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On Being Reformed:An Interview with Max Stackhouse

Max L. Stackhouse is the Rimmer and Ruth de Vries Professor of Reformed Theology and Public Life at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has published many books and articles in the areas of economic ethics, human rights, covenantal ethics, and family and globalization, including the God and Globalization series, of which he is chief editor (Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2000-Present). An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Dr. Stackhouse has traveled and lectured globally, engaging in various intercultural…
Hak Joon Lee
October 16, 2005
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Theology’s Passive Voice

Schoolteachers caution against it, editors abhor it, even computerized grammar checks try to eliminate it--the passive voice. Strunk and White's Elements of Style pronounces the active voice direct, vigorous, and clear. The passive voice is considered by most to be circuitous, weak, and indefinite. The active voice produces forceful writing, giving life and significance to exposition. The passive voice is, well, passive--acted upon rather than acting. And yet, it is precisely "being acted upon" that may make the passive voice…
Joseph D. Small
October 16, 2005
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by Ellen StephenWONDERTRANSITION

CONGRUITY To the Blessed Sacrament exposed Wafer thin slice of light--the local point of all the universes, every sun; the point of all that matters in deep space, matter and anti-matter, dark and grace; all that beneath the Son is done, not done, all opposites made neighbor and conjoint. Jesus, you are where Word and silence meet, where mystery and molecule are fused. You are both bread and hand; both truth and way for all eternity and every day. You…
Ellen Stephen
October 16, 2005
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Loss of Mystery

When Jesus appointed the seventytwo to preach the gospel, he indicated that they were not merely authorized to preach the gospel, to speak about Jesus, but that in the proclamation of those appointed to preach the gospel, Jesus himself speaks. Jesus' own voice is heard in the human voice of proclamation. The proclaimed is also the proclaimer. Because of this, the one who rejects the proclaimer rejects also him who is proclaimed, and the one who rejects the proclaimed rejects…
James Daane
October 16, 2005
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Changing Sexual Orientation: A Rejoinder

The article by David Myers and Letha Scanzoni in the April issue is the third feature article on the subject of homosexuality to appear in Perspectives within a little over two years, the first being Fred Van Geest's article "Homosexuality and Public Policy" (December 2002), and the second being David Timmer's article "Same-Sex Marriage: Crisis in Society, Summons to the Church" (January 2005). All three approach the subject from one point of view. If they had no recourse to other…
Wendell P. Karsen
August 1, 2005
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On Meeting Birth Mom: Beginning of a Reconciliation

In June of 1999, after returning to Michigan from a stay in Rwanda, my husband and I adopted three African-American siblings from the foster care system, aged five, three, and one. One child had Sickle Cell Anemia, one was thought to be autistic and/or deaf, and one carried the burdens of the world on her tiny shoulders. They were wards of the state of Michigan. Some of the trauma they experienced before entering our home is recorded in court records,…
Amanda J. Barton
August 1, 2005
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Living Up to What We Have Already Attained

To all the graduates at Eastern University, together with their overseers--family, friends, university faculty, and administrative deacons: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ! My text is from the opening chapter of Paul's letter to the Philippians, written around AD 61, which he begins with a somewhat similar greeting. What I want to highlight from the text is Paul's statement in 1:6: "I am confident that the One who began a good work…
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Looking Backwards

When we ordain a new elder or deacon at my church, a substantial proportion of the congregation gets into the act. We have the custom of inviting all of the current and former elders and deacons in the congregation to come join in the laying on of hands. Possibly other churches have this tradition, but I had never been in one that did this until I joined this church. Since I was elected elder a number of years ago, I…
Donald Cronkite
August 1, 2005