When I accepted the editor’s kind invitation to contribute an article to The Outlook, I decided to do what I could to foster dialogue between the various sectors in the Christian Reformed Church. And dialogue–if it is to be meaningful—involves some frank talk. Hence I shall begin by indicating how I view the conservatives in […]
Louis Praamsma is a veteran church historian and retired Christian Reformed pastor living at Hamilton, Ontario. He recently wrote a 4-volume church history, De Kerk van Alle Tijden (The Church of All Times) which is being translated into English. In this article he analyses for us the 1980 report of the Reformed Churches in the […]
A Necessary Distinction Protestants have considered the church as an object of faith. We believe much that we cannot see. Theologians have therefore very naturally come to speak of the church as both visible and invisible. By this they did not intend to imply that there were really two churches, one visible and the other […]
A REVIEW ARTICLE BASED ON “WHICH VERSION NOW” BY BOB SHEEHAN, Carey Publications, 5 Fairford Close, Haywards Heath, Sussex RH16 3EF, England 32 pp. Price $2.25. Readers have sent in a number of letters about Bible translations. Some of them have been disturbed or convinced by claims that the King James Version is the only […]
The first SEMFEST and the first meeting of the board of trustees for the newly-organized MidAmerica Reformed Seminary Association took place in September. Both meetings were acclaimed as very successful. Borrowing the idea from the Reformed theological seminary in Kampen, the Netherlands, the new seminary steering committee organized a schooldag (“school day”) for Friday, Sept. […]
“And they that use this world, but not abusing it; for the fashion of this world passes away” I Cor. 7:31 To bless the earth Thou sendest, from Thine abundant store The waters of the springtime, enriching it once more. The seed by Thee provided is sown o’er hill and plain And Thou with gentle […]
THE JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES AND PROPHETIC SPECULATION, by Edmond Charles Gruss. Presbyterian and Reformed, Nutley, N.J., 1972. 127 pp., S2.95 paper. Reviewed by Rev. Jerome Julien. The Jehovah’s Witnesses, known for setting dates for the end of the world, have an erroneous way of looking at Biblical chronology. This, Gruss, a former Jehovah’s Witness, points out. […]
In the recent debates about women in office it has been proposed that the office of deacon ought to be more clearly separated from the ruling office of elder than it is in the practice of our Reformed churches. It is argued that if that were done, women might be ordained as deacons without violating […]
Recent years have found Reformed churches focusing greater attention and emphasis on evangelism. Meanwhile, the ongoing drive of the ecumenical movement continues. At the same time, there is increased dissatisfaction with public education, causing untold numbers to turn to parochial and private education, as well as to our Christian schools. This seems to be the […]