Related articles and links |  1 of 3

Christianity Today's November cover story ["Hunger Isn't History"] thankfully included the most overlooked and unpopular aspect of world hunger: It could be avoided. We like to think we have done something by sending boatloads of food, but this approach will never solve the institutional problem; people need to be allowed to sustain agriculture in their own lands.

The crux of the problem is that the governments of the nations with the most starving people are not properly using the assets provided by more secure nations. Haiti, North Korea, and Zimbabwe are all examples of having poor or nonexistent agricultural investment for their own populations. What would happen if the world were to hold the leadership of hungry nations accountable for investing in food production infrastructure and post-harvest storage? Were we to give investment aid to those in need—but only in financial-package increments for meeting sustainable benchmarks—we might see some examples of management of food assets like in the days of Joseph in Egypt.

Mike Mueller
Executive Director, Hope Seeds
Bradenton, Florida

I agree with CT's November editorial "Misunderstanding Sarah" that gender is "neither qualification nor impediment to any other endeavor." While some believe women can lead a country but not a church, the Bible consistently celebrates women like Deborah, whose leadership as judge and prophet influenced all of Israel. Huldah was also a prophet whose leadership brought sweeping reform. When the Book of the Law was discovered (2 Chron. 34:14-33; 2 Kings 22), King Josiah and his committee sought Huldah's advice rather than Zephaniah's or Jeremiah's, both of whom were prophets during this time.

The legacy of women's leadership continues in the early Christian community. Here we find female house-church leaders like Nympha and Lydia (Acts 16:13-15, 40), Chloe (1 Cor. 1:11), Apphia (Phm. 1:2), the Elect Lady (2 John 1), and Priscilla (Acts 18:2, 18-19, 26; Rom. 16:3). We also note the female apostle Junia (Rom. 16:7) and deacon Phoebe (Rom. 16:1). Scripture celebrates women leading Israel's army, advising Israel's prophets, priests, and kings, and serving as apostles, deacons, and house-church leaders.

God delights in using whomever he wishes despite the expectations of ancient or modern people. Scripture provides no refuge to those who grant women opportunities for leadership in the secular sphere but exclude them from leadership in the spiritual sphere. Just as the gifts of leadership are not restricted by gender, neither are the arenas in which these gifts are used. Thousands stand with Kenneth Kantzer in affirming the biblical basis for service in any realm, regardless of gender.

Mimi Haddad
President, Christians for Biblical Equality
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Let's not be so quick to blame the ignorance of mainstream media in their expecting evangelicals to be upset about Bristol Palin's pregnancy. I don't recall any grace extended to President Clinton by mainstream evangelicals. And can you imagine the harrumphing that would have gone on had Chelsea Clinton become pregnant at 17? Let's confess that we have often deserved the reputation of being judgmental.

Mary VanderVennen
Toronto, Ontario

With chagrin I read the article "Islam According to Gallup" [November]. To say that it soft-pedals Islam is an understatement. The interviewer should have asked more probing questions or offered some refutation to what Islamic scholar Dalia Mogahed gave an ignorant public.

next page... |  1 of 3

share this page

December (Web-only) 2008, Vol. 53