We`ve Got Mail
Letters From Our Readers
“In 2004 my family sold most of what we owned, packed the rest and moved to Kosice, Slovakia to serve as CBF missionaries among Romany Gypsies . . . My growing stack of CET Journals was one of the things I did keep. . . Tragically my box of journals was lost, but how thrilled I was to learn of the CD [Issues 1-59]. Please keep sending CET to my Benton, AR address.”
R. Shane McNary.
R. Shane McNary.
“The Palmer Seminary I taught was challenged by Ministerial Ethics, as well as pleased to be introduced to CET. You are making a difference in the ethical context of many.”
Allen Reasons, Huntington, WV
Allen Reasons, Huntington, WV
“As a 65-year old biker who has “tats” on both arms and who is descended biologically and theologically from German stock, I found the article on “The Temple and Tatoos” [Fall, 2007] offensive and deeply prejudiced. Shame on you! Cancel my subscription.”
N.B., Lubbock, TX
Ed: What can I say? I thought my granddaughter’s article quite good!
N.B., Lubbock, TX
Ed: What can I say? I thought my granddaughter’s article quite good!
“I am thoroughly enjoying your Journal. I read it from cover to cover the day it comes—the articles are firey and the cartoons alone are priceless. I don’t know how you do it! I struggle to get a fraction of the size out four times a year. I think you are in another league.”
Bill Spencer, Editor of Pricilla Papers of Christians for Biblical Equality
Bill Spencer, Editor of Pricilla Papers of Christians for Biblical Equality
“Enclosed is a gift in memory of my brother Jerry Reeves, who passed away 9/7/07, and had written for CET. I can think of no more fitting memorial.”
Joel Reeves, Buckner, AR
Joel Reeves, Buckner, AR
“I haven’t studied Tripp York’s A Non-Voting Manifesto? [Summer, 2008] carefully, but from my years of ministering to Mennonites and some casual study of their history, I had an immediate reaction. York’s Manifesto seems to be an elaboration of an experiment by Menno Simon’s followers 500 years ago. After a generation or two the Mennonites concluded that if believers withdrew totally from the public/political arena, that left it alone to unbelievers. So they concluded (to oversimplify) that it was the better part of discipleship to vote and (cautiously) even stand for public office.”
“I also still think Baptists erred in distancing ourselves too much from the Anabaptists and their suspicion of the ‘polis’.”
Richard D. Kahoe, Woodward, OK
Richard D. Kahoe, Woodward, OK
“Jane and I often quote or paraphrase some bit of knowledge from CET.”
Jim Crouch, Hamilton, TX
Jim Crouch, Hamilton, TX
“As one of your former students, I enjoy reading each issue of CET. Over the last couple of years, I have noticed an over drift in your articles from Christian ethics to liberal politics. . . .”
Brian Gasiorowski, Corpus Christi, TX
Brian Gasiorowski, Corpus Christi, TX
Editor’s Reply: Thanks for your question—I am always interested in reader’s thoughts, especially former students like you, who are among my best. Labels like “liberal” and “conservative” have various meanings. Most who use the term “liberal” usually mean “to the left of where I am.” The dictionary definition of liberal includes: “tolerant of views different from your own, democratic as opposed to monarchistic [the first Americans were called ‘liberal thinkers’ because they opposed autocratic kings and rulers], favoring reform, progress, personal freedom, not restricted to a literal meaning of the Bible.”
I also believe a strong case could be made for Jesus being considered a “liberal” by the religious and political leaders of his day—he questioned religious traditions, opposed the narrow dogmatism of religious authorities, opposed injustice and oppression, and challenged those who sought to “conserve” the orthodox views of Judaism. You could say Jesus was crucified because he did not “conserve” the orthodox views of his day.
To be “Red-Letter Christians” and follow Jesus teachings (esp. the Sermon on the Mount) probably means accusations of being political and religious liberals. I guess CET and the editor are guilty of that.
“Thank you for your offer to send a package of CDs, books, and CET journals to us. . . . We continue to mentor our International Students via the internet. We paid one graduate of the Moscow seminary to translate a textbook on Christian ethics in the Russian language. . . and two others to write a new textbook of Christian ethics. Christian Ethics Today offers good perspectives for our students.”
Dr. Ruth Heizer and Dr. James Heizer, Baylor and Southern Seminary graduates who teach short term courses at seminaries and Bible colleges in Russia, Ukraine, Muldova, and China.
Dr. Ruth Heizer and Dr. James Heizer, Baylor and Southern Seminary graduates who teach short term courses at seminaries and Bible colleges in Russia, Ukraine, Muldova, and China.
Note: A number of letters/emails have come from pastors, teachers, seminaries, and Christian schools in foreign countries, where we cannot send CET bi-monthly; however, we do send the CD of Issues 1-59 and a packet of recent journals and other books and videos/CDs for their libraries, thanks to the Piper Fund.
