Teaching That Transforms: Why Anabaptist-Mennonite Education Matters

Why send your child to a Christian school? Isn’t any school good enough? John D. Roth says no; in a readable fashion, he frames key questions regarding the future of Christian education and makes the case for Christian schools,offering clear directions while inviting dialogue and alternative perspectives.

Along the way, Roth provides a theological foundation for education from a distinctly Anabaptist-Mennonite perspective, offering a useful framework for on-going conversations about the appropriate nurture of children and young adults, pedagogical practices and goals, and future directions of Mennonite education from pre-kindergarten to seminary.

“Teaching that Transforms is not intended to end the discussion, but to provide a framework for an open, lively, vigorous and honest conversation about the nature of our Christian witness to the world and our assumptions about the future of the church.”
—John D. Roth

Free downloadable study guide available here.

Endorsements

“This book will do for Anabaptists what Jean Leclercq’s The Love of Learning and the Desire for God did for Christian educators throughout the world. It will make you want to be a lifelong learner and a better Christian, teacher, parent, and student. An excellent book for faculty retreats, Sunday school classes, and classes in Anabaptisthistory and education. Let the conversations begin!”
—Shirley Hershey Showalter, former president of Goshen College

“John Roth gives valuable background on the historical and contemporary contexts of Mennonite initiatives in education, and introduces issues that need attention in Anabaptist-Mennonite education contexts. He makes the case for education that is distinctive, 'education with a difference.'"
—Albert J. Meyer, Mennonite Board of Education (ret.); author of Realizing Our Intentions: A Guide for Churches and Colleges with Distinctive Missions

“With the passion of a parent and the heart of a churchman, Roth builds a compelling case for Anabaptist-Mennonite education. Neither smug nor apologetic, he shows how deep roots in this stream of church renewal will bear fruit for the gospel as our children learn to witness and serve in the world.”
—J. Nelson Kraybill, lead pastor at Prairie Street Mennonite Church and president emeritus of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary

“If you anticipate a boring discussion on an abstract topic, you are in for a pleasant surprise. This book is infused with life and energy from Roth’s conviction that Mennonite schools 'will be shaped by a Christ-centered way of reading Scripture, a Christ-centered understanding of relationships with other people, and a Christ-centered view of the church as the visible form of the resurrected Jesus in the world today.'"
—Ervin Stutzman, Executive Director, Mennonite Church USA

John D. Roth is project director of MennoMedia’s Anabaptism at 500 initiative. Prior to that role, Roth was a professor of history at Goshen College (1985–2022), where he also served as director of the Mennonite Historical Library and editor of the Mennonite Quarterly Review. Roth has published widely on topics related to Anabaptist-Mennonite history, theology, and church life. He is also the founding director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism at Goshen College and is active in Mennonite World Conference. John and his wife Ruth enjoy spending time with their grandchildren and are members of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship in Goshen, Indiana.