GOD OUR FATHER AND MOTHER? Several magazines have recently called attention to a lectionary produced by the National Council of Churches. Some 209 passages from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible have been rewritten in an attempt to avoid “sexist” language. Wherever “God” is used “God our Father (and Mother)” is substituted. “Son of God” becomes “Child of God” and “Son of Man” becomes “Human One.” The word “Lord” is replaced by “Sovereign One.” Evangelical Newsletter quotes Bruce Metzger of Princeton Seminary as saying: “The changes introduced in language relating to Deity are tantamount to rewriting the Bible . . . . It will divide the church rather than work for ecumenical understanding.’” Christianity Today (Nov. 11, 1983) calls this lectionary “A bisexual nightmare from the National Council of Churches.” It reports among other things that James Crumley, bishop of the Lutheran Church in America, the third largest group in the NCC, advised his church not to use the lectionary. He correctly says: “We must not attempt to make the Bible say only what we want it to say. The Bible is an historic document and has to be read and understood as such.”
THE LEGALIZED MENACE is the title of an article in Christian Herald (November 1983) about legalized gambling, especially lotteries sponsored by various states. Richard Cizik gives much helpful information about the alarming increase in gambling as encouraged by state and city governments because it seems a painless way to raise money. Public attitudes toward gambling have changed in the last twenty years. In 1962, 45% of the public was participating in some form of gambling; today the figure is 60%; and according to a 1982 Gallup Poll80% of the public now endorses legalized gambling. The article examines the question whether the government should be involved in gambling. Two arguments in favor of such involvement are revenue raising and crime control. Cizik examines these claims in detail and shows, in the words of an economist Michael Brooks, that “It would be far less expensive for states simply to raise the sales or income tax rate.” Also, “lotteries are regressive ‘taxes” paid disportionately by low–income families.” He further shows that lotteries do not eliminate illegal gambling, but, on the contrary, open the way for a great deal of corruption. The article concludes by urging that Christians refrain from all gambling, and do all they can to oppose the spread of government–run lotteries.
BREAKTHROUGH IN LUTHERAN-CATHOLIC RELATIONS. Christian Herald (Nov. ’83) reports that twenty Lutheran and Roman Catholic scholars in the U.S. have agreed on the doctrine of justification after a five year study. One of the co-chairmen stated: “We can and do confess together that our hope for salvation rests entirely on God’s merciful action in Christ.” Although there are still differences they are not considered to be “church-dividing.” This is a very interesting and significant development in this 500th anniversary year of Martin Luther’s birth!
A NEW BIBLE FOR A NEW ERA is the title of an article in Christian Herald (Nov. ’83) calling attention to the fact that the Kirkbride Bible Company and the Zondervan Corporation have made an agreement to publish the highly regarded Thompson Chain–Reference Bible in the New International Version. Up to this time Thompson used the King James’ Version.
MADALYN MURRAY O‘HAIR NEVER HAD a petition before the Federal Communications Commission to remove religious broadcasting from the airways. Christianity Today ( 11/11/83) nevertheless calls attention to the fact that letters of protest still flow into FCC at the rate of 135,000 a month, mostly from members of conservative churches. Since 1975 the FCC has received nearly 16 million pieces of mail about this alleged petition. Since this matter also keeps popping up in CRC circles we again call attention to this strange example of misplaced zeal.
TOBACCO ADVERTISING will no longer be carried by The Saturday Evening Post magazine starting with the March 1984 issue. The magazine is now published by the Benjamin Franklin Society, a non-profit corporation that supports research on cancer and other diseases and gives information on medical and nutritional matters. It also carries Christian-oriented articles. “We believe in placing Christianity in a positive and favorable light,” says religion editor, Robert Silvers (CT, 11/11/83). This is a very encouraging development development since a very large part of the advertising revenue of most popular magazines comes from tobacco advertising.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ROBERT SCHULLER is the title of the lead article in Eternity (Nov. ’83). The author refers among others to the book Mountains into Goldmines by Dennis Voskuil (Eerdmans), professor of religion at Hope College, who is critical of the theology of self–esteem as promulgated by Schuller. Included with the article is a list of the names of the staff of the Crystal Cathedral. This article is not negative, but also mentions positive elements in the ministry of Schuller and his congregation. Reading this article will give one a better idea of what “The Hour of Power” is all about.
DIPLOMATIC TIES WITH THE VATICAN. The National Council of Churches, National Association of Evangelicals, Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs and Americans United for Separation of Church and State condemned recent action by the U.S. Senate in voting to repeal a 116 year-old ban on funds to support a diplomatic mission to Rome. They judge that it is an official show of preference for the Roman Catholic Church (CT., 11 /11/83).
BANGLADESH is a country in which many readers of Outlook will be interested because of the work of the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) there. Christianity Today has the following information about that country: Dramatic increases in rice production in the last decade have been offset by extreme population growth. Bangladesh is the eighth most populous country in the world with an area only about the size of Wisconsin. According to government statistics the average 18 year old male stands at five feet, three inches tall, and weighs only 97 pounds. According to the Reader’s Digest Almanac there are as many people in Bangladesh as in all the U.S. states west of the Mississippi River. Seven babies are born every minute, about 10,000 a day. The population doubles in about twenty years. Most of the people cannot read or write, making it difficult for the government to develop a birth–control program.