Authority is a difficult subject to write about. It is a difficult subject, and it is difficult to exercise. There’s too much or too little. It is too severely exercised, or too leniently, too autocratically or too democratically. And it seems easy for a person to bypass proper authority and to live as if he […]

“It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us . . .” (Acts 15:28). With these words the apostles and elders who gathered at Jerusalem for the first general assembly or synod of the Christian church characterized the decisions they had reached. What the conferees at Jerusalem were saying was that the decisions they […]

In this third article Rev. Edward Heerema, retired Christian Reformed pastor living at 619 E. 32nd St., Cape Coral, Florida 33904, further explores what promises to be a major issue at the June Christian Reformed Church Synod, the opening of the office of deacon to women. Will Synod 1981 set the mind of the Christian […]

Edward Heerema, retired Christian Reformed pastor living at 619 S.E. 32nd St., Cape Coral, Florida 33904, gives us the second of four articles dealing with the subject which promises to be a major issue at the denomination’s June synod, whether special church offices are to be opened to women. Our church began its recent reflection […]

Edward Heerema, retired pastor living at Cape Coral, Florida begins a series of articles dealing with what promises to be a major issue at the next Christian Reformed synod—the issue of women in church office. An hour of decision for the Christian Reformed Church is due in June 1981. Then the synod is scheduled to […]

The first point I wish to make is that there is an element of unreality present in Dr. Boer’s Confessional-Revision Gravamen on Reprobation, which is now under study in the Christian Reformed Church. A committee appointed by the Synod of 1977 has been receiving communications on the matter from the churches and is expected “to […]

Transcendental Meditation, popularly known simply as TM, has been called the drugless tum-on of the seventies. That’s an apt description, for several reasons. By the TM technique a large number of people have found a measure of inner serenity and fulfillment without the use of mind-blowing and life-destroying chemicals. In this technique, furthermore, members of […]

In presenting its case to Synod 1977 for the introduction of school-sponsored social dancing on the campus of Calvin College the Board of Trustees made use of the concept of Christian liberty (1977 Acts of Synod, pp. 223ff.). At the time this appeal puzzled me, and I am still puzzled. In sorting out my thoughts […]

This year (1976) THE OUTLOOK (formerly TORCH AND TRUMPET) is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary. The first issue was for April-May 1951. Each issue during 1976 is to carry one or more reprints from the issues of that first year, 1951. At the time he wrote this article, Rev. Edward Heerema was public relations secretary of […]

Signals from the Bible is a small (95 pages, paperback) hut significant book by the well-known professor at Amsterdam, Dr. Harry M. Kuitert. It has been translated into English by Dr. Lewis H. Smedes of Fuller Theological Seminary. This review of the book is by Rev. Edward Heerema, pastor of the Bradenton Christian Reformed Church, […]