Mennonites are a nearly 500-year-old Christian group with origins in 16th-century Europe, and were among the earliest white European settlers in the Shenandoah Valley. Historically, they were an agrarian society with deeply religious communal commitments and non-violent practices. Today, their descendants consist of a number of separate and distinct Mennonite groups in and around Harrisonburg, ranging from the most conservative buggy-driving “Old Orders,” to progressive Mennonites that operate a thriving local liberal arts university and are involved in all sectors of public life. 

This course will focus on up-close-and-personal interaction with Mennonites from across this spectrum, and will include local trips to visit Mennonite institutions, churches, schools, and businesses. 

* A sumptuous lunch in an Old Order Mennonite home, plus bus transportation to various Old Order sites, will cost each participant an additional $30, payable to the instructor at the first class.

Phil Kniss grew up in a Mennonite family in Florida but has spent 37 years in the Mennonite community in Harrisonburg, most of that time in church leadership. He has pastored two local Mennonite congregations, including 25 years as senior pastor at Park View Mennonite Church. He holds an M.Div. from Eastern Mennonite Seminary in Harrisonburg, and a D.Min. from Northern Seminary in Lombard, IL. He is married with three adult daughters, two sons-in-law, and four grandchildren. He also enjoys photography, hiking, and roasting coffee.