Nien Cheng: A Heroine!
What a gorgeous cover [May 13] of Nien Cheng. Because of your introduction to her, Nien Cheng has become one of my all-time heroines! Your magazine is always exciting and thought-provoking, but you really outdid yourself this time.
WILLIAM E. MORGAN, JR.
South Jordan, Utah
I take exception to the apparent lack of research in recent coverage of the church in China, particularly in the case of Ellen Santilli Vaughn’s “Life and Faith in Shanghai” [May 13]. While Nien Cheng may have a wealth of firsthand knowledge concerning life in Shanghai under the Red Guard, she does not appear to be well versed on the current (or historical) state of Christianity in China. The number of believers in China before the Communist revolution was around 800,000, not four million. Also misleading is her remark that Deng Ziaoping “immediately restored the churches and temples that the Red Guard destroyed.” Hundreds, however, are still in disrepair or being used as factories or government offices.
Eric Bridges’s article, “Freer but Fragile: The Church in China” [Apr. 22], paints a one-sided picture of the church in China as being run predominantly by elderly pastors. His view ignores the growing grassroots “house church” movement that involves hundreds of young evangelists, many in their late teens or early twenties. The incredible growth of the church since 1949 should be evidence that God does not need to consult the Communist party before doing his work in China.
BRENT FULTON
China Ministries International
Pasadena, Calif.
Go For The Gold
With the summer Olympics nearly upon us, we’ll soon be hearing about one of the most difficult tests in all of sport: the decathlon. This combination of ten track-and-field events demands speed, strength, and endurance. Only the fittest dare compete.
Well, I hate to fly in the face of international athletic wisdom, but there is another tenfold event even more difficult. A recent Sunday with the grandkids reacquainted me with it.
The churchathlon begins with waking up on time. That sounds easy enough, until you subtract the hours of sleep lost Saturday night preparing a Sunday school lesson. Speed and agility are essential in the next four events: feeding the kids, bathing the kids, dressing the kids, and loading the kids into the car. Degree of difficulty increases exponentially according to the number of children involved.
If you have the determination to deposit each child in the proper Sunday school classroom—on time—you’re still in the running for event number seven: teaching your own Sunday school class.
Your endurance is stretched after class when you collect the kids and seat them in the sanctuary with a minimum of talking or squabbling. Then comes the final—and ultimate—challenge: Quiet your heart to worship.
Anyone who completes that course deserves a gold medal.
EUTYCHUS
Death: Just around the corner
Philip Yancey, in “Death Whispers” [May 13], failed to convey the essence of the rabbit warren in Watership Down. Those rabbits knew death was just around the corner for everyone. But, even while knowing it, they denied the fact. Like their modern human counterparts, they accepted a comfortable existence in exchange for never questioning “where” another might be at any moment; the traps were everywhere, death hung like a “mist” over their heads as Fiver said, but it was violently pushed out of their thoughts—though always lurking in the corner of their saddened hearts. Those rabbits lived by a line from Yancey’s quote from Pascal: “… I ought to spend all the days of my life without caring to inquire into what must happen to me.”
WAYNE BOYD
Simi Valley, Calif.
Civil rights protection
Although I agree with Terry Muck’s editorial [“Too Much of a Good Thing?” May 13], I was disturbed that he consistently left women off his lists of groups who legitimately deserve civil rights protection. We as a church mustn’t forget that many of our number legitimized the second-class status of blacks under the guise of scriptural relationships between master and slave. This situation is often paralleled by the church’s lack of concern for the status of women. It is dishonorable to treat any human being as less than an image bearer of God. Let’s not continue to make this mistake.
LOIS LEADER
Phoenix, Ariz.
We, as believers, must be the champions of the definition of what civil rights should be—not only stateside, but in the body of Christ overseas, too! From the womb to the grave we must be consistent in protecting those rights. The evangelical church in America must look beyond its Anglo roots and get back to its biblical roots and practice honesty, morality, and conscience outside the four walls of its buildings.
ELI VIERA LUEVANO
Albuquerque, N.M.
I knew this bill would open the door to letting homosexuals into the mainstream of our society. Though those in power deny this, it’s true, because they consider homosexuals a minority group. Many churches are bending the weak knee to this abominable spirit and allowing themselves to be absorbed by this worldly and anti-Christian spirit.
ROBERT MOORE
Columbus, Miss.
Effecting social reform
I have just read Charles Colson’s column “So Much for Our Great Awakening” [May 13]. Two points bother me: First is the almost unrestrained praise, bordering on adulation, showered on Ronald Reagan. No human being, however upright, deserves that, and it troubles me that Christian people can come so near to worshiping a fellow human being. Second is the arrogance and illusions of the conservatives. If it were not so tragic, it would be amusing.
Some of us evangelicals are moderate in our thinking, and we are keenly aware that arrogance is no way to win friends and influence people, thus, these idealists may not have the support they claim. Also, have Christians actually believed we can effectively legislate social reform? Colson is correct: “Christian people belong in the political arena … but without illusions.”
REV. JACK TAYLOR
Berlin United Methodist Church
Berlin, Ga.
While I wholeheartedly agree with Colson that we need to be in “for the long haul,” he forgot to mention that we shouldn’t put our hopes in a Christian President who consults the stars more than his Bible.
REV. TED WEIDMAN
Ford Parkway Baptist Church
St. Paul, Minn.
Biased Israel reports?
It is disappointing to see your news “reports” on the recent rioting in Israel written by individuals who have a blatant bias in favor of the rioting Arabs [“No Peace in Sight,” by Beth Spring, May 13]. The current disturbances are simply the latest effort by militant Muslim terrorists to carry out their oft-repeated boast: to destroy the Zionist state.
It is unfortunate that some innocent Arab Christians have been victimized by this conflict; as a Jewish Christian my heart goes out to them. However, we must not lose sight that the Word of God gives the land of Israel to the Jewish people.
REV. MOTTEL BALESTON
Conservative Baptist Jewish Ministries
Montclair, N.J.
Bright stars, little lights
Thank you for Julia Duin’s clear and accurate news report on “Why the Assemblies Dismissed Swaggart” [May 13]. However, to refer to Bakker and Swaggart as our “two brightest stars” does not reflect well on the host of credentialed Assemblies of God ministers who faithfully serve God without gaudy histrionics or inappropriate, if not unscriptural, public criticism of fellow ministers.
While Bakker and Swaggart were loved and prayed for, they have long been held with serious reservation by many. If their styles won them the “brightest star” award in the Assemblies of God, then I’ll gladly settle for a “this little light of mine” badge.
REV. MELVIN JOHNSON
Glad Tidings Temple
San Francisco, Calif.
The Assemblies should be admired for maintenance of high standards of conduct for its ministers. While other denominations wink at clergy who are involved in homosexuality, the occult, deviant doctrines, and immoral political postures, the Assemblies of God deals firmly with its fallen brethren.
DAVID ARNETT
Marshfield, Wis.
Hayner and MacDonald
The interview with Steven Hayner [News, Apr. 22], the new president of InterVarsity, was excellent. I was concerned about the paragraph that prefaced it stating “after the June 1987 resignation of Gordon MacDonald, following public revelation of an extramarital affair.” What did that have to do with the interview? I know of no significant Christian leader who, having fallen into sin, has had more integrity in how he handled that matter, how he repented, sought counseling, and made himself accountable.
ARTHUR L. BEALS
University Presbyterian Church
Seattle, Wash.
Loving the Palestinians
I read with great interest David Neff’s Editorial [“Israel at Forty,” Apr. 22]. As a Palestinian Christian myself, I reiterate his question again about Israel and biblical prophecy. Do I interpret the Bible on not very clear revelations to blindly encourage a Zionist state in place of the Palestinian homeland, or do I follow a very clear statement of loving my Palestinian brother (1 Thess. 4:9)? As a Bible-believing Christian, I would definitely choose the latter.
THEODORE R. NASSAR, M.D.
Madera, Calif.
Christian support for Israel is founded on justice, not merely calculating prophecy. In the 29 years since Israel repelled the Arab agression of the Six Day War and conquered the West Bank, Israel opened universities where there were none before, reduced infant mortality, raised the standard of living, provided jobs, increased life expectancy—all the while guaranteeing freedom of access for all people to all holy places. By any measure, the Palestinians living under Israeli rule are far better off than when they lived under the Arabs, and far freer than any Arabs anywhere.
MICHAEL RYDELNIK
Olive Tree Congregation
Plainview, N.Y.
Ask the women
In Tim Stafford’s article about James Dobson [Apr. 22], a friend comments: “I see Jim as a prophet to women.” Perhaps he should survey some women. Dobson sees women as one-dimensional beings. Men can be many things, but women have but one role in life. Dobson fails to see that women are not all alike. Some find fulfillment in the home, but others have achievement needs that can only be filled in a career.
It is sad that a church spokesperson for the family cannot see women as being fully human. Those who do not accept traditional roles are made to feel deficient. And then Dobson wonders why Christian women have a major problem with depression!
KAREN HINER
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Letters are welcome; brevity is preferred. Only a selection can be published, and all are subject to condensation. Write to Eutychus, CHRISTIANITY TODAY, 465 Gundersen Drive, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.
