Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Glimpses of the Religious WorldRev. L. E. Kilpatrick, D. D.1031 E. Glenrosa AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85014ON BEING CONTEMPORANEOUSWe had 40 miles yet to go to reach Phoenix,midafternoon, back seat of the car empty, when we passedthree hitchhikers — two fellows and a girl (as near as Icould tell) — but we sailed on past at 70 miles an hour.Had we missed an opportunity to "entertain angelsunawares"? Did we merely make a poor stab at justifyingourselves with "reasons" such as: "90 percent of all hitchhikershave arrest records." "These folks havedeliberately chosen this irresponsible, dependent kind oflife, rather than being there by economic necessity.""And, aside from the personal danger factor, could we dothem any good under such circumstances?"Yes, "life styles are changing," and perhaps in thisthe judgments of God are upon us. We've taken our quiet,secure life for granted, as normal. We've "settled on ourlees," we haven't "been poured from vessel to vessel." Therisks in the Christian life, along with life in general, are onthe increase. So we need to be "awake." (We talked theincident mentioned above over, and concluded we haddone the right thing.)"CHRISTIAN DISSENT"According to Evangelical Press News, Pres. J.Brooke Mosley of Union Theological Seminary and Mrs.Cynthia Wedel, President of the National Council ofChurches agree that "Christians have a moral obligation toinvolve themselves in dissent." Mrs. Wedel says that afalse image of the concept of Christian love was developedin Victorian times (the latter half of the 19th Century), and"(it) has carried over until recently." She says that "dissentis not only ethical but necessary when truth is beingcovered up."Such quotations from these two prominent"ecumenical" leaders raise at least two questions. First,are they willing to accept the Bible as the test of whattruth is? They aren't on record with such acceptance. Andsecond, why did Mrs. Wedel go back to "Victorian times"to find the false image of the concept of Christian love.Within the present half century, both Union TheologicalSeminary and the National Council of Churches havepresented a false image of Christian love on the groundsthat we should be "positive," not negative, in our Christiantestimony. There is no evidence that these twoorganizations have made a basic change toward the truth.We would need to examine the kind of dissent which theypropose — "We may have to do illegal things," Mrs.Wedel is reported to have said — to see whether suchdissent is "obey(ing) God rather than men."Proper dissent is not merely disobeying men. Properand honorable dissent is obeying God rather than men."KIDD WAS NOT KIDDING"James Kidd, a copper miner, willed his estate ofSI75,000 (now estimated to be worth $250,000) to anyonewho could prove that the soul survives the body afterdeath. The Arizona superior court awarded the money toBarrows Neurological Institute, a branch of a PhoenixCatholic Hospital. Now the state Supreme Court hasreversed the decision, saying that the Barrows Institutestudies of the human nervous system are not directedtoward real soul searching. Therefore, the money must beawarded to one of the other claimants. The Hospitallawyers say that Barrows Institute will appeal, so, asChristianity Today says, the U. S. Supreme Court may beforced to do "some soul-searching of its own."THE VATICAN INDEPENDENT STATEIn 1929 a treaty between the Vatican and Mussolinibrought to an end a period of 58 years when the Romanpopes considered themselves to be "prisoners of theVatican." Rome had been defeated and annexed to theKingdom of Italy, and the popes rejected the terms underwhich Italy proposed that Roman Catholic authoritiesshould live. The popes lived in self-imposed "imprisonment"till the treaty of 1929 solved the problem bygranting the Vatican status as an independent state. Sincethat time some nations have exchanged "ambassadors"with the Vatican. Various presidents of the United Statesproposed that we exchange ambassadors, but Congresswas unwilling. Yet Presidents have had "personalrepresentatives" in the Vatican.Now it seems that conflict is again brewing. TheItalian Parliament has imposed a 30 percent tax ondividends from church funds invested in Italian business,retroactive to 1963, also it has passed a bill legalizingdivorce. Whether the Roman Church has the prestige toresist the Italian Parliament today remains to be seen.CHRISTIAN BOOKSChristianity Today's annual "books" issue carries adsof various publishers of Christian — and merely religious— books. The pressures of our generation are in evidence,in the pitch being made to sell good books — or is some ofit "to get business"? One "exciting controversial bestseller" reveals "intimate fears, frustrations, lusts ... thenaked realism" of its hero. Another is a "daring story" that"took nerve to publish." Now the publishers "dare you toread it." "I Predict . . ." tells of Jeane Dixon. Perhaps allthese books are on a high Christian level, but some of thelanguage suggests the jargon of the movie hucksters of ageneration ago. Furthermore, "Of making many booksthere is no end." But the right ones are a wonderfulblessing., • •COVENANTERWITNESS