Race & Relations; Christianity & University; Art & Beauty



Why would a Canadian attend a conference on race relations? Don’t we have that issue figured out in this country and in our churches? 

Well, actually, no. Love of neighbor does not come naturally to us, either. It’s just that we don’t share the history that Americans do of slavery, the civil rights movement, segregation, race riots and all those other serious matters that scar a country whose motto,“conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are equal,” fell short of being fulfilled.

 We have our own sins up here in the frozen north. So any smugness or air of superiority needs to be put away, and fast.

 We all share the same malady. Our father was Adam, our mother was Eve, and sin lives on in each one of us, black, white, Asian, African, European, North American, South American, Australian, etc. So any conference that attempts to set things right, or at least to work on it, is worth attention and attending, if it can educate, inform and inspire us to living more faithfully for the sake of Christ. You’ll find a report on page 8.

How can a Christian university be faithful in a culture and political milieu that demands conformity in areas that the Bible would identify as sinful? One way not to do it is to simply give in and compromise for the sake of survival. The cause of Christian higher education is worth maintaining. To compromise is to lose its reason for existence. Christian colleges and universities face this kind of pressure in a increasingly secular culture.

Compromise inevitably leads to a watering down of core beliefs and truth fades in the mist of echoed calls for academic freedom. The only certainty left is salvation in Jesus Christ, and that too might be lost as the Bible takes second place to “general revelation.”

 History’s lesson is that institutions that conform willingly or forcefully to secular agendas eventually become Christian in name, only.

In the February 15th issue of Christian Renewal, Gerry Wisz wrote Part 1 of a two-part series on the topic of “The New Socialists.” Part 2 of that article we were hoping to run in this issue, but due to various circumstances, it will run instead in our next issue, March 29th.

 Part 2 of his series will get down to specifics, identifying some of the grassroots concerns that deserve to be considered, and answered in a Christian and Reformed way one that is neither left- or right-wing in nature.

Not an easy assignment.

 In this issue, Gerry tackles the subject of the Wall that is at the center of controversy in the U.S. and one that also needs to be considered based on biblical principles of fairness, justice and compassion.

 Norm Bomer tackles the subject of art and of beauty, of creativity, matters that are uniquely human in scope, because as image bearers of the Creator we are imbued with these gifts. May we use them for His glory.

John Vandyk, Editor
Christian Renewal Magazine

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