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.)

Don’t crawl like caterpillars

Re “The life of discipleship” (Bible Study, Mar. 17). I was troubled by Jim Holm’s article. I looked in vain for mention of God’s Holy Spirit as the source of Jesus’ power and the driving force behind his life and ministry. It’s obvious from Scripture that Jesus was a disciplined person, but that’s not what gave him the power to do what he did. Jesus did his works on earth and went to his death because the Spirit of God the Father was in him.

Discipline, spiritual or otherwise, will not make us do what Jesus did either. As admirable and character building as physical and spiritual disciplines are, they won’t make us pure and acceptable in the sight of God. We don’t need to crawl like caterpillars for the rest of our lives, hoping that transformation into butterflies will eventually take place if we just try to do what Jesus did and discipline ourselves enough. It’s the power of God’s Spirit that transforms our minds, hearts, and behaviour, and it begins the moment we ask for it.

Nancy Warkentin,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Blessed by Renovare classics

Re “Relieving anxieties over spiritual formation” (Crosscurrents, Mar. 17). I was encouraged by Walter Unger’s article. I have been blessed and growing in my love for God’s word with the readings of the Renovare classics. The introduction to classic authors has helped me make choices for extra reading. I was reassured that our young people attending MB schools are reading Richard Foster’s Celebration of Discipline.

Alvina Pankratz,
Winnipeg, Man.

Powerful poetry

Re “Born crucified” (Features, Mar. 17). I was blown away by Sheila Braun’s poem. Those few words were powerful and confronted the reader with Christ’s love. Wow!

George Epp,
Chilliwack, B.C.

Opportunity for public mourning

Re “Do we need a ceremony for divorce?” (Feb. 3). I noted with disappointment that the response to John Longhurst’s column was exclusively critical in nature. While provocative in his position, Longhurst’s suggestion that the church be present for a funeral for the death of a marriage seems only appropriate given Christ’s mandate to be with people in need.

The ending of a marriage is an excruciatingly painful, lonely ordeal. We can agree that it’s contrary to the ultimate will of God and not something to be celebrated by any means. However, to have a church provide an opportunity of public support, not for the divorce, but as a proclamation of love and support for the individuals concerned would be a tremendous sign of God’s love for wounded people.

Divorce does not only affect the former couple, it affects many others surrounding them. Public mourning of the ending of a marriage allows the church family to also take part in a meaningful process.

As a body of believers, let’s not limit the church’s public work, and by extension, our affirmation of God’s ability to work in all circumstances.

Carolyn Bergen,
Winnipeg, Man.

Editor’s note: Thanks again to readers for replying with such vigour to John Longhurst’s piece. We’ve printed this final letter in response to the article. Our intention in publishing the piece was to encourage discussion around the topic of divorce, and to explore some pastoral responses for bringing hope and healing into the lives of those affected by marriage failure. We apologize if the article offended readers in any way, or communicated an advocacy of divorce. The MB Herald stands firmly behind our MB Confession of Faith. We seek to be a venue where the practical application of our beliefs can be fleshed out.

Canadian history tells story

Re “Will faith play a role in Canadian politics?” (News, Mar. 17). The editor’s title seems to suggest that the election of a right of centre government makes it more likely that faith will play a role in Canadian politics. Interesting, but a bit difficult to illustrate from Canadian history.

The failure to mention Bill Blaikie seems more than an unfortunate oversight. He is the longest sitting member in the House of Commons, an ordained minister, and has spoken and written more on religion and politics than any other member of parliament. The extensive list of values that Ed Fast suggests as appropriate for public discourse is encouraging for a Conservative. I expect, however, that any study of the Canadian political story would demonstrate that those values have more effectively been demonstrated by Tommy Douglas, a Christian politician to the left, than by any Conservative Christian politician.

Dave Dyck,
Winnipeg, Man.