‘I Was Sick … I Was in Prison’
Karl Barth and Cornelius Van Til. The names represent two widely divergent theological/philosophical outlooks. Both men exerted strong influence on more than a generation through their teaching and writing.
And each had a pastor’s heart. (Dr. Van Til is alive and still has it.)
Every Sunday morning Professor Barth went to the Basel, Switzerland, jail to visit the prisoners and preach to them. He went from cell to cell.
Every Sunday afternoon Professor Van Til went to the Chestnut Hill. Pennsylvania, hospital to visit the sick and share the Gospel with them. He went from bed to bed.
Granted that this similarity does not erase the differences—many of them at the heart of Christian belief—between Van Til and Barth, I still find their shared sense of personal mission and responsibility an exciting thing.
I think it was Bishop Stephen Neill who suggested that the church’s theologians should be its evangelists, and its evangelists the church’s theologians.
It’s beautiful when the two are combined in one person.
EUTYCHUS VIII
Pilgrims of Stewardship
As usual I am way behind in reading your wonderful publication. I wanted to comment, however, on the excellent article “On Wealth and Stewardship” by Klaus Bockmühl (Current Religious Thought, June 23). God is teaching us concerning many areas that need correction and the subject dealt with in this article is probably one of the most needed. And the most difficult for us to bow to. If we could only live more like the pilgrims God says we are.
GERARD COUENHOVEN
Minneapolis, Minn.
I read Klaus Bockmühl’s article several times. This is indeed an area in need of more attention and action. Unfortunately, however, Bockmühl has been lured away from the realities of life and made captive of clockwork theory. One reality that shatters the comfort of such theory is that there never is any “going back to the biblical tradition”—whatever the biblical tradition is. Even in the Bible there is no magic formula which we need only to plug in and watch work. In addition to this, though we need to have a more narrow concept of relieving the burden of the needy, Bockmühl’s concept is unhealthily narrow.
STANLEY J. RODES
Kansas City. Mo.
The Taste Of Sawdust
By and large I greatly appreciate what the editors are doing to enrich the Christian community with CHRISTIANITY TODAY. Having just read the two lead articles on the family (“Parents and Prodigals” by Virginia Stem Owens and “The Yoke of Fatherhood” by Thomas Howard, June 23), I find myself left with a taste somewhat akin to sawdust in my mouth. Howard’s piece, although well-written and constructed, seemed so abstract, pseudointellectual, almost rambling in its approach. My goodness, I agree with his thesis, but is such a stream-of-consciousness approach the best way to go with your lead? Then Owen’s depressing article. I guess that Howard’s approach wouldn’t have bothered me so much had it not been followed by such a negative viewpoint. Is [being a mother] as frustrating as she presents it? Are children such monsters, so difficult to raise and so unpredictable in their outcome? Does the Bible really offer so little to help the perplexed parent? Where’s the balance we readers so need, the encouragement, the models of true parental success? I’m not calling for Christian success stories, but I would have appreciated at least some encouragement in this particular issue with this particular topic.
JAMES M. KUTNOW
Dallas, Tex.
Kudos for beautiful cover picture. Do it again.
RALPH R. BELL
Escondido, Calif.
Alone Is Beautiful
I wish to thank you for your recent article in Minister’s Workshop, “A Need to Be Alone” (June 23). This piece should be must reading for all pastors who strive to minister to God’s people. The realization that we, as pastors, need to be replenished as our cups are emptied is evident, not only in Victor Pentz’s article, but should be realized through common sense that you can’t run on an empty tank. Thanks once again, and keep up the good work.
(THE REV.) DOUGLAS E. ADAMS
Elmwood-Carthage Presbyterian Church
Cincinnati, Ohio
Language Sins
Talk about mixed emotions. In the June 2 issue you published a very thought-provoking article by my favorite writer, Ron Durham (“Evil and God: Has Process Made Good Its Promise?”) and then commit the type of sin against our language one might expect from The Enquirer or its ilk. I refer to the supposed news article “Sears, Roebuck: Accounts Closed,” wherein twice your reporter used the phrase “explicit sex” to describe the content of “Charlie’s Angels” and “Three’s Company.” Your description of these two shows might well have included adjectives such as “tasteless, banal, repetitious in theme, lacking in entertainment value,” and so forth, but explicit sex! Precision in language would require us to reserve such phrases for the content of adult book store fare, where it would properly apply.… My major disappointment is that your calibre of journal would use the same exaggeration and editorializing in reporting as all the other periodicals. Shame.
CLYDE N. GORDON
Atlanta, Ga.
Thank you for Durham’s article on process theology. I hope that the article marks the beginning of a long dialogue between process and more conservative theologians.… That dialogue may bring us a fuller understanding of God, and help us to realize that any one group’s claim to completely understand God must be relegated to the category of intellectual idolatry. Unfortunately, that dialogue which offers so much promise, has begun on a less than ideal footing with Durham’s article. As often seems to be the case, process theology seems to be criticized here by one who either does not understand the system, or who wishes to destroy it and will use any means, including half-truths.
DANIEL J. G. G. BLOCK
Golden Valley, Minn.
Unto the Inner City
I appreciated the message of your article on urban seminary training (“Urban Perspective on Pastoral Education,” June 2). I’m happy to know that some conservatives are willing to accept the challenge of a most necessary ministry to the losers who must live in the run-down neighborhoods in our large cities.… If we Christians cannot make the Christian faith meaningful and useful to the people of the inner city, the people who cannot help themselves or who have not learned how. then our Christian faith is irrelevant.
(THE REV.) CHARLES H. KAMP
Park Memorial and First Avenue Presbyterian Churches
Evansville, Ind.
