Shakespeare's question, in its context, implies that a name is just a name, and cannot affect the reality. Clearly, though, any name fraught with meaning, connotation, and history becomes a reference point - a source of understanding or misunderstanding. If the truth of the named is different from the perception or understanding of the name, then, indeed, there is much in a name.
I feel, with many others, that we should change the name of the Church of the Brethren given its peculiar, out-dated, sectarian, exclusivist ring. To be peculiar is all right; but let's be particular about how we are peculiar. As for "exclusivist", I am not referring only to gender. The name change and inclusivism are not primarily feminist issues. Yes, we talk of the Brethren and the Brotherhood; and those words are rather gender specific. However, to many folks they express a far broader exclusivity. Consider your own experiences explaining the Church of the Brethren.
Anecdotes and observations abound. Some months ago the television show 20/20 reported on one family's experience with a small Christian cult. It was a story of a young man's disappearance and his family's search for him. They found him after eighteen years. He gave them fifteen minutes of his time and left. We all have heard of this kind of thing. What is the name of this group? The Brethren. Millions of people saw this twice broadcast story. We are not this group and we are not a strange exclusive "brotherhood". Consider my friendly, Catholic dental hygienist who likes to talk about Church and religion. After hearing my Church's name, she was insecure about what to say to me. "Are you Christian?", she has asked gingerly. Even when I say I am and explain, as best I can, the Church of the Brethren, she remains wary. This exchange has happened more than once.
I ask, "Why should this be necessary for the sake of a name?". It does not promote unity and communication and mutual understanding. We can carry forth our historic vision, practice, and witness without the Brethren name - indeed, we can do it better.
Imagine for a moment that you are not Brethren and that you have never heard of the Church of the Brethren. Spend a few minutes at this. Substitute the word Methodist or Presbyterian or whatever in your home congregation name; or imagine yourself as unchurched or at least not currently affiliated. I know that this is not a very reasonable exercise; but give it a try. I assure you that whatever state it induces will fade with no harm done and perhaps with some insight gained. You are driving down U.S. Rte 1 and you spot a Church building with a sign "Church of the Brethren". But for that name, the somewhat camouflaged cross in the COB logo and well a maintained building and grounds, there is not a single word or symbol saying anything about us. Would the word "brethren" interest you, draw you, tell you anything? How would you react to it? Would you pass on by with little thought?
We are happy that some do approach for whatever reason. However, that is not typical of the spiritually seeking among the scores of thousands who go by our Church every day on Rte. 1, who get on or off the MetroBus at our corner, who stop at the Riverdale post office right across the street or who live and work within a few blocks. For most of them, the name is odd and unapproachable.
Cannot the memories of home and hearth and camp and BVS be like Shakespeare's rose which may smell as sweet by some other name? Does changing the name mean a break with our identity? I submit that it does not; rather it affirms, strengthens and clarifies our identity to ourselves and the world. Did those who grew up known as and knowing themselves as Dunkers break with their identity when that name was left for history? No, they affirmed it.
As an alternative name, I like "New Baptists". It has an historical basis as one of the ways the Mackite Pietists were referred to in Germany (Neue Täufer) before they came to America. This distinguished them from other groups especially the Mennonites (Alte Täufer) with whom they shared so much. This name would also distinguish us from other Baptist groups suggesting a different kind of Baptist. Furthermore, using the plural form "Baptists" in the official name would emphasize the fact that we are first and foremost a community of individual believing people rather than an expression of some particular doctrine or theology. This pluralized noun would also keep the name fully consistent with the German "täufer". Finally, on this note, "New Baptists" conveys, in part because of the pluralization, a peculiarity retention of which is one argument for keeping the name "brethren". Christians should be peculiar and not worry about what the World thinks of them. However, "brethren" is not only peculiar as a contemporary reference but also incomprehensible and misleading to a lot of folks.
"New Baptists" is preferable to "anabaptist" on at least a couple of grounds. First, "anabaptist" is absolutely incomprehensible to most people. Second, the literal meaning of anabaptist - rebaptizer - implies that the earlier, infant "baptism" was indeed baptism. To the so-called "anabaptists" this was wrong. To them there was no "rebaptism" because the earlier rite was not baptism at all. They were originally called rebaptizers by others - a designation they did not especially appreciate but which, of course, became the common term of self-reference among Brethren and Mennonites. The name "New Baptists" could correct an historic misnomer and bring us right back to our roots.
I've been thinking about this issue for some time; but the recent discussions on "the Name" in Messenger have pushed me into the fray. There seems considerable support for the word "covenant" as part of a new name to convey something of the familial, mutually committed nature of relationships, connections and identity in our denomination. There has also been thought toward using the word "community" in the name to express an identity with and reaching out to the immediate neighborhoods as well as the sense of internal community. How does "Covenant New Baptists" sound; or "Community New Baptists"; or just "New Baptists"?
I hope a vigorous dialogue on the "Name" will arise in our churches, and our districts and our denomination, as we seek to increase and share our gifts with a needy world. Let's be seen as peculiar for our love feast or our non-conformism, or our faithful seeking of the mind and way of Christ - not for a name which is misunderstood and disengaged by many before they even meet us.
Donald Hooker Monroe, Jr
University Park Church of the Brethren - "Community New Baptists of University Park"
Hyattsville, Maryland - Suburban Washington, DC
About the author
Donald Hooker Monroe, Jr. has been a member for almost ten years at University Park Church of the Brethren, Hyattsville, Maryland (where his wife, Kim McDowell, is Pastor). Prior to that he and Kim belonged to Northview Church of the Brethren in Indianapolis for three years and where she served for part of that time as Interim Pastor. He was raised in Presbyterian and American Baptist Churches in Elmira, New York. His connection with (through Kim) and appreciation for the Church of the Brethren since the early eigthies has grown steadily throughout that time.
Hooker (as he is commonly known) holds Masters Degrees in Library Science and Classical Archaeology from the State University of New York at Albany and Indiana University - Bloomington respectively. He is currently employed as Head of Reference and Instructional Services at the Howard University Health Sciences Library in Washington, DC.
