Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Glimpses of the Religious WorldCAPITAL PUNISHMENTWhile the U.S. Supreme Court has refused todeclare unconstitutional the death penalty, a UnitedNations agency, the Social Committee of the Economicand Social Council is encouraging the progressiverestriction of the number of offenses for which capitalpunishment might be imposed, with a view to thedesirability of abolishing this punishment in all countries.The 27-member committee, voted 21 in favor of such astand, with 5 abstentions. Also the Illinois House JudiciaryCommittee approved a "moratorium on the deathpenalty," but State Representative Raymond Ewell, Negrofrom Chicago refused to support the motion. His cannyobservation: "I realize that most of those who would facethe death penalty are poor and black and friendless. I alsorealize that most of the victims are poor and black andfriendless."Rev. L. E. Kilpatrick, D. D.207 Darlington RoadBeaver Falls. Pennsylvania 15010"INFALLIBILITY" OF THE CHURCH (ROMAN)Roman Catholic historian Hans Kung has been acritic, with constructive criticism, I'm sure he intends, ofthe Roman Catholic Church for some years. He isrespected by scholars within that communion and outsideit. Many Protestant writers have wondered how long hewould be accorded the honor of the Roman Church itself,and his challenge of the church's "infallibility" has broughtforth strong reaction. The tensions are at bottom the sameas those faced by Martin Luther and the reformers. Withthe membership of the church far more widely informedand able to read the Bible, and with the Roman Churchholding less political power among the nations of theworld, it is evident that future development is far frombeing predictible. There just cannot be two "supremeauthorities," the Bible AND tradition.In Tradition: Old and New, by F.F. Bruce, a Britishevangelical of Plymouth Brethren background, we arereminded that Protestants are governed by tradition to adegree far greater than we realize when we object toRoman Catholic "tradition," (such as "papal infallibility,"prayers to "saints," "immaculate conception," and the"assumption" of Mary). We are ahead in our search forcorrectness of doctrine, and in our efforts to live by theWord, to acknowledge that we cannot avoid being influencedby tradition, also that tradition is not necessarilybad because it is tradition. We do need to be very severein seeking always to make tradition subject to the Word —and not vice versa.RADICAL PROPOSAL: DROP THE "REV."EP reports that the United Presbyterian GeneralAssembly will be overtured, May 17-26, to drop "the titlereverend' from official usage." The question that occursto me: How "official" is such usage? Is it not a custom ortradition? To drop a tradition is often more difficult thanto alter a doctrine. Also before the General Assembly isanother ambitious proposal, that of "putting all clergymenon the same salary base."PORNOGRAPHY, LOCAL LEVELSuperior Court Judge Howard V. Peterson, afterviewing a film seized from a downtown theater in Phoenix,ruled it obscene and ordered it destroyed. (The cityprosecutor asked that the order for the film to bedestroyed, be stayed, as it was needed in evidence whencriminal charges are filed against the owners.) Petersonsaid the nation's federal courts "have spun a ratherhopeless web of confusion on the law relating to obscenity,"but that until the higher courts take a definitestand on the issue, he "will continue to believe that thelaws of this land demand a reasonable standard of decencyon matters involving sex."The dubious plea that attention to pornography isinconsistent when there are matters of such grave socialimportance as the war and poverty, have thrown somewho no doubt honestly favor decency, into the camp of itsdetractors. Actually, pornography spawns and aggravatessocial evils.LIQUOR CONSUMPTION IN IRELANDThe popular conception of the Irish in the secularpress, with regard to liquor consumption, is that it issomething to be gloried in, boasted about. But one SouthIreland Roman Catholic cleric has made bold to declarewhat almost sounds like cliches to many others. CardinalConway says, as reported by Christianity Today, "Theperson with young blood in his veins who needs artificialstimulants to enjoy life has surely something wrong withhim, and it is certainly a topsy-turvy world which regardsit as a sign of courage to yield to pressure to take suchstimulants." He says the church will not "pussyfoot" onthis issue.At the same time, at St Mary's Hospital,Castleblaney, County Monaghan, the country's firsthospital bar has just opened with nuns tending bar. •••ON GOD'S LOVEJohn Calvin: "Christ brought life, because the HeavenlyFather loves the human race, and wishes that they shouldnot perish."Dr. J. C. Ryle: "The word love spoken of in John 3:16 isthat love of pity and compassion with which God regardsall His creatures, and specially regards mankind. It is alove unquestionably distinct and separate from the speciallove with which God regards His saints."•••4 COVENANTER WITNESS