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Letters to the editor
Mennonite Brethren Herald welcomes your letters on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church, especially in response to material published in the Herald. Please keep your letters courteous, brief and about one subject only. We will edit letters for length and clarity. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the request of the letter writer and at our discretion. Publication is also subject to space limitations. Because the Letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the Herald or the Mennonite Brethren Church. Send letters to:
Letters, MB Herald
3-169 Riverton Ave.
Winnipeg, Man. R2L 2E5
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or by e-mail to mbherald@mbconf.ca. (Please ensure that your postal address is included in your e-mail correspondence.) |
Singleness should be affirmed
I have always been single, so I looked forward to reading the issue on “Celebrating singleness” (July 13). I was dismayed to discover that all the articles were written by married people explaining what they thought were the issues experienced by single adults. I am 49 years old and felt again like a child who needs to be spoken for. No effort seemed to have been made to call on articulate, intelligent, capable single adults to make a contribution. If Canadian statistics are close to those of the US, more than 40% of the adult population over age 18 is single. Surely four people could be found to write on this topic.
Gilbert Brandt’s article, although filled with many excellent suggestions, misses the crucial point that remaining single is an option. This must become part of how families and the church teach children and young adults. Individuals who have no interest in marriage or who by circumstance remain single need to know this is OK. It is not a sign of social ineptitude, they haven’t failed to complete any human development “task”, and their parents have not failed in their parenting skills.
I also have some concerns regarding the quoted Article from the Confession of Faith. First, the opening sentence and last paragraph of the accompanying explanation talk about the need all people have for intimacy, and I agree. Unfortunately, the writers go on to make the usual connection between intimacy and overt sexuality, which the church says must be reserved for marriage. This effectively leaves singles, and those marriages where overt sexuality is not possible, with what seems no means for intimacy. A broader and healthier definition of intimacy needs to be sought in which sexuality is only one component and not the most important nor the most necessary one.
Second, I have a concern about the assumption that the Genesis creation story is about marriage. An equally valid interpretation is that Genesis talks about the creation of a community with various relationships (friendships between men, friendships between women, cross-gender friendships, cross-generational friendships and marriage).
The life of the single adult can (like the life of the married adult) be a mostly rewarding life and most often is a lot of fun. Not all of us feel “called” to be single but are “single by circumstance” (the right person hasn’t asked, no one has asked, divorce, death, etc.). In these circumstances, we continue to ask God for guidance, support, wisdom, coping skills, discipline, love and care (as do those who are married). We look for ways to live life as honouring to God.
Single adults need and want to be acknowledged and respected as mature, capable, wise, articulate, intelligent individuals who have much to contribute to their families, friends, the church and the world.
Lynnette Friesen,
Montreal, Que.
Lynnette Friesen’s thesis, “Intimacy with Integrity, Experiencing Community Fully as a Celibate Single”, was accepted by MB Biblical Seminary in 2000.
Good reason for church
I have been following with interest the recent input on name changes. In our area of California, names have been changed to Bible Church, Community Church, Neighborhood Church, etc. Most of these churches are growing.
When we have a membership class for three hours, the applicants are told who the MB’s are and that this is an MB Conference church.
I am in my mid-70s, and my reasons for attending here are the biblical preaching, then the contemporary worship time and the church’s heavy mission emphasis. When my MB close friends complain about the worship service, I state that I would rather have the abundance of unchurched here coming to know the Lord and the many young people following the Lord in believer’s baptism. All three services are not wild but alive.
Harold Steward,
Bakersfield, Ca.
Scripture not interpreted piecemeal
I am dismayed by Irma M. Dyck’s letter (Sept. 28). I echo her advice to read the Bible again, but let’s read the whole Bible. I cannot interpret the Scripture piecemeal, or only through my own culture, but must make the effort to comprehend the setting in which the Bible was written. It would take too much space to refer to all the verses regarding women leaders and teachers in the Old and New Testaments, such as women prophets (Acts 21:9) and that “your sons and daughters shall prophesy” (Acts 2:17) etc. Extensive research and thought have been given to this issue, and can be accessed by anyone truly interested. Let us re-read the Bible.
Dan Schellenberg,
Regina, Sask.
Experience not only criterion
Being single (never married) and well into my 40s, I followed the discussion on singleness with great interest. I particularly appreciated the article by Marina Froese (July 13).
Re the fact that there were no singles writing and the comment that only a single person knows the struggle of living a God-honouring single life (Letters, Aug. 24): If that is true, then it may be also true that I first have to die in order to be in a position to assist a dying person. I am convinced, if you publish another issue on singleness, there will be some articles from singles. But all of us can and should learn from one another and so enrich our spiritual lives and respond to needs more appropriately.
Heinrich Walde,
Brussels, Belgium
Teachers are concerned
As a teacher and a Christian, I respond to John Redekop’s “Freedom in education” (Sept. 14). He stated that teachers are “apparently more concerned about the small difference in salary increase between what school boards are offering and their union is demanding than they are about students’ welfare; they do not hesitate to go on strike or adopt work-to-rule policies.” I have been through the strike process in Ontario and can assure you that teachers hesitate, reflect and weigh very carefully a possible strike or work-to-rule policy. Teachers are very concerned with the welfare of their students. Teachers put in tremendous hours of time providing extra help to students, coach school teams and go that extra mile to see that their students are succeeding.
Paul Behnke,
Bright, Ont.
Contradictory interpretation
Irma M. Dyck (Letters, Sept. 28) advises us to “re-read the Bible”, using a passage from Timothy to instruct us on the proper role of women in the church. This illustrates the current model of the evangelical church that Stéphane Rhéaume challenges in the same issue. This abuse of Scripture is also what Jesus addresses in John 5. He heals a man on the Sabbath, and the authorities are indignant at this breech of what they understand to be a clear command of Scripture. Dyck’s letter is inconsistent: While insisting that “women should not teach a man”, she proceeds to instruct us (men, women and children) on her interpretation of this text.
If we are to re-read the Bible, it would be good to read it all, including passages like 1 Corinthians 11:5, where Paul clearly assumes a role for women in the preaching ministry: “Any woman who prays or proclaims God’s message in public worship with nothing on her head disgraces her husband.” As a Bible translator who has given his life to the ministry of translating and propagating the Scriptures, I fully endorse the call to re-read the Bible, but I am not encouraged when people use it to promote an agenda that does not line up with the teaching and character of Jesus, who came as the ultimate revelation of God.
Hart Wiens,
Waterloo, Ont.
Differing roles
Ordination of women as pastors or leaders in the church is becoming an issue again. The two letters Aug. 3 and the five letters July 13 referred to this topic but not one used Scripture. Let’s not omit Titus 2:3-4, 1 Corinthians 11:3 and 1 Timothy 2:11. These Scriptures do not leave room for women pastors or leaders. I see no difference between women as associate or senior pastor.
Women’s ministry is wide. We do not need to be officially ordained to tell the Good News. Men and women are equal but not the same, and the Bible ascribes different roles to them.
Dorothy-Jean Jantzen,
Saskatoon, Sask.
Scripture misinterpreted
I suggest that Dianne Douglas’s letter (Sept. 28) does not accurately interpret Ephesians 4:11,12. The focus of this text is not on authority, but on God’s spiritual gifting to the church “to prepare God’s people for works of service”.
Second, God grants authority not just to pastors, but also to elders and deacons. In the New Testament church, leadership was always plural. Paul appointed elders in the churches. The pastoral model as we know it today was non-existent in the early church.
Third, there is still a human element that comes into play in leadership selection. God appoints, church leadership selects, and the community of faith affirms. This was the case when Matthias was chosen to replace Judas (Acts 1:15-26). Two candidates for the position of apostleship were presented, the congregation of about 120 prayed, and then they drew lots. The lot fell upon Matthias. Casting lots may have been a somewhat crude method of selection for such an important position, yet God honoured their faith and their methodology. God also honours our methodology of leadership selection, no matter how crude it is, as long as it’s done in faith and obedience to God’s Holy Spirit. Biblical authority isn’t just imposed from the top down but also verified from the bottom up.
Finally, there are times when pastors and elders forfeit their authority to lead for a variety of reasons. Perhaps this is something that needs to be addressed in a future issue of the Herald.
Harry Wiens,
Yarrow, B.C.
Thank you, women
Every time I see a negative opinion about “women in leadership” like the letter by Irma Dyck, (Sept.28), I shake my head. I do not doubt her sincere desire to be spiritually discerning. However, I publicly thank and bless every woman who has received and is exercising the gift of teaching the Word. It is a responsibility of the church to discern the spiritual gifts within the body. This includes affirming the gift of teaching, by both men and women.
Unfortunately, we are at a stage when men are forfeiting their roles as spiritual leaders in the home and the church. Churches of every denomination are struggling to fill pastoral positions. Nomination committees in many churches cannot find willing people to accept responsibilities, and in some churches entire Sunday school programs are being “re-evaluated” (dropped).
We can all remember the faithfulness of many women who have worked tirelessly under abysmal conditions on mission fields around the world. God will reward their faithfulness, not our legalistic criticism.
Thank you, women, for all you are doing in serving the Lord in the church.
Frank Klassen,
Richmond, B.C.
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© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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