After the editorial against Trump, I was all set to drop my subscription to CT as an expression of my strong protest. Now, I just finished reading, cover to cover, the March 2020 CT and thought, “How can I, a sinner, condemn all the hard work of all those on the staff at CT who are doing their best to inspire, teach, and minster to us readers, when Jesus has forgiven my mistakes?”
Regis Hanna Newfoundland, PA
Since I discovered Daniel’s prayer in Chapter 9 about 60 years ago, it has been one of my favorite prayers in Scripture. The article was outstanding. But my real response is this: People, including Christians, are so judgmental. I can’t stand judgmental people … which, of course, makes me one. “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin” (Rom. 7:24–25).
In our work consulting churches, we have seen a growing increase of disrespect among believers. The influence from our world is subtle and divisive. Thank you for your delicate and thoughtful words.
It should be pointed out that most evangelical/charismatic churches still sing in German, with maybe one or two English-lyric songs included in the worship lineup. Hannah Fischer’s assertion that she finds it “awkward … to be a Christian here. … and I could never praise God like that in my language,” is not the case for most young Germans who do worship and praise God in their mother tongue.
Paul Clark Lindau, Germany
If your church is an international, urban, hipster church, singing in English is self-evident. But I also understand that many of the older generation, who don’t speak English, are excluded from worship. Just imagine if you would be stopped singing God’s praise in your mother tongue and would have to sing in German or French for the rest of your life.
Sabine Müller (Facebook)
Perhaps if I belonged to a majority culture, I would willingly embrace putting aside my language in order to worship more “freely” in English. But globalization tends to obliterate the unique characteristics of churches in other cultures as succeeding generations embrace American Christianity as normative and set aside their language and customs. Someone who speaks and worships in an endangered language as I do (Western Armenian) must confront this onslaught on a daily basis. What if your aim is to equip your church to reach your own community in its own language, and all anyone wants to do is worship in English?
As a new subscriber to CT, I have been pleased to discover topics and articles beyond my expectations. Particularly so with the this one. My own daughter holds a PhD in high-energy particle physics, and I am always impressed and amazed by the women of science that encompass that community. Rebecca Randall presented these women of faith and knowledge exceptionally well.
Women remain uniquely equipped and overwhelmingly inclined to fill the role of bearing and nurturing the next generation. It is obvious why most women opt for careers that are more flexible and less demanding. Boys are the ones in trouble. They are less likely to finish school or to complete college. They are more inclined to abuse substances and to be incarcerated. Let’s stop demanding contrived 50/50 gender parity in all occupations. Why not celebrate the fact that women have the freedom to choose careers based on inclination rather than emulation of men?
It’s about time to push right-wing (or right-leaning), mainly Republican Christians to realize there is more than a single “Christian” viewpoint or set of priorities politically.
Wow. The gospel is so powerful, so compelling … we must not grow weary in presenting it, even to the confident (by all appearances) skeptic.
@JeffTaylor1964
Corrections: In March’s magazine, part of the Jewish Shema was omitted in “The Most Important Thing” on page 30. It includes, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.”
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.españolالعربيةFrançais
When I married into a Jewish family, antisemitism hit home. Now, the holy day reminds me of our future hope.
