In response to the invitation given by God. through the apostle Paul to “Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord…” (Eph. 5:19b), the Christian church has set the Psalms to music and developed a hymnody known and loved around the world.               For the next few months, […]

It’s interesting to see what the juxtaposition of two letters can do to the meaning and “feel” of a word. Putting the “i” before the “t” in UNITED gives an assurance of solidarity and hope. Putting the “t” before the “i” in UNTIED can inject uncertainty, drifting, separation.                   FEMINISM Feminism in […]

On Wednesday, June 15, 1993, we were seated in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College, very thankful that the majority committee regarding women in ecclesiastical office was recommending upholding the decision of Synod 1992 which maintained the wording of Church Order Article 3. Imagine our shock when after just a few minutes, the majority recommendation […]

Our response to Dr. Borgdorff’s comments are best expressed by the article of Dr. Cornel Venema in this issue of The Outlook. We urge a careful reading of it. We want to assure Dr. Borgdorff that our problem is not with the sculpture that was chosen. The “Understanding Opinions Metephor” depended on an abstract object […]

Some time ago I asked an aging pastor friend: “If you had one piece of advice to offer the church, what would it be?” His answer was apt “Stay anchored to the Rock and be geared to the times.” By this he meant that the church must preserve the faith “once for all delivered to the saints,” and propagate it […]

Unrest in the wake of CRC synod ‘92 has focused on three basic issues: 1) the ecclesiastical disobedience to the decision of Synod ‘92 on the part of Eastern Avenue CRC, Church of the Servant CRC and other churches who have ordained women to the office of elder subsequent to the synodical decision (and Grace […]

This is the season of Christmas. Many of you are sending and receiving Christmas cards. Perhaps the most recurring theme on these cards is “Peace on earth.” This is a popular phrase with believers and unbelievers alike for a reason. “Peace” is something all human beings crave even though they may differ substantially on their definition of […]

Judges 4:1–9, 23–24 …I Deborah, arose…a mother in Israel. Judges 5:7b (NASV) The Bible assigns to mothers many domestic tasks. But that is not all. There are times when mothers have to expand their role as did Deborah—the wife, mother, prophetess, poet, singer, judge, patriot and military expert. There was a need in Israel for […]

It is wonderful to hear the president of Calvin Seminary assure our readers that Its professors are champions of Reformed orthodoxy. But, in spIte of this ringing testimony, it was certain professors from Calvin Seminary, along with others, who In the past pushed for women elders and ministers from the very earliest days of the discussion They did […]

Bible Reading: I Samuel 1:9–20 For this boy I prayed, and the Lord has given me my petition which I asked of Him. I Samuel 1:27 (NASV) It was in God’s eternal plan to raise up the man Samuel—the judge, the prophet, the anointer of the first king of Israel and the founder of the […]