Hey, I'm Marnie. Let me tell you a story.

There's a religious group that's been in Canada since 1786. They value community, they're damn good farmers, and they don't fight - in fact, the Mennonites have been one of the core groups of Conscientious Objectors in North America for hundreds of years!

Yes, I said Mennonites. Here's the thing - even if you think you know who we are, there will always be another sub-group you don't know about.

We're living in a polarized world - I think we're well aware of this by now. So often, when we face a culture-wide problem, we try to solve it anew, rather than looking to history for wisdom. This time, I propose we do it differently. Let's look to intra-religious polarization between Mennonites and Mennonite Brethren in Canada and see what we can learn!

These two groups, though they share a history and have shared many beliefs and customs over the years, are at odds with each other. Why? As cousin denominations, how did we get here? And where even are we?

The Schism Between Us is an audio-documentary style podcast series that follows Marnie Klassen (me) as I uncover just where we are, interweaving it with my own story of straddling denominations my whole life.

Will you help me tell this essential story? I believe that making this podcast is offering a gift and a resource to a splintered world - my own ethno-religious group's experience of polarization might just offer something to say to other groups stuggling with religious conflict and rifts.

Your contribution of $50, $500, or even $5,000 helps me tell this story in the most honest I can, with the highest production quality possible! Your money pays my salary so I can go all in on this project for the next 10 months, and it also allows me to pay my expenses for travel and equipment, along with paying all of my collaborators a fair living wage.

Want to follow along and learn more? Follow us on Substack at https://schismaticspod.substack.com, or on Instagram @SchismBetweenPod.

Or, if you want to get to know more about me and my other creative work, check out my personal website at www.marnieklassen.ca.

Thanks so much for getting this far! Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or want to talk about your contribution to telling this essential story.

Yours always,

Marnie