Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Glimpses of the Religious WorldTHE IMMORALITY OF THE WARWhich war? Some folks seem to feel that this is thefirst generation in the United States of America when wehave had such revolt against the immorality of the war inwhich we as a country have engaged — unless, possibly, itwas the Mexican War, 1846-48. Possibly we would do wellto reread Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Addressduring the Civil War. It read in part:Both (combatants) read the same Bible andpray to the same God, and each invokes His aidagainst the other. It may seem strange that any menshould dare to ask a just God's assistance inwringing their bread from the sweat of other men'sfaces. But let us judge not that we be not judged.The prayer of both could not be answered; that ofneither has been answered fully. The Almighty hasHis own purposes. 'Woe unto the world because ofoffences; for it must needs be that offences come,but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh.'If we should suppose that American slavery is one ofthose offences, which, in the providence of God,must needs come, but which, having continuedthrough His appointed time, He now wills toremove, and that He gives to both North and Souththis terrible war as the woe due to those by whomthe offence came, shall we discern therein anydeparture from those divine attributes which thebelievers in a loving God always ascribe to Him?Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that thismighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yetif God wills that it continue until all the wealth piledby the bondman's two hundred and fifty years ofunrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every dropof blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by anotherdrawn with the sword, as was said three thousandyears ago, so still it must be said: 'The judgmentsof the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'Actually, there are enmities of long standing amongthe Vietnamese, the Laotians, and Cambodians in the FarEast, and between Jews and Arabs in the Near East, that, sofar as humans can see, can be settled neither by war or(peace) treaty. "From whence come wars and fightingsamong you? Come they not hence, even of your lusts thatwar in your members?"THE TIMOTHY SCHOOL CASE AGAINThe Chicago North Classis of the Christian ReformedChurch met in special assembly in November to considerSynod's direction to see to it that children of black parentswere not excluded from the Timothy Christian School (SeeGlimpses, 30 Dec. 1970, Cov. Wit.). The Lawndale CRCcongregation, members of which are largely responsible forRev. L. E. Kilpatrick, D. D.1031 E. Glenrosa AvenuePhoenix, Arizona 85014the Timothy School, was not represented at the specialmeeting, apparently because they chose not to participate inthe discussion of this matter.According to the Banner report, Classis acknowledgedits guilt and sorrow at not acting in accord with the directiveof Synod, "but did not declare that the practice of excludingblack covenant children from the Timothy Christian Schoolout of fear is disobedient to Christ." Classis decided to send apastoral letter to the School Board, urging it to end theexclusion, and called for public and private prayerthroughout the Classis area "to the end that the Holy Spiritwill enable us to manifest a true spirit of love and understanding."'' . Classis also decided to appoint a committee forthe purpose of negotiation. This committee is to call togetherrepresentatives of the Lawndale Church and Garfield Chapel,and representatives of the Timothy Christian School Boardto discuss the problems confronting each in regards to theeducation of black children."TWO BOOKS IN 1970 BY TOM SKINNERRalph Fasold, assistant professor of linguistics,Georgetown University, reviews these two books, Words ofRevolution and How Black Is the Gospel? in ChristianityToday. He describes Skinner's style of writing as "vivid,free-wheeling." An illustration he gives from one of thebooks indicates that it is all of that. "Barabbas is pictured asa violent insurrectionist hurling Molotov cocktails into thehomes of the honky Romans and Uncle Tom Jews. Christ isa revolutionary who agrees with Barabbas about the evil andoppressiveness of the Roman occupation and, by extension,with the Black Panthers, the Yippies, and the SDS about theoppressiveness of our own system. Where Christ disagreedwith Barabbas, and would disagree with today's radicals, isin the solution. The solution does not lie in the violentoverthrow of the corrupt system — this would all too likelylead to the establishment of another system equallycorrupt."Doubtless many readers of the Covenanter Witnesshave read Skinner's Black and Free, or possibly have heardhim in person or his associate, Wm. Pannell (Did you knowthat he has been named to the Board of Trustees of FullerTheological Seminary?). Black and Free is excellent inconvicting whites of continuing injustice toward blacks, butto suggest any kind of "agreement" between Jesus andBarabbas seems not the way to bring conviction to Barabbas -like individuals. Jesus no doubt "agreed" with some thingsheld by the scribes and Pharisees, ' 'these things ought ye tohave done,'' but I don't recall reading that He stressed themin order to win Pharisees.4 COVENANTER WITNESS