I've been a public high-school teacher in L.A. for 15 years ["School Choice of a Different Kind," April]. My three kids went to public school and are highly educated, loving God with all their hearts, souls, and minds. My administrators remain quite hostile to Christian activities on campus, but the other Christian teachers and I have found ways to work around them. If not for parents, teachers, and pastors who believe in supporting their local public school—who are like the Christians in this report—so many more students in my area would be utterly hopeless.
Pia Hugo
E-mail
The willingness of the couples in April's cover story to benefit a community by living and participating in it is inspiring. But before we conclude that their actions are models for a universal solution, several things should be considered. Principally, the choice that the couples made to send their children to a local school.
Children are to be nurtured, not sent into potentially harmful situations as deputy missionaries. Chimborazo School was being reformed by a dedicated principal, and that school was open to cooperation with churches. But there are schools that are unreformed, or hostile to Christian influence, or anti-Christian in their agendas. In such cases a different course of action would surely be warranted.
Ted Hewlett
E-mail
Why We Serve
In "'Crucified under Pontius Pilate'" [April], it seems that only a partial solution is given to the theological and emotional problem that haunts me. The author used the word abstract several times. To me there is nothing abstract about the biblical line drawn repeatedly between the saved and the lost. "One way" and "no other name" are the words that motivated me to spend 43 years in Asia seeking to bring Muslims into the kingdom.
If I had read this article in my youth, I would have felt that the God who is good and just and loving did not need my help in evangelizing Muslims. But I was compelled to preach, and I'm so glad I did. In the final day, God will sort out the wrenching issues that confound and pain me. In the meantime, I am grateful that I understood my responsibility in co-partnering with God in my proclamation and in his grace.
Phil Parshall
SIM
Sebring, Florida
Fully in Charge
I commend Ben Witherington for showing his heart and sharing his vulnerability with the death of his daughter, Christy ["When a Daughter Dies," April]. However, I must take issue with the portrait of a good and loving God who is as much at the mercy of the curse caused by sin and resultant heartaches as we are. I wholeheartedly agree that God is good and loving, but I insist that he is also absolutely sovereign. As someone has said, "God is either sovereign of all or he is not sovereign at all." The latter leaves us at the mercy of confusion and chaos when we experience the ravages of sin and death. The former, however, gives us hope and help in the midst of our grief and heartache.
There is no biblical doctrine of partial sovereignty. I seldom understand what God is doing, nor do I always like it, but the problem is my myopic perspective and self-centeredness, not the plan and purpose of God.
Bruce A. Pickell
Alabaster, Alabama
Worshiping Art
How can the article "Discipling the Eyes" [April] be reconciled with the first commandment? I grew up in a church that had a great deal of artwork in the form of pictures and statues. People often paid homage to those images by kneeling before them and kissing them. The artwork did not inspire holistic, Christlike, and Spirit-filled Christians. In Europe, I saw cathedrals with great art on the outside and the inside, yet dead like a tomb. What Christianity needs is more of the Spirit and less of the art.
Jamil Qandah
Pastor,
Oak Lawn Arabic Church of theNazarene
Chicago, Illinois
Give Peace a Chance
Thank you for publishing Sunday Agang's article "Breaking Nigeria's Fatal Deadlock" [April]. Most Christian reports coming out of areas with sectarian violence vilify the enemies (in this case, Muslims) and inform us Americans in a way that justifies the violent response by Christians. Sadly, Jesus' teaching to love our enemies has fallen on deaf ears worldwide. Though the events being reported out of Nigeria are absolute tragedies, it was encouraging to read a Christian response that respected the imago dei of those on each side of the violence. Creative, active nonviolence will help break a vicious cycle of murder, and Agang's work in just peacemaking is a testament to that truth all of us need to see.
Tyler Glodjo
Jackson, Tennessee
Animals in Afterlife?
In an issue full of deeply thoughtful articles dealing with death, the process of truth discovery being destroyed by mistaken ideas of tolerance, and suffering in Africa, I flip the page and find two pages of nonsense in "Do Pets Go to Heaven?" [Village Green, April]. I love my Irish setter and enjoy her as the gift of God she is to me. But I also know that she's part of a creation that is perishing. To treat the question of eternal life for animals borders on offensive.
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Jerry D. Scott
Washington, New Jersey
Corrections: In April's Passages, we misspelled the name of Bishop Robinson Cavalcanti. In "Discipling the Eyes," the city of Edmonton should have been located in Alberta.
"We have made marriage the be all and end all in relationships. It is not. It is one facet of the greater community." Steve D., touting the importance of friendships—even those with the opposite sex—outside of marriage in order to build community. Her.meneutics: "Cross-Gender Friendships: What's Appropriate for Married People?" by Sharon Hodde Miller
"Actions should decide who best fits your worldview and your vision of what kind of country and world you want to live in." Heather, believing that a political leader's declaration of faith should not be the deciding factor when choosing whom to vote for in the upcoming presidential election. CT Politics Blog: "Will Evangelicals Vote for a Mormon Candidate?" by Tobin Grant
"If they insist someone embraces the belief of their organization, why is it a violation of policy for Christian organizations to do the same?" Kathi, on the seemingly contradictory stance that student organizations must allow those with opposing views to be considered for leadership positions. Faith-based groups at Vanderbilt have come under fire recently for their position. CT Liveblog: "Student Coalition Opposes Vanderbilt's Nondiscrimination Policy," by Morgan Feddes
"Jesus did not come to normalize our sins and tell us how nice we look in Satan's chains." Mike W, debating the purpose of having Scrooge portrayed as a homosexual in an upcoming adaptation of A Christmas Carol. CT Entertainment Blog: "A Christmas Carol … for Gays?" by Mark Moring
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
A Christian reconciliation group in Israel and Palestine warned that war would come. Now the war threatens their relevance.العربيةFrançais
The Grammy-winning artist was found dead at her home in Nashville at age 47.
