OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

As are the Mennonites we might all become more concerned with prison reform. The Mennonites point out that the cost for incarcerating one person for a year is three times that of a year at a private college, and yet the prisons are not effective in either deterring others from crime or in rehabilitating the prisoner. They plead for alternatives to incarceration, such as probation programs, restitution, fines, and community service. Prison population has increased 70% in just eight years. Chuck Colson, who now directs a ministry to prisoners, is also working for prison reform, and he contends that only 20% of those now in prison (the violent offender) should be there; the other 80% could be on alternative programs. What could our churches do to help solve this weighty social problem?

We rejoice to learn that Churches of Christ, instrumental and non-instrumental, in Korea are now united. They met, talked, prayed, and wept together for a year before it could be effected. They began by confessing their sin of division, and they resolved to make the necessary concessions so that they could work together without anyone having to violate his conscience. Each church is left free to use the instrument or not do so, but in gatherings of two churches are more they will be non-instrumental. They now have a united yearly convention and they are one people. It is noteworthy that they were motivated by an old motto of our common heritage, “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, love.” If it can happen in Korea, why not in America? One big difference may be that they really wanted it, while we suffer from the very serious malady of not wanting.

Arkansas newspapers have announced that Harding University has fired the head of its Bible department, Jerry Jones, one reason given being that he was preaching for a sect. On that basis I fear that all our preachers and professors could be fired! One would suppose, moreover, that that is precisely where the word should be taught, to those that need it most. But the report indicated that Jones was also critical of the way the school favored athletes to the point of being unfair to other students. But firing professors, usually their better ones, is old hat to Harding. Our professors (and preachers) soon learn that there are two things that they must not do, assuming that they get by with getting an education. Don’t do any thinking and don’t criticize the status quo. If these rules are carefully observed, the chances of survival are at least fair.