OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

Karl Barth, who died a decade or so ago, was perhaps the most famous theologian of his day. Books by him and about him have continued to be published since his death, the latest one being a collection of his letters, which reveal the humility of the man. Granting that it was nice to be famous, he urged his admirers to refrain from making a myth of him, for “the angels will certainly not like that and the perspicacious will see through it to my shame.” He asked his friends to do their thing better than he had done his “to the glory of God and his friends.” Barth was among the German churchmen who refused to take the oath of allegiance to Adolf Hitler, but what I like most of all is the story growing out of his visit to the United States. Asked by a seminarian what his most profound thought had been, he replied: “I learned it at my Mother’s knee: ‘Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.’‘’ On his 75th birthday he wrote about all the praise he had received, and asked a very sobering question, But who will be finally praised?

One of our readers and longtime friend, David McCormick of Amarillo, Tx., writes us of the success of his cochlear implant for his hearing. He told of calling his wife from work and hearing her voice on the phone for the first time in 20 years. We rejoice with him and thank God for this breakthrough in modern science.

July 17-19 is the date for an Elders Workshop at Abilene Christian University. One speaker is Jon Jones of Richland Hills Church of Christ, Ft. Worth, whose subject is “Shepherding for Involvement.” This is in conjunction with the university’s National Christian Education Conference, which features Sen. Orrin Hatch, Roger Staubach, and the presidents of Baylor and Oklahoma universities, Abner McCall and Bill Banowsky. You can write for further information: Box 8159, Abilene, Tx. 79699.

The new educational-office facility of the Broadway Church of Christ in Lubbock is described as “overwhelming” by those who have seen it. Four stories high, it has a glass elevator from which one can see the open elegance of the structure, something like a Hyatt Regency hotel. The minister has a suite of offices, luxuriously appointed, and there are numerous offices for the church’s rather extensive staff. The elders’ have their own suite, and the seating arrangement provides special places for the chairmen. Classrooms are ultra modern and can be adjusted to allow for large open areas. We are told that the elegance and modernity are such that there is no way to do it justice in print. And for those who would criticize this sort of thing, we are assured that if Jesus of Nazareth were to appear at the front door on the foal of an ass he would be welcome.

There is an elegance of a different sort at still another Church of Christ, which we will not further identify. A preacher in the membership (but not the minister of the church) who has long been known as an arch-conservative undertook to expose the “liberal tendencies” of the congregation by writing letters to our chief editors and wing commanders, particularly in Austin and Nashville. He also maneuvered among the members, sowing discord. But it all boomeranged. The editors did not rally to his side, and the members have had enough of the old legalisms. The elders, who have been overly gracious to the brother, have at last put him under discipline; warning him that he must cease his factious behavior or be excluded from the fellowship of the congregation. This is an encouraging news item and I am persuaded that it rides the crest of the future for Churches of Christ. At last we have begun to discipline the real heretics and troublemakers. The true heretic is not one who refuses to brand instrumental music a sin or who accepts a Baptist as his brother, but the one who demands that everybody else sees things the way he does and will divide the church if they don’t. The old oppressive blood and guts tactics are not working like they used to, and thank God for that! And in a few more years such bruisers are going to find themselves without a job if they don’t do some changing. But never sell short the power of money to modify positions!

One of our readers in Arizona, remembering our article on Church of Christ weddings, sent us this story: “I am a Christian Church pastor, was married by another Christian Church pastor in a Church of Christ building with the Church of Christ minister playing the guitar and his wife playing the piano! Who knows but what things are changing?”