Jury service

There is no clear guideline mandated by the church regarding jury duty; it is considered a matter of personal choice. Most Mennonites are willing to serve on a jury, provided that the issue of the death penalty isn’t at hand, but some feel that to do so is participation in government that goes beyond their comfort zone. Additionally, we are instructed not to sit in judgment of another (Matthew 7:1-2), or to swear oaths (Matthew 5:34); this makes the issue difficult for many Mennonites. Historically, there was more resistance to serving jury duty, and many Mennonites refused to do so. More recently, though, Mennonites feel more comfortable serving on a jury.