Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies

Painting of Mennonites in the frame of a barn

The Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies (IAMS) encourages research, publishing, and community education on topics in Anabaptist and Mennonite history, culture, and thought. It does this primarily through collaborative publishing ventures, and hosting special events, such as seminars and conferences. The institute also oversees the teaching program in Mennonite Studies.

The institute is interested in all dimensions of Mennonite thought and culture, with emphasis on Anabaptist studies, the Canadian experience of Swiss/Pennsylvania German and Dutch/Russian Mennonites, Mennonites of new ethnicities, and global Mennonitism. Learn more about the Mennonites.

Student Awards and Scholarships

Several awards are available for students interested in Mennonite Studies at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Learn more

Mennonite Heritage Week

In 2019, the Canadian Parliament declared the second week in September to be Mennonite Heritage Week. This occasion offers Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo an opportunity to share about Mennonite history, beliefs, and culture. Read more.

Mennonite Studies

Mennonite Studies is an interdisciplinary minor in the Faculty of Arts that can be combined with existing programs in Arts and other faculties. Mennonites in Canada and around the world express their convictions through a fascinating diversity of religious and cultural practices. Exploring the past and present lives and thought of Mennonites, in all their variety, allows a glimpse into the place of ethnic and religious minorities in twenty-first century society. Learn about the Mennonite Studies program.

logos spelt with two ō, and a middle dot seperating the syllables.
Thursday, September 17, 2026 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

Glenn Fretz: Graphic Design for the Mennonite Community

Logos surround us. How often do we think about the values they convey? This exhibit tells and shows the story of Glenn Fretz’s fifty-year career as a graphic designer and consultant, focusing on his work with Mennonite and non-profit organizations. It also gives a nod to his most ubiquitous work – his redesign of the Trillium symbol for the government of Ontario.

2026 Benjamin Eby Lecture invitation
Thursday, November 19, 2026 7:30 pm - 8:30 pm EST (GMT -05:00)

Credit Worthy

This year's 2026 Benjamin Eby Lecturer is Dr. David Y. Neufeld, Assistant Professor of History, speaking on the topic of "Credit Worthy: Anabaptist Debt and the Material Bases of Coexistence." Early Swiss Anabaptism was defined by its emphasis on separation from the world, a response to authorities’ attempts to repress dissenting communities out of existence. And yet, Anabaptists survived amidst a rural population charged with rejecting them.

Past Events

Friday, February 27, 2026
"The Russlaender Migration: From Revolution to Reflection"  Ontario premiere

Sunday, August 25, 3:00pm - 4:30pm, 2024 St. Matthews Lutheran Church
Saengerfest: A centenary Mennonite song festival

Thursday, September 12, 4:00pm - 5:30pm, 2024
Grebel, 4th Floor
Book Launch | Radicals and Reformers: A Survey of Global Anabaptist History

July 10, 2023, 7:30pm
Knox Presbyterian Church
The Place of Memory: Reflections on the Russlaender Centenary

2022
Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Space

IAMS Book Series

Eby Gorden Christian cover
The Institute of Anabaptist and Mennonite Studies occasionally sponsors publications that reflect its mandate to encourage research in Anabaptist and Mennonite studies. Visit our book series webpage to see more.

Mennonite/s Writing

In 2012 and again in 2014-15, Grebel invited significant Canadian writers to talk about how their writing sensibilities, their careers, and their Mennonite heritage intersect. The authors offered a combined reading/commentary meant to take the audience on a journey that traces how the writer's Mennonite heritage contributed to shaping his or her literary sensibility. Watch the videos from those visits.