Letters to the Editor

Not All Good or All Bad

In a day when culture wars are polarizing people inside and outside the church, it was refreshing to read Tim Stafford’s balanced reporting of “The Therapeutic Revolution” [May 17].

There are dangers in substituting psychological techniques for dependence on the Holy Spirit, but there are also many ways in which Christian counseling can free us up to love one another more wholeheartedly.

It’s just too simplistic to say that psychology is either all good or all bad.

Kevin Offner

Cambridge, Mass.

Yesterday I received in the same mail CT and U.S. News—each with a cover article on psychotherapy. Thanks for a timely look at this subject. I hope CT is considering follow-through pieces—perhaps a forum made up of Christians who have gone through therapy.

David Hazard

Lincoln, Va.

There cannot be “theologically sound” books from the psychology movement as the movement is based on fundamental doctrines laid down by Sigmund Freud. Karl Popper, Nobel laureate and internationally respected philosopher of science, has observed that the movement is decidedly pseudoscientific. He rightfully concluded that it lies in the same realm as astrology or Marxism. The theories can neither be proven true nor false, thus placing those theories outside of science and into mere speculation.

Freud knew and wrote that his theories and related practices stood in total opposition to Christianity. What a tragic day when the church adopts his theories but rejects this teaching!

Gary L. Almy, M.D.

Assoc. Clinical Prof. of Psychiatry

Edward J. Hines, Jr., Hospital

Maywood, Ill.

You are correct in saying that “the leadership in the psychology movement seems fundamentally in sync with Bible-belt belief and culture.”

Sadly, they have chosen to be in sync with the culture rather than with the Bible; thus we have an increasing absence of the blessed, uncomfortable truth of God’s Word.

Carol K. Tharp, M.D.

Winnetka, Ill.

There is a statement within the article saying I no longer practice medicine. The truth is that I no longer practice “outpatient” medicine, but I continue to have a thriving “inpatient” practice in the Dallas area.

Paul Meier, M.D.

Minirth-Meier Clinic

Richardson, Tex.

Fantasy far from the truth

The ecumenical tone of Calvin Miller’s “The Cardinal and Brother Buckskin” [May 17] presents a beautiful fantasy, but it is far from the truth. The Holy Spirit cannot be a part of any activity counter to the Word he has given us.

Gerald E. Beers

Nooksack, Wash.

Delightful and insightful! The words of that testimony danced off the page and produced bubbles of joy in my heart!

Too often we in the Christian confessional community take our “doctrinal statements” and use them like overlays to assess (correct) the spiritual witness and presentation of another in the family of Christ. There’s never a perfect match. There is always a “Shibboleth” that we find mispronounced!

Oh, that our analyses could be seasoned with more salt and less insult!

Paul Hagedorn

Jacksonville, Oreg.

I Don’T Get No Support

On weeknights, our church is filled with recovery and support groups for people with all kinds of problems. In addition to the Alcoholics Anonymous and weight-control groups that meet in our church basement, our pastor recently helped form a prayer and support group for Parents of Teens—which our church secretary insists on abbreviating as the “POT group” on the church calendar. Some of us feel left out.

I think it’s about time to start a sympathy-and-sharing group for hemorrhoid sufferers. In spite of the fact that we’re now talking openly about child abuse, spouse abuse, and even clergy sexual abuse, nobody is yet willing to use the dreaded H-word in public.

How do you locate the hemorrhoid creams in your local supermarket? Look for the shoppers in trenchcoats, dark glasses, and fake moustaches.

Why the cloak-and-dagger look? We don’t get no respect. And not much sympathy either. If you dare to mention, sotto voce, that you’re suffering from hemorrhoids, you get a smirking “I’m sorry,” but nothing from the heart.

Today, it seems the only way to get respect is as a victim. So I propose that our church organize a victim identification seminar. We could give it a spiritual-sounding name like VINE (which would stand for Victim Identification and Networking Event). Like the workshops we have to help people identify their spiritual gifts, this ministry would help people recognize their particular victimization and channel them into the right support groups. Actually, I don’t care what group I get into, as long as I get some sympathy—and a soft chair.

Oops!

The conversion of £1 million to $656,560 [World Scene, May 17] is in error. £1 million equals $1,523,200. The British pound has always been worth more than the U.S. dollar.

Richard Parvin

Clearwater, Fla.

How disappointing! And we already had our bags packed for a week in the Lake District!

—Eds.

L.A. riot “doublespeak”

As a minister for 27 years to one of the 7,000 churches in Los Angeles, naturally I went to your cover story of April 26, “L.A. After the Ashes.” The positive spin Andrés Tapia gave our city was what the rest of America needs to hear.

But there’s another side we cannot ignore. When all the purveyors of sociological doublespeak stop to catch their breath, the riot of April/May 1992 was about good versus evil. Most people conducted themselves with Christian, or at least civil, restraint. A few hundred incited a few thousand to do evil, which they were only too happy to do.

For all the good the churches did, some were part of the problem. We woke up the Sunday morning after the civil-rights trial verdicts (April 18) to see in the Los Angeles Times the face of the Rev. Cecil Murray of First AME Church celebrating the guilty verdicts given the two policemen. Murray was one of the loudest supporters of citizens who chose to riot and one of the severest critics of police who tried to “protect and serve” the citizens. At our multiracial congregation, we wept for all the failure of humanity the verdicts represented.

May God help his people not to exchange the cross and the empty tomb for political axes and empty words!

Rev. William Pile

Christ’s Church in the City

Los Angeles, Calif.

The text of the cover story was well written. However, the photo and caption, “Waging peace: L.A. Christians march for reconciliation along L.A.’s riot-torn streets” (p. 44), may have misled readers to conclude that Los Angeles is enjoying a renaissance of racial reconciliation, owing to visible efforts on the part of its evangelical church body. Unfortunately, that is not true.

Except for limited street witnessing conducted by neighborhood evangelical church bodies in their own localities, “L.A. Christians” have not been “march[ing] for reconciliation along L.A.’s riot-torn streets,” nor “waging peace” since the riots. L.A. has far from experienced a ministration of racial reconciliation by the Christian community at large.

Pastor Mark Gitelson

Lord of Hope Christian Fellowship

Pasadena, Calif.

My photo and those of my Christian street-ministry group appear on the cover and page 44 of the April 26 issue but our names were not listed.

I am John McKinney, and my loyal, white friend next to me is Mike Plesset. We are members of WE CARE, a Christian street-ministry group, who march every Saturday through the drug/gang area of Pasadena [not L.A.], witnessing our faith. Most are from Lake Avenue Congregational Church in Pasadena.

John L. McKinney

Glendale, Calif.

Too many ships, not enough crew

As recently as one year ago, I would have disagreed with Donald McCullough’s argument [“Staying with the Ship,” April 26]. Within the last year, however, I have observed one stylish, little yacht set out on its own. As passengers of the old schooner, we were hopping back and forth between the schooner and the yacht, not sure which crew we should help. The little yacht, after a few months on its own, seemed to be holding its own and staying on course; but then, suddenly, a small group of this already small crew started building a new yacht and set sail on it.

We still haven’t joined a crew, but we are observing three vessels: the two smaller boats lack necessary supplies, and all three are struggling with too few crew members to do the work. McCullough’s article validated my newfound respect for the “efficiency of tradition.”

Jan Stroethoff

Missoula, Mont.

McCullough’s article repeatedly errs in equating institutional Christianity with the church. Thankfully, a host of martyrs, confessors, and Reformers have thought otherwise.

Rev. James Kenneth Brandyberry

Indianapolis, Ind.

Thanks to McCullough for making such a strong case. There are several little “worshiping” groups here made up largely of “refugees” from our church. Their stewardship consists mostly of maintaining their facilities and paying a pastor. When I think of the contribution we might have made to world evangelism had we heeded Paul’s admonition to “bend every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” I want, alternately, to weep and scream.

Daniel C. Esau

Roanoke, Va.

As a church historian I get some interesting mail. Not knowing exactly what to do with it, I translated it from Latin and am passing it on to you. I have no doubt about the letter’s authenticity.

Dear Editors,

Thank you for publishing Donald McCullough’s essay against renewal. I wonder, however, how if Luther “remained committed to the ship” he and his followers are not now on board. I gave them the chance to stay on board after their mutiny failed, but they preferred their own crafts to the ship I ran. McCullough is exactly right to say that there is only one ship, and I am especially pleased that he identifies that one ship with one particular human organization. Anyone who leaves the organization I headed is indeed a mutineer. As Peter’s successor, I look forward to McCullough’s submission to my successor.

Infallibly,

Pope Leo X, 1513–21

Prof. Charles E. White

Spring Arbor College

Spring Arbor, Mich.

Real men

I would like to respond to John Wilson’s review of my book, The Real Man Inside [April 26]. First, he said my assertion that “the unconscious houses our spiritual side, or our soul, including the stamp of God’s image” was “an astonishing statement,” but never indicated why. I meant it not as a clinical pronouncement, but as one way of explaining how God indwells us. We know only a tiny fraction of our finite selves, and even less of our infinite God, in a conscious way. So where would the “rest” be, if not in our unconscious?

Second, Wilson said psychology has gained an “overweening authority” among evangelicals. Not! I only wish good psychology played a greater role. Psychologists, anthropologists, and some men’s movement leaders have provided valuable insights that all Christians can explore in light of our faith. What I’m trying to say in my book is, let the exploring begin.

Verne Becker

Piermont, N.Y.

John Wilson, in his review of my book Father & Son [April 26], says my argument allows that “real men need not keep the 10 commandments.” Rather, it proclaims that real men do not settle for knowing the commands over knowing the Commander. Biblical commandments, in fact, are demonstrable truth given by a loving Father to his children, after establishing his enduring, saving relationship with them.

Rev. Gordon Dalbey

Los Angeles, Calif.

Harmony in Frontiers

With all due respect, the article [“Frontiers on the Frontline,” News, April 26] is a serious compromise both to truth and the security of the men currently incarcerated in Egypt.

The U.S. board resigned of their own volition and stated their continued support of Frontiers and the leadership of Greg Livingstone. There was a philosophical parting of ways, but in no way was this the kind of hostile takeover implied by your article.

Furthermore, the naming of the people in prison, associating them with Frontiers, and disclosing the name of the secular business under which they operate will undoubtedly jeopardize their position.

I wish to state for the record that the Canadian office of Frontiers fully supports the international leadership of Frontiers and the U.S. director, Rick Love.

Bob Granholm

Executive Director

Frontiers, Canada

CT News initially contacted Greg Livingstone, founder of Frontiers Inc., who released the names of men held in Egypt and freely explained their link to Frontiers. The three Americans and one New Zealander have been safely released (see June 21 issue, p. 60). CT News withholds the names of overseas missionaries in dangerous situations at the request of sponsoring organizations.

—Eds.

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