Stranger In This Land

Book Review: The Fugitive by Myron Augsburger

Feb 10, 2010 reviews

Menno Simmons is “The Fugitive”,  a former Catholic Priest to a Radical Reformer and Hunted Fugitive

It’s 1544. Menno Simmons, a leader in the new-and persecuted-free church movement, is on the run from the authorities in the Netherlands. With a price on his head, he stops to catch his breath on a darkened farm. He prays, “Lord, what do I do now?” – From the back of “The Fugitive”

Though I like to read, it isn’t often that I read a book that is fiction. I am not one to read novels or fictional stories. Besides some special classical reads, I can probably count on one hand how many times I have read a book classified as “Fiction”. However, in 2008, I read a book that grabbed my attention of the bookshelves at the Mennonite Historical Society in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “The Fugitive” is a book about Menno Simmons, one of the most influential pastoral voices in the foundation of the peaceful sect of Anabaptists known as Mennonites.

While the book is classified as fictional, there are many accurate historical pieces that make this story complete, and somewhat Non-Fictional. Myron S. Augsburger did an amazing job on this book. When I picked it up, I assumed it would be a good read, but I didn’t expect it to be the great read it was, that was simply at times, for me, hard to put to down. With the Forward and Epilogue included in the count, the book runs 392 pages long, and as I look back on this read – it didn’t even feel like that long at all. The story held a little something for everyone; history, story, romance, adventure and drama, but to my delight it didn’t “stray” to far from believable or what we could truthfully assume about the life of Menno Simmons. Straying off the path too far with assumptions and liberties would have ruined it for me.

The basic point of the book is putting form and foundation to the times and everyday feel to the life of Menno Simmons and to help visualize his story as he stepped out of the Catholic Church as a highly respected Catholic Priest and into a underground and persecuted movement of peaceful Anabaptists. The book draws on historical accuracies and real pieces of Menno Simmons recorded history and writings to piece together the colorful story of a true Fugitive, who was on the run for his beliefs from both the Catholic Church and from the leaders of the Protestant reformation. He was a man that was so wanted, anyone caught housing him was put to death – and many were. This book beautifully pieces together fact with fiction, and paints a picture that placed within me a even deeper and more enriched appreciation of my Mennonite & Anabaptist Heritage. It safely and skillfully explores his day to day, his friends, his family and his faith.

My fellow Anabaptists (Amish, Brethren, Brethren In Christ, Mennonites and others), you will find this book as a fresh mold breaker to the way we see our heritage and understand the life in which our movement and family lived, breathed and descended from. You will see the seeds of our differences take shape and see some division and problems of the time root in the beginning, and be able to follow them to the modern day differences we hold as Anabaptists.

However, I find this book so much more then just another book for the Anabaptist shelf. This book is a read just about anyone would enjoy, it doesn’t preach theology but shows you how a influential leader in this movement did live out his theology. If you seek books with historical accuracy, you will enjoy “The Fugitive” as it follows Menno Simmons from Catholic priest to Radical Reformer to hunted fugitive. It has been many generations since Menno Simmons lived on this earth, but his radical work has echos in the Catholic Church, the Anabaptist Movement and the Protestant Reformation. Come learn, about a side of the history we too long overlook and have forgotten the face for.

“If we wish to save our neighbor’s soul by the help of the Spirit and the Word of our Lord, or if we see our neighbors in need or in danger, driven forth for the Word of the Lord, then we should not close our doors to them. We should receive them in our houses and share our food, aid them, and comfort and assist them in their troubles. We should risk our lives for our brethren, even if we know beforehand that it will be at the cost of our own lives. This example we have in Christ who for our sakes did not spare himself, but willingly gave up his life, in order that we might live through him.
– Menno Simmons

The Fugitive by Myron S. Augsburger
Herald Press
www.heraldpress.com
1.800.245.7894