Dr. Ann Hostetler, professor of English, Goshen College, Goshen, Ind., will present her speech titled, “Conflict and Creativity: Shunning and its Legacy in Amish and Mennonite Communities,” on Tuesday, April 4 at 11 a.m. in Stutzman Lecture Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

This will be the C. Henry Smith Peace Lecture for 2017. The lectureship honors the late professor who taught at Bluffton for 35 years, from 1913-48, after spending 10 years at Goshen College. Smith was known for his books on Mennonite history and the peace tradition of the Mennonite churches. After his death in 1948, his estate established a trust in his name that funds projects—including the lectureship—that promote the Mennonite peace message.

The lectureship is awarded each year to a faculty member from one of the Mennonite colleges, with priority given to Goshen and Bluffton faculty. The chosen faculty member must prepare a lecture that promotes the Mennonite peace stance, then present it at Bluffton and Goshen and at other schools and on other occasions as invited. 

Hostetler will explore the impact of a shunning on three generations of an Amish family between 1930 and 2000. She hopes to stimulate a conversation about the legacy of shunning on internal conflict in and among Mennonite churches. 

While few Mennonite churches actively practice shunning, its binary structure has affected the approach to church and conference divisions. Hostetler will discuss structures to foster inclusive and creative conversations. 

Hostetler is the author of a book of poems titled, “Empty Room with Light,” and is the editor of an anthology titled, “A Cappella: Mennonite Voices in Poetry.” Her poems and essay have appeared in numerous magazines and scholarly journals. She also serves as the English department chair at Goshen College where she has taught literature and creative writing since 1998. In 2010, Hostetler taught at two German universities. Additionally, she serves as the website editor for the Center for Mennonite Writing.