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 1310 Taylor Ave. Winnipeg, Man.  R3M 3Z6 or send via e-mail. (Please ensure that your postal address is included in your e-mail correspondence.)

Arguments not valid

One of the stated purposes of the Herald is to “teach and equip for ministry by reflecting MB theology, values and heritage.” I fail to see how Steve Martens’s letter, “Another View” (Feb. 6) contributes to that goal.

Martens’s first argument is for polygamous marriages. Many of our world’s problems stem from the conflict between the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael. Abraham’s decision to commit polygamy was not in obedience to God’s command. I fail to see how this could be considered a plank in the cry for same sex marriages.

The first marriage in the Garden of Eden was instituted by God as a union between one man and one woman. That is a definition used not only by Christians, but by Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and others. We are not trying to impose our biblical views on society. To the contrary, the gay/lesbian movement is trying to impose its redefinition of marriage on the rest of the world.

Martens asks, “What would Jesus do?” citing the incident of the woman caught in adultery (John 8). Jesus sent her on her way with instructions to sin no more. There are ample biblical passages indicating all homosexual activity to be sinful.

He states that Christians should welcome same sex marriage legislation so we could experience first hand, persecution and martyrdom. If we stand idly by while our legislators run roughshod over the wishes of the majority of Canadians, the prospect of persecution may become the Christians’ lot.

He then suggests we should become friends with someone who is gay. I agree we need to befriend sinners, just as Jesus did. However, He always left the mark of God on them and never condoned their sin. He loves homosexuals, just as He loves all other sinners and saints alike.

Martens ends his letter with an appeal against discrimination. Fair enough. But at the same time we must remain firmly anchored in God’s Word. We would do well to read Romans.

Phil Wiebe,
Burnaby, B.C.

Liturgy more than an add-on

Re concerns over liturgy. I am interested in Wilmer Kornelson’s response (Letters, Feb. 27) namely: “Liturgy used by churches reflects their theology.” Liturgy is inherently theological. The significant distinction, however, as Mr. Kornelson points out, is how it is used. If the liturgy is used as a mere add-on, simply because the words and the music are romantic, as one Mennonite pastor whose church observes the “Stations of the Cross” at Easter pointed out, then the celebration of the liturgy is missing the point. Liturgy to the early church fathers did not just express the theology of the church, it actually was the theology of the church because that was where Jesus was experienced and apprehended. To do otherwise is self-indulgence.

Richard Toews,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Clear teaching

I have just finished reading Tom Friesen’s article “Marriage is a subversive act” (Feb. 6). I appreciate his perceptive analysis of the current state of marriage, as well as his clear and constructive teaching on the subject. His thoughtful discussion on the theology and ethic of Christian marriage is refreshing and much needed today.

Marcus Tso,
Burnaby, B.C.

Pastors

The letters section of the Herald is provided for the readers to share their opinions on different topics. I comment on one.

In regard to ordination and disposable pastors, we must remember that being called and anointed by God to pastor people is not a title or career. Pastoring in the scriptural sense of the word is not necessarily what we see going on today. Banding together as one of your writers suggested comes as a result of the Holy Spirit uniting the body of Christ. Possibly it is not always the so-called instigators that are in error. Jesus Christ discipled a handful of people. He did the job right and sent those people out to do likewise. We do not see this example in churches today. Quite often we see people taking on the responsibility of a church when they are not even aware of how God has anointed them. They may not even have the gift of pastoring yet they have taken on the responsibility. Remember that the role of pastoring comes from the eldership as we see in the letters to Timothy and Titus.

Jake Schmidt,
Calgary, Alta.

Personal decision

Why ban the Englisher Wunderbalsam? (“Taking exception to ad,” Letters, Feb. 27). Nobody has a right to deny us the right to buy it. We should be warned why it may be harmful but nobody has a right to deny it to others. The same goes for any medication or medical procedure.

Henry Koop,
Winnipeg, Man.

Sabbath a gift

How I welcome the three articles on the Sabbath (Feb. 27). Our practice of Sabbath reflects how we relate to God. Hopefully, these articles will open the door for a restoration, by many, to the glad embrace of Sabbath as a gift from God, not to merely indulge our unexamined whims, but to engage in deliberate expressions that befit a people who want more opportunities to celebrate the God of Creation and Redemption. The practical suggestions presented in the articles are fine, adaptable ways for approaching and experiencing Sabbath life. They nurture God-delighting in the midst of a culture that is displaced and disjointed. My thanks to the contributors!

Jim London,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.

Food for thought

Thanks for a great issue on the Sabbath! We had been talking about work/rest in our small group recently and the articles gave some good ideas and food for thought. I especially appreciated the quote: “Sabbath observance requires a leap of faith, a firm confidence that the world will continue to operate benevolently for a day without human labour, that God is willing and able to provide.” I’m learning that resting and tithing are acts of faith.

Monica Hein,
Waterloo, Ont.

Omission from interview

When we read our interview article (“Building a solid marriage,” Feb. 6), we asked ourselves, “How did we miss writing about a very important area in our marriage – sex?” As Hazel works in helping victims of sexual abuse, she is reminded that this beautiful gift from God has been badly misused. J.J. Toews, in speaking to a group of young couples in Linz, Austria, said, “Sex is like whipped cream on top of the cake. You can do without it, but it sure adds something very special to the cake.”

We continue to consider sex as God’s wedding gift to us. We are also very grateful for books that we have read on this topic. Here are a few authors we recommend: Ed and Gaye Wheat, Tim and Beverly LaHaye, Cliff and Joyce Penner, and Walter and Ingrid Trobisch. We are also grateful for other couples on our marriage journey, with whom we could talk openly.

We wholeheartedly affirm: “Sex is a fantastic gift from God, when enjoyed within the confines of marriage.”

Richard and Hazel Funk,
Salzburg, Austria