Clipped comments Volume 33, Number 3 Posted May 22, 2000 “Only God could forgive sins, could and did, washing them away in the … blood of His crucified Son, but that did not change the responsibility of His children to atone for those sins (and even their simple errors of judgment) whenever possible. Atonement was powerful; it was the lock on the door you closed against the past.” — Stephen King, The Green Mile “In its eschatology, mainstream Protestantism has suppressed the blood, the chaos, and the terror of the Apocalypse; and these have leapt out like the bogey from under the bed. If the mainstream churches cannot give a satisfactory account of the End, is it surprising that many people will choose to go elsewhere where those needs can be met and addressed?” — Dr. James Moorhead Inspire Journal, Princeton Theological Seminary Winter 2000 “We regret very much that expressing contumely and disdain for evangelical Christians is the last permissible bigotry in American public life.” — William J. Bennett Letter to U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, co-authored with Michael Novak “The basis of Presbyterian polity is theological. Our polity is not just a convenient way of getting things done; it is rather, the ordering of our corporate life which expresses what we believe. The connection between faith and order is inseparable.” — From Historic Principles, Conscience and Church Government, a document recommended for study during “Unity in Diversity” conferences “It is hard to conceive of the renewal of the Presbyterian Church (USA) without a widespread, new commitment to eliminate adult biblical illiteracy. Unless the adults know the story, the children and youth cannot be taught. And if we adults do not know the story contained in the Bible, we cannot know God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” — Editorial by Robert Bullock The Presbyterian Outlook, April 4, 2000 “We don’t understand the cross unless we understand the Old Testament category of sacrifice and the shedding of blood.” — J. Alec Motyer Old Testament editor of The Bible Speaks Today “But if there was no Jesus, faith in Jesus the Christ is just another way of whistling in the dark.” — Richard John Neuhaus, First Things, May 2000, responding to a two-part article by B.A. Gerrish in Christian Century. Neuhaus criticized Gerrish, professor of theology at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va., for presenting “another … affirmation of the resurrection gospel without the resurrection.”

Respond to this article

Home · News · PLC Publications · The Presbyterian Layman Online Reviews · Archives · History of the Lay Committee · Feedback · Links