Editor’s Note from February 16, 1979

You may not be a “single,” but in your home church you will find many of them. Chances are they make up the backbone of your congregation, both in their financial support and in the effectiveness of their personal ministry. From two quite different perspectives, Margaret Clarkson (Canadian freelance writer) and Cheryl Forbes (from the editorial staff of CHRISTIANITY TODAY) analyze the role of the single woman in modern society and in the evangelical church. Each offers a short biblically based theology of singleness.

Timothy Smith, one of America’s foremost church historians, sets forth a novel but intriguing interpretation of the role Charles G. Finney played in the development of religious thought. Finney is often remembered as the brilliantly successful evangelist who turned theologian and came to naught. Not so, argues Smith, Finney’s synthetic insight gave American theology a new turn and raised it to new heights.

To round out the issue, Calvin Linton warms our hearts and challenges us to restructure our personal relationship to God; Ed Palmer thrills our soul with octogenarian (March 1979) Frank Gaebelein’s vision of the music of heaven; and David McKenna stirs up our minds to renewed intellectual dedication to Christ. It’s a full issue; it will stretch you—all of you.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

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