HOLDING THE YOUNG PEOPLE. Taking his cue from an article in the Dutch magazine Credo, Rev. J. Tuininga has some interesting comments about the church and young people in the June 20, 1983, Christian Renewal. In the Credo article the author reflects on the fact that the Hervormde Kerken in the Netherlands for many years have been in the forefront with special “youth ministries” but in spite of all these efforts have been losing their young people. The Gereformeerde Kerken have been imitating them with much the same result. In this connection Rev. Tuininga quotes from the late Dr. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones who shows the fallacy of making divisions in the church, whether on the basis of age or otherwise. Dr. Lloyd-Jones concludes, “The glory of the church is that she consists of all these types and kinds and all the possible varieties and variations of humanity; and yet because they all share this common life they are able to participate together and to enjoy the same preaching.”

CHANGES IN SWITZERLAND. In Moody Monthly for July-August, 1983, Dr. Francis Schaeffer begins an article on “Our Battle for Humanness” by giving a couple of examples of the changes that have taken place in his adopted country of Switzerland in the last ten years. From the experience of his grandchildren in the schools he shows how the traditional standards for sexual conduct are being eroded by so-called “sex education” so that pre–marital sex is condoned. He also tells of a crowd of young people who marched naked through the streets of Zurich demanding a building where they could have complete freedom. Another example is the fact that many buildings have been marked with an ugly “A” which stands for anarchist. Reflecting the hopelessness and purposelessness expressed in punk rock music these young people react negatively to modern conditions but have no positive program to offer. Using these conditions as an illustration Schaeffer goes on at length to challenge evangelical Christians to action in defense of our values and freedoms in such areas as the family, schools and justice. This lead article is followed by a series of others by various authors who agree with Schaeffer on the urgency of our problems, but sometimes disagree as to what we should do about them.

THE CRISIS IN OUR PRISONS. Kenneth S. Kantzer has an editorial in Christianity Today for June 17, 1983, favoring a bill sponsored by Senators Sam Nunn and William Armstrong to be known as the Sentencing Improvement Act. This legislation proposes that dangerous criminals still be sentenced to prisons, but the approximately 50 percent of non-dangerous criminals would be punished by “enforced restitution carefully monitored.” Dr. Kantzer states: “This Nunn Armstrong Act begins to tackle one of the most desperate problems facing modern American society, and every Christian owes it active support. The bill not only provides better justice and more effective treatment of criminals, but also, directly and indirectly, benefits society as a whole.” It would benefit the cause of justice because it would relieve the overcrowded conditions in our prisons which make for all kinds of problems and also call for large sums of money for new buildings. Many prisons, far from aiding offenders, are schools for crime and it is shameful to place nonviolent and non-dangerous persons in such surroundings. The proposed solution would also benefit society in that the courts are clogged with cases that result in many criminals being out on bail or probation and endangering lives. Above all, in many cases restitution instead of prison would compensate the victims of crime, while at the same time not loading the state with the expense of taking care of the criminal and his dependents. Kantzer meets some arguments against restitution; it would not be as effective as prison in deterring crime, but he contends the opposite is true. The objection that the new plan would be racially discriminatory in favor of the rich over the poor are also refuted. Although Kantzer does not mention him, I might add that Charles Colson is an ardent advocate of such reforms. It has also been pointed out by several writers that restitution is a Biblical principle widely applied in the Old Testament civil laws.