Spring 1999 - Quarterly Review

have understood and approved. Tore Meistad moves us into the socialand political realm of the question by his portrait of the contrastbetween the Wesleyan and the Lutheran view of the human incommunity. They are two vastly different conceptions, and Meistadhelps us see what is at stake when we trade Wesleyan theologicalbalance—hard as it is to maintain—for Lutheran theological dualism,deeply rooted as it is in basic Protestant thinking.The question of human nature also works its way through two goodarticles by Douglas Ruffle and Kenneth Davis. Ruffle's well-written,accessible exposition of Wesley's Arminianism explains the delicatequestion of human freedom as the ability to respond and to thwart theactivity of God in their lives. Davis addresses the question ofevangelism most directly, taking his own experience in Honduras andin the U.S. Hispanic community as a case in point, ft is this portrait ofcommon humanity , mour our ability to love and to feel each others'wounds and misfortunes, that we need to remember as we pray forand offer aid to the people of Honduras following the devastation ofHurricane Mitch last fall. Ray Collins's reflections on Matthew,although geared to the summer months, can help us think of Jesus asthe visitor, the traveler, who sees into the depths of the human heart,and in whose service we may see ourselves most clearly. I commendall these articles to your serious and prayerful consideration. May theyenrich your faith and proclamation in 1999 and beyond.Finally, I want to offer a word of thanks to you for the time andsupport you have offered this journal. This is my final issue; I leave totake up my own writing and occasional teaching. It has been a greatprivilege to work with the writers of this journal on behalf of itsreaders, whom I hold in the highest esteem. For 10 wonderful years, Ithank you all.Sharon HelsINTRODUCTION 3