served in institutional leadership, I know how persons vested with institutional power sometimes do things that undermine their core commitments, and grievously harm persons in their care. And I know that when courageous truth-tellers, who’ve borne the brunt of that harm, step up to name the harm and show us how we can do better, we can and must listen. We can resolve to fairly investigate and learn what can be known. We can publicly share what we’ve learned. We can acknowledge and grieve our failures. We can hold people accountable. We can apologize. And we can revise processes and resolve to do better. When the truth comes from those who love the institutional mission they served, and believe in its core commitments, their story is all the more compelling, as is the urgency to listen well.

Now, almost a year later, many more persons have come forward with stories of abuse while working for MCC. I am heartsick to see that while MCC leaders have made some attempts to right wrongs, they may be falling far short, and deepening the harm—both to individuals and to MCC’s institutional integrity. I believe they can do much better--to act justly, love kindness and walk humbly with God!

In response to this latest post from Anicka, I was heartened to see this comment from Desalegn Abebe, president of Meserete Kristos Church:

This reflection powerfully critiques MCC’s recent statement, highlighting its lack of genuine accountability. The author contrasts MCC’s response with a more sincere and transformative apology—one that fully acknowledges wrongdoing, prioritizes justice, and embraces transparency. They express frustration with institutional self-protection, calling instead for deep, systemic change rooted in true repentance. Their vision for transformation is radical and clear: not just damage control, but revival—where abuse, hypocrisy, and cover-ups are dismantled, and where leadership is held accountable through resignations, external investigations, and structural reforms. They long for Mennonites to relinquish their self-righteous image and recognize the harm their institutions have caused. In response, I see a call not just for policy changes, but for a spiritual reckoning. True peacemaking requires facing the truth, no matter how uncomfortable, and prioritizing the dignity of those harmed over institutional reputation. Anything less risks reinforcing the very injustices MCC claims to oppose.

If you haven’t been tracking with MASTs reporting over the months, you can start with the links in Anicka's post, and weep with those who weep.

Anicka’s post:

I’ve been mulling over MCC's “apology” that was buried in their latest public statement. “MCC apologizes that our executive directors and HR staff were not always able to respond quickly or clearly enough to Clarke’s questions and concerns.” I have sat there with these words and wondered, was any part of this a real apology – one that I could gracefully accept without diminishing my dignity, in a way that would constitute a step toward restoration or justice? My conclusion at this point is no; mostly, this “apology” (we apologize for not being able to do the right thing…) feels like an insult and an effort at self-justification.

But this pseudo-apology did made me think again about what a true apology could look like.

A few months ago I re-read the apology that Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary's Sara Wenger Shenk made to those harmed by John H. Yoder’s sexual violence. It is an amazing document. It exudes humility, remorse, and letting go of the need to control or dictate a particular response from survivors. It was years in the making and happened after a long process of listening and action to make things right. It gives me hope. Mennonites can do this. https://ambs.edu/.../March22-Apology-and-Confession...

Finally: almost a year ago, on Holy Saturday 2024, I wrote the below reflection. This was before we had fully decided to publish the open letter, before we were aware of most of the survivors that we know about now. I think it is time to share it.

March 30, 2024

Last night, John asked me what I wanted out of this. If I could have it, what would it be? Why are we doing this, really? I had been wondering the same thing. It matters a lot, our motivation. Is it revenge? Hurt MCC in return for how they hurt us? I can’t deny that is a temptation. Is it “reconciliation” and “healing of relationships,” which is how ___ insists on framing it? That doesn’t feel right either, because that implies that we are two equal friends who have had a falling-out and just need to sit down and talk for a bit so we can apologize, shake hands, and agree never to talk about it publicly. No. I do want reconciliation, but that is not the first step. What needs to happen first is justice, restitution, vindication, validation, and restoration.

Here is what I really want. I want North American Mennonites to come to grips with the deep evil of our hypocrisy. I want us to realize how much damage is done when our self-righteous self-satisfaction creates fertile ground for abuse to flourish. I want us to recognize the value and worth of those who have been harmed and to take a stand by insisting that those people’s dignity matters MORE than protecting MCC’s reputation as a leader in peacebuilding. I want us to dare to repent, to finally realize that the true church of Jesus Christ does not become visible to the world through self-righteous cover-ups of its failures, but through complete repentance.

I’m not talking about half-hearted repentance, self-promotion disguised as humility. I’m not talking about a statement from MCC saying, “We are sorry, it seems that something has gone wrong, we are committed to making it right – in private. Please don’t ask any more questions, because it’s confidential. We still think we’re global leaders in peacebuilding. But we have a lot to learn, like everyone else.”

That will not do. No half-apologies. No obscure HR-speak about an investigation that remains under the control of those who are being investigated. No!

I’m talking about the kind of repentance that says, “We have sinned against Christ (whose name we keep citing) and against you, our employees and partners, and we are no longer worthy to be called peacemakers.” The kind of repentance that includes leaders resigning, interim leaders stubbornly committed to getting to the bottom of the abuse, lots of people getting fired, a wide-open invitation to a completely transparent external investigation, waiving confidentiality for all who previously signed NDAs, the kind of repentance that says, everything is on the table, even the future of MCC. The kind of repentance that says, we cannot continue with an MCC that looks the other way while leaders bully and mistreat workers and intimidate vulnerable staff and partners. It would be better for us to put a millstone around our neck and be flung into the sea than to keep pretending that everything is OK when we know that little ones are being harmed. The kind of repentance that says, our Anabaptist image is a heap of filthy rags, and we are willing to give up even that – even our Charity index rating – even our quilting auctions – and admit that something has gone terribly, awfully wrong and that we will have no credibility as an organization until we stop what we are doing and lay ourselves open to the scrutiny of outside experts.

That is what I want.

In history, that kind of event is called a revival. Deeply entrenched systems of discrimination and racism can be shaken and broken by revival. Mennonite bishops in Tanzania can step aside and recognize the role of African brothers and sisters in revival. Former enemies can become a family in revival. Local administrators can be overrun by dayslong lineups of people who are eager to make restitution for their thefts, their embezzlements, and their corruption in revival. I imagine a revival inside MCC. It would include abusers and bullies getting fired, in a way that respects their dignity and leaves open a path to repentance, but permanently closes the door for them to again serve in positions of unchecked power over others. It would include a deep review of all policies, and drastic steps toward making those policies transparent and open. It would include [setting up] mechanisms of oversight that include people from outside the entrenched Mennonite fold, people who don’t have a baked-in reflex to keep protecting the reputation of Mennonites.

At the base of it all, I think that what needs to happen is that North American Mennonites need to recognize that we are not nearly as special and unique and righteous as we think we are. That we don’t have a monopoly on peace theology. That our top peace theologian [John H Yoder] was a sexual predator, and our institutions were complicit in preventing him from being held to account. That our educational institutions are wildly failing in their response to sexual abuse in dorm rooms and locker rooms. That our much-vaunted humanitarian organization has been infected by corruption and bullying and abuse. That our modus operandi is self-righteous coverup and pride, while pretending to be nonviolent peacemakers who have the right to be just a little, humbly condescending toward other Christian confessions because our ancestors were burned at the stake, so we must really have gotten it right. This breathtaking hubris needs to be broken. The harming and hurting and abusing must stop. That is what I want.

Looking for a next step to take in response? Check out our list of ways to get involved (speak out publicly - sign the petition or write a letter - ask for an external investigation - support survivors - coordinate your efforts with others - educate yourself and your congregation about institutional abuse dynamics).