Christian Chronicle (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, July 28, 1967 Page: 2 of 8
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Friday, July 28, 1987
CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE
EDITORIALS
of the Church
The Greatness
I
the
I
a
'Matt.
"Faith Corps
Sh o ws Prom ise
(6
I
•’ —
X’
Publisher
-------------- Editor
Advertising Manager
Promotion Director
Business Manager
Circulation Manager
his greatest works on the ceiling of the^ Sistine Chapel^ in^Rome.
ManZand the Flood. There ‘is also in the giant painting a
representation of God, intent in the act of creating Adam.
7 I have been told that Michelangelos painting of God’s face,
his own. Whether or not he intended to do so, Michelangelo
evidently painted the face of God in his own image.
Perhaps, whether consciously or not, many of us have a
similar God-complex.
On* of th* outstanding »ximplt* of tha workings of the
God-complex is the Inquisition. In those days ecclesiastical lead-
ers L. '* * *•-- -*-«**- ***""'
and t
taker F •
Page 2
— merit and censorship of'self-criticism. Late
Medieval mysticism. German Pietism and
19lh-Centurv revivalism were all reactions
against religious systems that were felt to
have become sterile hierarchies of hypocri-
sy ’Critics of malformed relgious systems
have shown a tendency not to limit their
for a year. He then returned to
the U.S. to attend Pepperdine
College where he earned the
B.A. and MA. degrees.
He has done work toward
the Ph D. at the University of
Southern California, and has
been admitted to the doctoral
program at the University of
Ten young people have returned from
experimental missionary activity in Bra-
zil and Canada, the first contingent of Faith
Corps workers to complete their full two
years in the field.
They were brought back to the U. S.
in May by the sponsoring West Islip church
in New York, which is now evaluating the
effectiveness of their wprk.
These yoiing people went to mission
points as a kind of “apprentice-mission-
aries.” They were to live at subsistence
level and help the veteran workers in any
way they could.
Although, in a sense, the jury is still
out, first indications are that the Faith
Corps concept has tremendous potential
for good in the overall mission outreach of
the church.
. •
" On a purely statistical basis, seven of
* the 10 plan to return to full-time mission
activity of some kind. By contrast, only
25 percent of the government’s Peace ,
similarly well-conceived programs
the Christian colleges confronted a profes-
sor with a diatribe against the bigots, man-
made traditions and inconsistencies of the
church. He concluded with a remark to
the effect that he had just quit taking part
in worship services and activities of the
local congregation.
The easiest thing to do would be to
write off this young man as one of many
who have become disinterested and have
just “fallen away.” This may not be the
case There is an increasing number of
members of the church who seem to say, .
“I’ve got Jesus and that’s enough.” It
should not be surprising to find this situ-
ation in the church today. There has al-
ways been a tension between the individual
and the group in organized religion.
Organized religion tends to become im-
personal. professional, unemotional, irrele-
vant and sometimes ruthless. Parallel to
these deveJontnenfs runs a lessening of
spiritual Values, lack bf personal involve-
z
whole concept of organized religion.
Unfortunately, this seems to be a live
option for some in the Restoration Move-
ment. We feel ttjat this is a costly mis-
take which misunderstands the heart and
corp of Christianity.
Christianity is not an individualistic re-
ligion. To be sure it demands total person-
al commitment. But when we address God
a-s “Our Father” we are not simply ad-
dressing “Father” but also confessing a
relationship with others who address the
same God. To call God “Father” is to
recognize brothers and sisters. The truth
of the matter is simply that the two re-
lationships cannot be separated. Jesus told
missionaries in Brazil who earlier
quested that the Faith Corps workers ex-
tend their stay in Sao Paulo.
The leaders of the West Islip Church
J) Their lives were radically changed
by tne experience and,
2) They were of genuine assistance to
the missionaries, maturing as their tenure
lengthened.
The latter point is underlined by the
missionaries in Brazil who earlier re-
EDITORIAL BOARD
Ralph Sweat, DavTfiT Stewart, James Batts, Harold Straughn
Regional Edition Editor; Edgar Orman, Mid-South; Will Ed Warren,
North Central; James H. Sewell, West Coast; Gene Robmson, Midwest;
■. M. Mankin, Tennessee Valley; Henry Seidmeyer, High Plains; Larry
Roberts, East Coast; John R. Stewart, Oklahoma; Clarence DeLoach, Jr.,
Ohio Valley; Ottis L. Hilburn, Northwest; James Lundy, Southern; James
W. Nickens. Northern California.
Subscriptions 1 year (U.S. and Canada), $4.6$; 1 year foreign, $4 SO ex-
cept missionaries receive complimentary boat-mail subscriptions upon re-
quest; 3 years, W OO; 5 years, $18.50; Club Plan (3 or more) 1 year, $3.00
each; Congregational Plan, $.35 per month per family and church office re-
ceives statement (includes regional editions where applicable). Material for
publication should be sent to the Editor, Christian Chronicle, Box 4055. Aus-
tin, Texas 70731. Special Delivery: <731 North Lamar, Austin, Texas 78757
Phone: GLendale 2-57M (Area 512).
have consistently taken a cautious ap-
proach to the Faith Corps experiment.
Care was taken to have the workers well-
trained (they spent six weeks at the Hard-
ing Missions Seminar and six weeks in ex-
tensive Bible study.) •
Special care was taken even in bring-
ing the workers home. The elders spaced
the return trips over a period of several
days to allow time for thorough debriefing
and evaluation by the missions committee
of the West Islip church.
Corps return to .Untlar work. slm
Already two significant points stand future, and can be a touchstone for other
out from the reports taken from the re- congregations who want to do effective
turning Faith Corps workers: long-range mission work.
$ -Z , v '..Z • - ’ "
1
The church is important.
Many critics of the various abuses of
true Christianity often show a disposition
to disregard their relationship to the
church in favor of a more personal and
subjective religious experience. To be
sure, organized religion often tends to be-
come external, bureaucratic, impersonal
and complacent. Many critics are appar-
ently willing just to “junk the whole thing.” _ __ r.__„ __ .
Recently a disturbed student fa one of.. iMtrpose .<* worikhla
t—*„j---for an the members when wowing
properly so that they
Christ (Eph. 4:15, ft
no place for growth in Him outside of the
body.
We deplore the abuses of professional-
ism, hypocrisy and insincerity among us.
Equally deplorable, however, is the tend-
ency of some to retreat into the closet to
a type of personalism which really denies
the need of being related to the body. How
easy it would have been for Paul to
“write off’ the brethren in Corinth! But
he didn’t He told them they are the body
of Christ despite all their corruption.
The Christian hasn’t the option to go
it alone. The act of God in Christ created
a community of believers bound together
in love and dedicated to glorifying its Ix>rd
in word and deed. The very existence of
the church testifies to the world that
something decisive happened in Palestine*
two thousand years ago. The Lord’s Sup-
per especially proclaims our belief and
trust in Him as we come together to par-
take The purpose of God expressed in
Christ has created a new Israel
church.
We recognize that local congregations
j often fall short of the ideal church. How-
criticism to the abuses, but to discard the ~ ever^ the churches in the New Testament
exhibited similar weaknesses, as, for in-
stance those in Corinth and Galatia The
church consists of people and people make
mistakes.
The beauty of Christianity is the fact
that we do have Christ in common and
can help one another mature and grow up
into Him We can sympathize with those
who are disturbed and disappointed with
the fact that there are those in the church
who “don’t act like Christians.”
For a Christian to act responsibly,
however, is to shoulder the cross of the
One who came to live and die for men who.
unfortunately, seldom “act like ,Chris-
tians
1
c- , d...
I IMMliMIMO—UMHTK'r 'IWMlWriWT
COMMENT
■■ . .. .;V,' ;• -
By J. Paul Du Boi*
Tul$a, Oklahoma
Michelangelo/the famed sculptor and artist, painted one of
his greatest works on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
It depicts, in magnificent sequence, the Creation, the Fall of
Man, and the Flood. There is also in the giant painting a
representation of God, intent in the act of creating Adam.
• 7 I have been told that Michelangelos painting of God’s face,
in this famous mural, bears a most striking resemblance lo
his own. Whether or not he intended to do so, Michelangelo
evidently painted the face of God in his own image.
Perhaps, whether consciously or not, many of us have a
similar God-complex.
Ono of the outstanding examples of the workings of the
actually'presumed to sit in judgment on the faith of others
lr form$ ef worship. They even, asserted ffae rlght „ia_ .
► lives of those who foiled to conform to their own
irian views. They assumed God's prerogatives.
ips none have been more conceited in their claim
to superior righteousness than John Calvin. He was apparently
intoxicated with a belief that he had the right to compel the j
citizens of Geneva to conform to his own beliefs. He established
his own rules of modesty in -dress, for example, and then
sent inspectors out among the people to enforce his rules.
Even small infractions of his legislation were severely pun-
ished. Once, for example, three men were ordered to prison
because they laughed during one of Calvin’s sermons (Phillip
Schaff, History of tho Christian Church, Vol. VIII, p. 353ff).
In his battle against an authoritarian papacy, Calvin himself
behaved in the same papal spirit.
Not for one moment should we imply, of course, that we
should not strive for depth of convictions. Neither would we
dare depreciate the absolute necessity of basing strong beliefs
only on God’s Word, the divine inscripturations of the Holy
Spirit. We would observe, however, that the God-complex, and
the unwarranted conceit that manifests itself in various forms of
judgment, denunciation, isolationism, and the authoritarian ma-
nipulation of people, is not yet purged from the church.
Of course, our reaction to such must be without rancor,
because in one form or another, most of us are guilty. The
powers of self-deception are almost limitless. Solomon thought so:
“All the-ways of a man are pure in his own eyes." (Progr 16:2)
Sometimes the drive for ego-satisfaction is not recognized
because the person has convinced himself that what he is doing
is done only for the good of those he coerces. He tells himself
that he is deeply concerned for their spiritual welfare. More
than this, his scope of concern broadens to embrace the whole
church The man with the God-complex believes he must save
the church. ‘ .
With still others the God-complex works in yet another way.
He would never be found among those who use political pres-
sures or coercive tactics. He counts himself intellectually superi-
or to such. In fact he would fight such dogmatism. He is so
convinced of the superiority of his own love and tolerance
that he can hardly tolerate the intolerant! The God-complex
is often seen in strange paradoxes of mythical righteousness. '
The whole thing is easily traced to the most vicious sin
■in the world: pride. Tormented by suspicions that he is inade-
quate, a man tries to reassure himself that he is, after all,
important and of extraordinary worth to his community. He
also trie* to convince others of this, and much of what he
doe* I* done to establish and maintain his image. -
The problem can never be alleviated until a man knows
the first principle of discipleship. “If any man would come
after me. let him deny himself 'emphasis supplied . . jpd) . . ,
whosoever shall lose his life for my sake shall find it."
16:24 , 25). No man can really be at his best in God’s service
until he gets out of self “I bid every one among you not
to think of himself more highly than he ought to think . . . .”
(Rom. 12:3).
This demands a pretty strenuous self appraisal.
Pepperdine Adds Herbert Luft
HEIDELBERG, Germany
Pepperdine College has added
lerbert Luft to the permanent
faculty of Pepperdine’s Year in
Europe program in Heidelberg.
A native of Frankfurt, Luft
attended Michigan Christian
College for two years then re-
turned to Germany to preach
Christian<feCbronicle
An Internutional weekly newspaper, with 12 regional news editions, estab-
lished June 2. 1943 by Olan L. Hicks. Now in its 24th year as a publication
for churches of Christ. It is circulated in 50 states and some 50 countries.
Published on Friday, except the last week of June and December, by the
R. B. Sweet Co , Inc. Second Class postage pending at Austin, Texas, and
at additional mailing offices.
Ralph Sweet
Harold Straughn
Jerry Tindel ....
James Batts ..
Floyd Rogers ..
Don Batts
his disciples that men would know that
they were His because of their love for
one another (John 13:25). The man who
kneels at the cross cannot kneel alone.
Paul further emphasized the point when
he told the Corinthian brethren that when
they sinned against one another they were
sinning against Christ (1 Cor. 8:12). He
does not use idle metaphor when speaking
of the church as the body of Christ. The
merit for all the members when working
. — might grow up IriflT
). Certainly there is
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Straughn, Harold. Christian Chronicle (Austin, Tex.), Vol. 24, No. 41, Ed. 1 Friday, July 28, 1967, newspaper, July 28, 1967; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1320724/m1/2/?q=music: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Christian University Library.