John Christian Wenger

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John C. Wenger (December 25, 1910 – March 26, 1995) was an

He was the eldest of five children born to A. Martin Wenger (1884–1960) and his wife, Martha A. Rock (1889–1975).[1] He was born at the Reese H. White farm in Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, which his parents rented.^[1] His family moved in 1923 to Telford, where his father had gotten the job of janitor at the Rockhill Mennonite Church.^[1] Wenger was baptized on May 11, 1924, at the age of 13.^[1] He reported that he was disappointed when he did not feel a sense of "joy" and "Christian assurance" following the practice.^[1]

He attended

With the assistance of Amos David Wenger, the president of the school, John was able to attend Eastern Mennonite School (now Eastern Mennonite University) for two years (1929–1931).^[1] He attended Goshen College for the final two years of college (1932-1934).^[1] One summer, he worked in the brickyard of D.D. Derstine.^[1] He was the vice-president of the junior class, president of the Young People's Christian Association, and a director of the Mennonite Historical Society.^[1] Harold S. Bender helped instill in Wenger the desire to go to seminary.^[1]

Upon his graduation, there was an opening for a minister at Rockhill.^[1] Wenger anticipated being given the position but was rejected because its bishops were uncomfortable with college education.^[1]

On 3 April 1937, Wenger married Ruth Derstine Detweiler (19 December 1906, Sellersville, Pennsylvania - 19 February 1992, Goshen, Indiana). They had four children: Daniel, John, Mary, and Elizabeth.

Career

In 1935, he was invited to write the history of the

In 1965, Wenger was appointed to be a part of the Committee on Biblical Translation.^[1][2] The CBT met between 1965 and 1978 to oversee the translation the New International Version.^[1]

Works

In addition to articles, booklets, and chapters in larger works, Wenger wrote 22 books^[1] such as the following:

• History of the Mennonites of the Franconia Conference, 1937.
• Glimpses of Mennonite History and Doctrine, 1947.
• Separated Unto God, 1951.
• Introduction to Theology, 1954.
• The Mennonites in Indiana and Michigan, 1961.
• Even Unto Death, 1961.
• Mennonite Church in America, 1966.
• God’s Word Written, 1966.
• Disciples of Jesus, 1977.
• The Book We Call the Bible, 1980.

Wenger also edited a number of books including:

• The Complete writings of Menno Simons, Translated by Leonard Verduin, 1956.
• They Met God: A Number of Conversion Accounts and Personal Testimonies of God’s Presence and Leading in the Lives of His Children, 1964.

The NIV is still used today.^[1]

Wenger wrote the chapter on Mennonites in the Encyclopædia Britannica and the Encyclopedia Americana.^[1]

Wenger's personal records are held at the Mennonite Church USA Archives and can be found here.

References