OUR CHANGING WORLD

 

In a recent issue of the Gospel Advocate, Dabney Phillips expresses concern that we “tamper with baptism when we say one is scripturally baptized if he is baptized ‘without understanding the correct purpose’ ,” which is for the remission of sins. He refers to the fact that Alexander Campbell quoted Acts 2:38 before he was baptized. I wrote to Dabney, kindly suggesting that his reference to Campbell could be misleading, for Robert Richardson, Campbell’s biographer, makes it clear that it was another ten years before the reformer associated baptism with remission, even if he did quote Acts 2:38 at the time of his immersion. Moreover, both of the Campbells believed they were already Christians at the time of their immersion. They were immersed because they became convinced that it was the practice of the apostles.

If one reads a gay newspaper, such as the Montrose Voice, published in Houston where there are 300,000 homosexuals, he will notice numerous church ads. I counted 21 on the classified page, such as Presbyterians for Lesbian/Gay concerns, Gay and Lesbian Mormons, Dignit/Hon (gay Catholics) and An Acappella Chorus (Church of Christ). Along with virtually every denomination, the Montrose Church of Christ has a notice of its services. One thing should be apparent: the gays are not going to go away, and they will have their own churches if the “straights” kick them out.

The Disciple recently published “A Fresh Look at Baptism,” which reveals what Disciples of Christ believe about baptism, which might surprise some of us. Among the clergy, 61% believe that the only form of New Testament baptism is immersion, with only 6% strongly disagreeing. As for baptism being “for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38, the old Disciple formula, 70% of the members and 67% of the preachers still agree with the affirmation. Most of the members do not want “open membership” practiced, and the study concludes that it remains an open question, with some insisting that inclusive membership does not imply approval of sprinkling or infant baptism.

Transformation (British and U.S.A.) calls ours “An Age of Holocaust,” noting that an estimated 40-55 million babies are aborted each year worldwide, with the U.S.A. counting for 1-1½ million of these. Another 15 million children die each year worldwide from malnutrition and related diseases.

Even though the possibility of taking AIDS from a common cup is slight, British churches are going to use individual communion cups instead of the traditional single chalice. If this is not done, the priest is to wipe the cup with a clean cloth after each communicant partakes. One wonders if there is any such concern among our own Churches of Christ who opt to use the single chalice.

Writing in the bulletin of the Burke Rd. Church of Christ in Pasadena” Tx., John Wright identifies bad religion as having four characteristics: emphasizes law without grace; focuses on selected doctrines to the neglect of others; preoccupied with the mystical, the concealed, and the petty, thus ignoring what God has emphasized; frightens people with a God of terror rather than reassuring people with a God of love. He says bad religion degenerates into a superstition, even if it wears the name Christian.

Those who watch football on TV have seen those signs held by spectators in the stands. I recall seeing one that advised “READ JOHN” 3:16. Believe it or not, in this increasingly secularistic society of ours such a sign is not allowed. “HI MOM” is okay and the likes of “LOVE THEM HOGS,” but not anything religious. When a patron was made to remove his sign about the Bible, he appealed to the Rutherford Institute, which has filed suit in federal court. The institute contends that since the stadium allows its patrons to express their views in this way it cannot discriminate against their religion.