Counterfeit Manhood

A clergy magazine today dare not scoff at men’s secular attempts to seek masculine roots together, when our churches—overwhelmingly female—are not addressing men’s true needs (“Stag Spirituality,” by William Willimon, April 23).

Granted, Jesus came to eliminate “distinctions” of the flesh. But in these times of painful confusion for men, few among us have any deep sense of our masculinity to eliminate. Ask any honest man or—if you want a quicker response—any woman.

Clearly, Shepherd Bliss, with his spirituality of drums and animals, is a pagan fraud. But he’s responding to a deep wound in men that the church has been afraid to recognize and deal with. Men will always prefer a counterfeit manhood until the body of Christ dares offer a vision and experience to call forth and nurture authentic masculinity.

Rev. Gordon Dalbey

Los Angeles, Calif.

I wonder why this attempt to restore or return to a masculine identity? I believe Willimon would understand being a Christian would provide each believer his or her identity. I’m not sure how that process occurs when the person had a faulty identity prior to conversion. Possibly $200 for a weekend to help me recapture what it means to be a man will be money well spent.

Gerald J. Metzdorf, Chaplain

Georgia Department of Corrections

Hardwick, Ga.

I would expect, on seeing a two-page article, that at least the author had attended as a participant or observer of the event billed as “Men’s Soul-Making Weekend.”

Elaine G. Nelson

Fresno, Calif.

Conclusions, Not Principles

It is understandable that a review of four essays (Women in Ministry: Four Views, Books, April 23) has to be selective. It is unfortunate, however, that this required even the very kind review of my contribution, “A Plural Ministry View,” to search for concise conclusions rather than discussing principles. My major emphasis was the importance of framing the right questions and employing a sound methodology. The essay dealt with such relevant contemporary issues as authority, ministry, teaching, ordination, and principles of interpretation.

The conclusions attributed to me were partly correct, but the way individuals and churches work out conclusions must be nuanced by their own ecclesiology. The whole point of my article was the consideration of a “plural” ministry (and plural authority) that avoids vesting power in any individual—whether male or female. Let us continue the discussion in the spirit of the book and of the review.

Walter L. Liefeld

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

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Deerfield, Ill.

“Thank God, They Killed Jesus”

I read with interest Paul Maier’s article “Who Killed Jesus?” [April 9]. For almost 2,000 years Christians have hated Jews, blaming them for killing Jesus. Instead of hating them, it seems to me they should love them for killing Jesus. After all, we are told he had to die in order for sinners to be saved. Can you imagine where Christianity would be today if someone had not killed him? Christians should be proclaiming, “Thank God, they killed him so we could be saved.”

Rev. James C. Lewis

Unity Church of Denver Denver,

Colorado

Man needed a Savior; we all killed him.

Duane Oftedahl

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

The plan of redemption was God’s plan for his glory, initiated and accomplished by him. He accepts full responsibility and glory for it. He will judge the individual acts of those involved. So, where did this idea of blame or guilt originate?

D. K. Reimer

Grosse Pointe Park, Mich.

Taking a Bum Rap for Jesus

When our youth pastor began wearing an earring I tried real hard to remember how much I hated it when “the older folk” used to tell me to get a haircut. Since I’m now one of those folks, I don’t want to make the same mistake of turning young souls off to the gospel.

So when the earring appeared, I just smiled and said, “Nice earring, Steve.”

When he got one of those haircuts where it looks like the barber quit in the middle of the job, I went out of my way to tell him how (heh-heh) nice it looked.

Ditto with the fingerless gloves and biker cap.

And I didn’t comment on his fluorescent green shorts that could have fit Jackie Gleason, but it’s probably better I didn’t.

All in all, I think I’ve taken this pretty well. But I’ve got to admit it bothered me more than just a little when Steve threw a little “rap” into his youth sermon last Sunday night:

Here a little scam ’b-’b-’bout a dude called Jesus,

An’ how he took a rap that put him down but really frees us.

You get the idea.

It’s not that I don’t like rap. I hate it. Especially the kind you hear on certain radio stations where too many of the words are just plain indecent.

What really bothers me is that try as I might, I can’t stop rappin’ myself. It’s gettin’ in my mind an makes me even think in rhyme. My wife is goin’ crazy cuz I’m rappin’ all da time. So brothers hit your knees an’ say a prayer or two for me. I’m slidin’ fast from evangelical civility!

EUTYCHUS

Frustrated Fiction Writers

I understand and experience some of Pamela Urfer’s frustration [“Stop Rejecting Fiction,” Speaking Out, April 9], Converted at an early age and raised in the church, I write in the most comfortable language for me—religious jargon. Now I seek to stimulate my imagination and improve my craft, and need exposure to writers who communicate to nonbelievers. But timely, high-quality fiction by believers is rare.

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Christian readers must pray for and encourage believers who write fiction. Such writers must be given a place of ministry to present the gospel to those in need of the truth.

Kay Singbusch

Plainview, Minn.

Adults don’t read fiction to learn or be inspired. They read it for entertainment and/or escape. There is no other legitimate reason to read fiction. Secular publishing houses understand that, which is why their fiction is a big success. Christian publishing houses have never understood that—which is why their fiction (what little there is) has always been a disaster. Good fiction hits the emotions, not the intellect.

Try explaining this to Christian publishers and they get upset and consider you out of line.

Ralph Filicchia

Watertown, Mass.

When my first novel was rejected, it wasn’t because of topic or setting or the presence (or absence) of the “Four Spiritual Laws.” My book was rejected simply because its characters and plot were flawed. But instead of sitting down to write a “Speaking Out” column, I sat down to rewrite my novel.

Robert Bittner

South Elgin, Ill.

Reinforcing Segregation?

Your editorial “Do the Hard Thing” [April 9] puzzles me. Why do we have NAE (largely white) and NBEA (all black) organizations? In my opinion, Christians are Christians regardless of their race, creed, or color. It seems senseless to say white Christians or black Christians. Articles like this and regular media coverage do more to segregate than the persons involved.

Frances M. DeLay

Griffin, Ga.

How parochial to suggest that the white church needs to “repent of racism.” Racism lives on both sides of the track.

Rev. Ken Massey

First Baptist Church

Marks, Miss.

The effort of NAE and NBEA to make a position statement is laudable, but I fear it will have little real effect. The breadth and depth of racism is appalling in America in general, but in the church it is to be deplored. The final common pathway of social acceptance is relationship of a close personal nature. Until people place principle and love of God above racial considerations and allow for the possibility of love relationships between races, the claims come up empty to a large portion of the populace.

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Donald C. Thompson, Ph.D., M.D.

Morristown, Tenn.

On Intellectual Responsibility

In response to “Trouble at Grace” [News, April 9], there is no doubt in the minds of hundreds of us who matriculated that John Whitcomb is “Mr. Grace.” Most students there were attracted to Grace through his influence and ministry. The problem Whitcomb addresses is one many of us are confronted with. A new generation of faculty members are hired who do not adhere to the doctrinal standards held by predecessors and mentors. It is fashionable to be intellectually respected and accepted, even at the expense of biblical truth!

Kudos to Whitcomb for following in the footsteps of another polemicist from his alma mater—J. Gresham Machen!

John P. Pisarek

The First Baptist Church

Parkton, Md.

Resolving South Africa’S Crisis

In his guest editorial, “The Mandela Moment” (April 23), Michael Cassidy suggested Christian principles for the resolution of the conflict in South Africa. He did not say Mandela needs to turn from his support for the South African Communist party. If he did this, Mandela would retain his revolutionary agenda, yet reveal he is not controlled by the Communists.

Robert S. Rapp

Leola, Pa.

Park Ridge Center Not Sex Study Origin

With regard to the news item on clergy sexual behavior [“Sad State of Affairs,” April 9], the study was not conducted by the Park Ridge Center but by the Center for Ethics and Social Policy (Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, Calif.).

Donna Ray The Park Ridge Center

Chicago, Ill.

Pray For The Police

After reading “YFC Worker Claims Police Harass Street Youth” [News, Feb. 19], as a police officer and a Christian, I take offense at the distorted, one-sided allegations made by Gordon McLean.

I am a 13-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and a sergeant with the gang crime unit. I have spent my entire career in the neighborhoods of Chicago dealing with street gangs and have seen firsthand the violence, suffering, and carnage that result from their gangbanging. Not once does McLean tell us how these gang members drop out of school, prefer “partying” to working, derive their income from selling narcotics, robberies, and burglaries, impregnate their teenage girlfriends, not to mention the ongoing shootings and murders. Instead, he portrays these gang members as innocent victims of “an ongoing pattern of harassment” by police officers. McLean considers gang members his friends and police officers the enemy. When I leave for work, I know I may never return home to my family, perhaps killed by one of these gang members who also view me and my uniform as “the enemy.”

I commend McLean for his work in trying to bring gang members to Christ. I just wish he didn’t feel the need to tear down members of the law-enforcement community. It would have been refreshing to read he is praying for the police officers of Chicago.

Thomas D. Northfell

Chicago, Ill.

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