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.)

When parents divorce

Re “Divorce” (May). Thank you for this issue. My parents divorced when I was 21 and our pastor ignored it. My mom, sister, and I sought healing in our own individual ways, which continues today some 10 years later. Recently my sister and I read a great book, Between Two Worlds: The Inner Lives of Children of Divorce (by Elizabeth Marquardt), that looks at the effect of divorce on adult children of divorce as well as the spiritual implications. The author brought us incredible insights and added to our healing. It’s amazing to know the emotions and struggles we experience are common among those who have lived through the divorce of their parents. We aren’t alone!

Megan E. Richard,
Fresno, Cal.

Not enough support

Re “Divorce” (May). Thank you for bringing the reality of Christian divorce to our attention. I’m a member of an MB church, and was actively taking part in a visible ministry during the time that my marriage quietly fell apart. The church never stepped in. In the years since then, and particularly in the months immediately following our separation, I felt neglected and almost pushed aside and hidden, like I was an embarrassment to my church.

My church began a DivorceCare program and I attended. I got the impression that the church views divorce as an outreach opportunity. They’re more accepting of people from outside the church who have experienced the breakdown of a marriage, and look forward to ministering to their needs. It appears to be difficult for a church to come to terms with a marriage breaking down in its midst, and therefore, in my experience, the persons involved are not sufficiently supported.

To my church’s credit, my children and I are still accepted and I’m once again allowed to take part in the ministry I was involved in prior to my marriage breakdown.

Name withheld by request

Do something practical

Re “Divorce” (May). Your articles on divorce are long overdue. I know from experience that churches don’t know how to help those who are going through divorce. At church suppers, I was expected to sit with the single people because I didn’t belong with the couples, even the ones who had been in my Bible study group. That hurt. It’s time we got our heads out of the sand.

I spoke with one lady who wished the church would offer to take her children to church on Sundays when she had to work, or to youth during the week. As Christians, we should do something to show we are with people who are hurting, not just read or write about it.

Linda Zimmerman,
Winkler, Man.

Retire the word “spirituality”

Re “A modest proposal for a tired word” (Intersection, May). I agree with James Toews that retirement of the word “evangelical” is appropriate. I’m looking forward to him going after the word “spirituality.” I was recently paging through my school yearbook, more than 45 years old, and noticed the word “spiritual” in the write-up under my picture. Although well-intentioned, I remember being upset at the time. Was the impression I had left a true assessment? What did it really mean? About 20 years later, at a church couples retreat, we were asked by secret vote to name the most spiritual couple. Again, I questioned. What kind of spirituality? Shouldn’t such assessment be left to God? I’m curious to find out what Toews’ 2007 alternative for “spirituality” might be.

Len Schroeder,
Kelowna, B.C.

A term worth preserving?

Re “A modest proposal for a tired word” (Intersection, May). I share many of James Toews’ concerns about the term “evangelical.” Toews mentions its perception as an anti-intellectual movement; I would add to this its over-emphasis on individualism and the importance of subjective experience, among other things.

However, I don’t think it’s quite accurate to say that “there is nothing that identifies evangelicalism” or distinguishes it from other Christian traditions. David Bebbington, a British historian, has identified four main emphases that have historically set evangelicals apart: 1) conversionism, 2) crucicentrism, 3) activism, and 4) biblicism. Of course, each of these elements, properly understood, ought to represent important elements of any authentic Christian commitment. Sadly, they have all been, and still are, routinely misunderstood and abused.

Toews’ case for letting the term go may still be a good one. However, if such a case is to be made, there are at least three things that ought to be factored in: 1) what has the term connoted historically, 2) to what extent does it connote this in the present, and 3) can the term be useful in the promotion of God’s vision in our specific cultural context? I’d argue that all three components have to be examined in order to decide if the term “evangelical” is worth preserving.

Ryan Dueck,
Vancouver, B.C.

Ears are the problem

Re “Even fathers repent” (Stories we live by, May). After reading Ken Reddig’s article, I understand why psychologists are so set against spanking children. My mother never spanked me; she had her own way to teach her 10 children. I was playing outside when she came to the door and asked me to fetch her a pail of water. That meant putting the pail in my wagon, going to the well, pumping it full of water, and bringing it to my mother. I agreed to go right away, but I kept on playing.

Moments later Mother came to the door and said, “You were supposed to get me a pail of water!” As before, I agreed to go right away, but kept on playing. She came to the door the third time. In a very loud voice she shouted, “Do you hear?” Then I knew I better go, or she would pinch my ear again.

Mother was ahead of her time; she wisely determined that my problem was not with my bum, but with my ears. Is it possible that we as adults have never outgrown our childish ear problem because our discipline was applied to our bums?

Jake Peters,
Winnipeg, Man.

Keep noble deeds secret

Re “News” (April). I read with interest the news story about significant financial support received for Stillwood Camp and Conference Centre’s building project. The piece showed four of the eight sod-turners and named one of the donors. I felt sorry for the donor when I recalled Matthew 6:1. How tragic, I thought, that this person might be deprived of his later reward.

Also, when these stories of great generosity are noted, some readers might argue, “Now I’m off the hook, let the rich folks donate.” It could give a person of lesser means an excuse to withdraw their “mite.” Focusing on wealthier donors in the Christian community can lead to disruption of community and build barriers.

As Blaise Pascal wrote, “Noble deeds are most admirable when they are kept secret. For the finest thing about them is the attempt to keep them secret.”

George Epp,
Chilliwack, B.C.

No place for politics

Re “After one year” (Viewpoint, March). I was disappointed to see a political article in the Herald. I’m concerned that we’ll be viewed as a political organization or publication, which could hurt our peace stance or non-profit status. I feel that Christians must be urged to vote, but I don’t think they should be swayed by their denomination or church family. I love the Herald as a venue for diversity and loving God. Please keep politics away from its mission.

Debie Mealey,
Moncton, N.B.

Overheard: After the Virginia Tech shootings

We do not understand this tragedy. We know we did nothing to deserve it, but neither does a child in Africa dying of AIDS, neither do the invisible children walking the night away to avoid being captured by the rogue army, neither does the baby elephant watching his community being devastated for ivory, neither does the Mexican child looking for fresh water. . . . No one deserves a tragedy.

—Virgina Tech professor and poet Nikki Giovanni at sojo.net

Prayer: “Let your people be your hands that hold and your arms that embrace. Bring forth your life in death, your hope in agony and your peace in the storms.”

—Carmen Andres on her blog, in the open space

This is not a time to seek easy answers or to assign blame. It is, rather, a time to pray, mourn, and reflect.

—Jim Wallis on his blog, Godspolitics