Letters

Our Constitution: A Starting Point

Christians are indebted to Charles Colson for reminding us we must keep our focus on things that are absolute [“Is the Constitution Out of Date?” Aug. 8]. However, in affirming that, we must also deny the claims of many things that claim to be absolute. The Law of God is absolute; the law of the U.S. Constitution is not.

The framers of the Constitution lacked omniscience to anticipate modern police techniques, widespread pornography, extreme pluralism—or even public schools. Thus, a literal interpretation of their “intent” would render the Constitution irrelevant in these areas. The written law gives us a starting point, but its application is rarely entirely clear.

DAVE SHINKLE

Bloomington, Ind.

Colson is right when he says “human language is God’s ordained instrument for communicating truth.” That being the case, why do we have to figure out what the framers of the Constitution intended? The Constitution is human language in written form, and it can speak for itself. When we want to know what John or Paul intended we study the documents they produced in Scripture. We ought to handle the Constitution the same way.

MARVIN MOORE

Boise, Idaho

Unity Among World Christians

Concerning “Worldwide Evangelical Body Adopts a Major Statement on Catholicism” [News, Aug. 8]: As both a Roman Catholic and a recent graduate of Wheaton College, I consider myself evangelical. I am offended by a document that states, “Obstacles in Roman Catholicism … seriously impeded fellowship and cooperation with evangelicals.” Are we not all Christians striving to live a Christlike life in a fallen world? Would Jesus want us to exclude a whole group of believers from fellowship and opportunity to learn from each other, while acting in the spirit of Matthew 7:1–5? I am afraid the unity WEF says they achieved cannot be true unity if it excludes a Christian denomination from fellowship.

DAWN SOPRON

Glendale Heights, Ill.

The document notes favorable trends in Roman Catholicism, including a greater emphasis on the authority of the Bible as opposed to tradition. Since tradition in the Catholic church means the unwritten Word of God, such a trend could develop only among pseudo-Catholics. It would be ridiculous for the magisterium of the church to advocate such an absurd position.

REV. F. FREDERICK MONTEIRO

Akron, Ohio

Encouraging The “Little” Places

V. Gilbert Beers’s “Big Footprints from Small Churches,” [Aug. 8] is encouraging for small congregations. Thank you for columns like this. They are deeply appreciated by those involved in the “little” places.

REV. CLAIRE E. HARSTAD

American Missionary Fellowship

Villanova, Pa.

As I read Beers, I shed a few tears. In a day when the church is becoming a high-tech industry, too often the small congregation, rural or urban, is left with an inferiority complex. How can a small band with limited resources compete with an electronic church that offers multi-million-dollar cathedrals in California and a heavily adorned singer in North Carolina? God has called us to be faithful, not necessarily successful.

REV. CHRISTIAN ELLIOTT

Knobsville Church of the Brethren

Marrisonville, Pa.

Persecuted Or Persecutor?

Your portrayal of Christian Identity [“White Supremacists Take on Trappings of Religion” News, Aug. 8] is a fine work of persecution, because it is a good half-truth. The Bible says, “… that we must through tribulation enter into the Kingdom of YAHWEH” (Acts 14:22). I would rather be the persecuted than the persecutor!

DONALD H. ROSSMAN

Rochester, N.Y.

In-fested

These days it’s hard to imagine a month without a fest.

I first heard the word years ago as Octoberfest, a fall celebration with a German flavor. It was a happy word. Sprightly. Upbeat. Fresh.

But the word has been married countless times in recent years to a series of assorted nouns. We’ve seen Blueberry-fests, Musicfests, Jokefests.

This simple word transforms ordinary gatherings into events. Few people care about an auto parts show. But who would miss Gearfest?

I’m afraid the church is missing a golden opportunity. Yes, I’ve seen an occasional Jesusfest, but we’ve only begun to tap the transforming power of the word. Think of all the tired, broken-down meetings that could be rehabilitated.

Instead of the dreaded Stewardship Sunday, we could have Moneyfest! Instead of a dull missions conference, why not Sendfest? Board meetings, if they haven’t already, could become Gabfests.

And if anyone is afraid of being too trendy, we can always point out that Martin Luther, famous for his heroic Reformation efforts, is the father of the current fest craze. In the 1500s he penned “A Mighty Fortress” under the German title, “Ein’ feste burg.”

As the old saying goes, you’ve got to put fest things first.

EUTYCHUS

Manifesting God’S Power

Thanks for Tim Stafford’s fair, open-minded article [“Testing the Wine from John Wimber’s Vineyard,” Aug. 8]. I thank God for Wimber’s ministry and vision for equipping others to do God’s work. I am a Presbyterian pastor who believes we need more manifestation of God’s power in our denomination.

REV. JEFF DYBDAHL

Central College Presbyterian Church

Westerville, Ohio

Your article comes very close to being a put-down of the thousands of sincere, godly pastors who hold to sound biblical doctrine. Even with “signs and wonders” operating through the disciples in the apostolic church, there seems to be no evidence of “boom churches.” Is 45 minutes of nonstop singing worship or entertainment?

PASTOR R. J. CAMERON

Somerset, N.J.

This year I celebrate(?) the 60th anniversary of the accident that left me a paraplegic. Yet I have served the Lord as pastor, denominational administrator, and theological seminary professor. I did not have to be healed to experience the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. I have not known any Christian seriously ill or injured who did not pray for healing. Is Wimber saying that neither I nor any of the hundreds who prayed for my healing had “enough” faith?

CARL A. CLARK

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

San Angelo, Tex.

When I became a Christian 20 years ago it was common for my friends and me to hold “deep” discussions on whether the fruit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit are more important. In pitting Joni Earickson vs. John Wimber you have effectively done the same.

REV. JACK A. HICKMAN

Columbus, Ohio

What a helpful presentation! The Jesus who promised “even greater things” in John 14:12 did not ask for healings and exorcisms for his followers in his crucial prayer in John 17. Instead, he indicated that the power for evangelism would be our unity. Did that “sign” not elude the experience at Fuller? To the Corinthian Vineyard, Paul suggested some practical demonstrations “to show that the supreme power belongs to God.” I find the list interesting in light of what John Wimber considers deficient.

REV. THOMAS GESHAY

Calvary Baptist Church

Morro Bay, Calif.

We’ve been bombarded with a Theology of Prosperity by the cable masters (Bakker, Tilson, et al) and now a Theology of Power (Wimber and Co.). Can a Theology of Pleasure be far behind? Whoops, only 10 pages to the intimate dancing of Barnett’s aberrant group.

REV. MIKE WOMACK

Calvary Baptist Church

Erwin, Tenn.

If God’s power is truly being released for John Wimber (as it seems to be), then it ought to be available to everyone. Maybe we haven’t been looking.

REV. JACKIE M. ENGLISH

Marble Falls, Tex.

I would put Wimber in a bigger Renewal “movement that is changing the church worldwide.”

COLLEEN ERZINGER

Castlegar, B.C., Canada

I feel sorry for people who swallow this man’s ticket to greater spirituality. And I’m surprised at you for not taking a stand either way.

FRANK VIOLANTE

Lancaster, Pa.

I don’t understand why your magazine would want to make a travesty of a minister and congregation to make him look extravagant or absurd. I sense this brother is preaching a gospel for the whole man.

REV. JOHN W. LITTLEFIELD

Church of Christianity

Hollywood, Calif.

Dancing For God?

Reading “A Pastor Claims Dancing, Hand-holding in Church Are Part of a Move of God” (News, Aug. 8), I was astonished that there are such “pastors” permitted to serve in a Christian church that is supposed to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. If Donald Barnett has such extraordinary dancing tendencies, why doesn’t he join some dancing or night club?

M. G. KARKLINA

I believe this is part of a larger problem—of experience versus sound theology. Too many people base their theology upon feelings or experiences. I am afraid we have substituted feelings for faith or even experience for Christianity.

JASON HOLLOPETER

Selinsgrove, Pa.

We have been warning the Christian community about Community Chapel for over two years. Our own investigation shows that what Ron Enroth wrote was not only accurate, but that there was even more he could have written about.

TIMOTHY BROWN, DIRECTOR

The Colossian Fellowship Seattle, Wash.

Emily Dickinson’S Honesty

Thank you, very much, for Thomas Becknell’s “The Ache for Faith,” on the hundredth anniversary of Emily Dickinson’s death [Aug. 8]. Reading her poetry in the article was a breath of honesty in our posturing world.

I believe in many ways Dickinson’s poetry embodies the prayer of the New Testament father, “I believe, help my unbelief!” There is, however, a certain degree of firm faith shining in some of her poems. It is her honesty that has endeared her to so many of us. “Thundering hallelujahs and the nibbling tooth of doubt form the dynamic tension in her work”—and in ours, if we are as honest as she was.

DR. W. WINGER

Browncroft Community Church

Rochester, N.Y.

Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here.