NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS & EVENTS

CHURCH NEWS

MINISTERIAL CALLS

Extended

To Rev. C. Vogelaar of Franklin Lakes, NJ by the Lynden, WA congregation.

To Rev. J. den Hoed of Rock Valley, Iowa by the Unionville, Ont. congregation.

Declined

By Rev. C.A. Van Dieren of Stolwijk, The Netherlands to the St Catharines, Ont and Lethbridge, Alta. congregations.

Accepted in the Netherlands

By Rev. A.F. Honkoop of Zwijndrecht to the Wageningen congregation.

BOOK AND PUBLISHING COMMITTEE

New Children’s Book Available

Building on the Rock, Book 2,which contains a collection of 24 meaningful Christian stories for young children (approximately grades 2–7) will be available by November 15. Heartily recommended. The price is $3.50 (U.S. Funds). Send book orders to: Book and Publishing Committee, 1020 N. Main, Sioux Center, IA 51250.

Donations Needed

As decided at the last Synod and NRCEA meetings, our Book and Publishing Committee hope to proceed with the reprinting of three major works: Rev. Kersten’s Heidelberg Catechismsermons; John Vreugdenhil’s Bible Historyand Church Historyin three volumes each. As you can understand, these reprintings will involve large sums of money which must be available as we go to press. Hence any donations received by December 31 for these worthy works would be deeply appreciated.

Donations are also needed for the continued publication of our “blue book” sermons. Perhaps you have noticed that few “blue book” sermons have been produced in the last year. This is simply due to a lack of funds. To increase financial support for this branch of work undertaken by the Macedonia Mission Society, our last Synod has placed the supervision of the “blue book” sermons under the jurisdiction of the Book Committee. (If you desire your donation to be used for “blue book” sermons, please earmark your check accordingly.)

Send all donations to:

Book and Publishing Committee

Adrian Slootmaker, treasurer

15 Eugene Circle

Lincoln Park, New Jersey 07035

May the Lord add His blessing to these works and sermons for many souls—both young and old.

NEW FAX NUMBER

Material for the Banner of Truthand Paulmay now be faxed directly to the editor at (616) 459–7709.

OBITUARIES

HENDRICKS, Albert B. — Age 69; September 5, 1990; Waupun, Wl; Wife —Mildred; Sons — Bernie, Henry; Daughters — Barbara (Mrs. Joel Sterk), Helen (Mrs. Dale DeSmidt), Mary (Mrs. Frank tamberson); 11 grandchildren. (Rev. J. den Hoed, Ps. 90:12.)

ZWARTBOL, Jannigje — Age 56; September 21, 1990; Sardis, B.C. (Rev. A.M. den Boer, Eccl. 1:4a.)

VERMEER, Wilhelmina — Age 78; October 4, 1990; chilliwack, B.C.; Sons — Bill, Gary, John, Henry; Daughters — Sien (Mrs. Arie Arends), Joanne (Mrs. Albert Verschuur), Wilma (Mrs. George Van den Brink), Connie (Mrs. Cornie Luteyn), Pauline (Mrs. Marten Neels); Sister — Mrs. Joanne Baars and 2 in the Netherlands; Brother — 1 in the Netherlands; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. (Rev. H. Hofman, Ps. 72:12–14.)

GREENDYK, Alida— Age 99; October 7, 1990; Prospect Park, NJ; Sons — Marinus, Nicholas, Richard; 21 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren. (Student J. Greendyk, 1 Pet. 4:18.)

DEN BOER, Suzanna — Age 84; October 11, 1990; Chilliwack, B.C. (Rev. A.M. den Boer, Ps. 116:3,4.)

PHILLIPS, Kenneth LeRoy — Age 65; October 25, 1990; Kalamazoo, Ml; Wife — Ruth Arline; Sons — Garry, Stan, Randy; Daughter — Becky (Mrs. Alan Gonzales); 8 grandchildren; 1 great-grandchild. (Dr. J.R. Beeke, Ps. 90:9b.)

TEACHERS

CALVIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, Lethbridge/Ft Macleod.

Applications are still being sought for both the elementary and high school level. For more information contact the principal: Mr. A.H. Verhoef (403) 381-3030 — School; (403) 381-4434 — Home. Please send applications with references to the secretary of the school board: Mr. A.M. De Wilde, P.O. Box 142, Monarch, Alta., Canada T0L 1M0.

PLYMOUTH CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL, Grand Rapids, Mich. is presently taking applications for a teaching position in English, as well as a possible combination of several other subjects. Qualified persons should send applications to the principal, Mr. Richard J. Ten Elshof, 965 Plymouth Rd., N.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49505, (616) 454-9481.

REHOBOTH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, Copetown, Ontariois seeking applicants for Principal, primary, junior and intermediate positions for the 1991–92 school year. Please send resume to the Principal, Jerry Hamstra, Rehoboth Christian School, Box 70, Copetown, Ontario L0R 1J0.

How Great a Debtor

Oh! to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be;
Let that grace now like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee!
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it;
Take my heart, oh, take and seal it,
Seal it from Thy courts above!

TRUE THANKSGIVING

There remains the other point, which approaches more nearly to faith; that, while we observe how God has appointed all things for our benefit and safety, and at the same time perceive His power and grace in ourselves, and the great benefits which He has conferred on us, we may thence excite ourselves to confide in Him, to invoke Him, to praise Him, and to love Him. Whenever we call God the Creator of heaven and earth, let us at the same time reflect that the dispensation of all those things which He has made is in His own power, and that we are His children, whom He has received into His charge and custody to be supported and educated. Then we may expect every blessing from Him alone, and cherish a certain hope that He will never suffer us to want those things which are necessary to our well-being, that our hope may depend on no other; that, whatever we need or desire, our prayers may be directed to Him, and that, from whatever quarter we receive any advantage, we may acknowledge it to be His benefit, and confess it with thanksgiving; that, being allured with such great sweetness of goodness and beneficence, we may study to love and worship Him with all our hearts.

CURRENT EVENTS

JOHN CALVIN: REFLECTIONS ON CONFERENCE

On August 20–23, 1990 one hundred Calvin scholars gathered in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the “Fifth Quadrennial International Congress on Calvin Research.” It was the first time that this premier conference on Calvin was held in the United States. The scholars came from eleven different nations by invitation only, including eleven from the Netherlands, of whom several were from conservative Reformed churches.

The opening paper was entitled, “An Anatomy of All Parts of the Soul: Insights into Calvin’s Spirituality from His Psalms Commentary.” Calvin bared his soul more in his Psalms Commentarythan in any other writing. He waxes autobiographical in the preface—something rare for Calvin—and then identifies with the psalmist’s experiential life throughout his expositions. This Commentary itself would make an excellent daily devotional.

Obituary notices are printed free of charge and are submitted by the officiating minister; marriage and anniversary notices will be charged at $5.00 per issue and must be individually submitted. Other announcements and/or requests will be approved by the editorial committee on an individual basis as received. (Church events or school needs, such as upcoming classical meetings, “teachers wanted,” office-bearer conferences or youth day conferences will be announced free of charge.)

To place an announcement, simply type (or print neatly) your information, enclose $5.00, and forward to “New and Events,” 2115 Romence St N.E., Grand Rapids, Ml 49503 by the 5th of the month preceding publication.

Other plenary sessions given were: “Was Calvin a Federal Theologian?” (James Torrance); “Calvin’s Understanding of Holy Scripture” (Wilhelm Neuser); “Calvin on the Lord’s Supper” (Paul Rorem); “The Matrix of Calvin’s Reformation” (Heiko Oberman); “Calvin in Geneva, 1536–1538” (Richard Horcsik); “Calvin in Strassburg” (Cornells Augustijn), and “Current Trends in Calvin Research, 1982-1990” (Richard Camble). Thirteen seminars were given as well.

Some of the papers were excellent and wellresearched. To mention only one example, Paul Rorem’s paper showing how Calvin and Bullinger both compromised to arrive at a consensus on the doctrine of the Lord’s Supper (called “Consensus Tigurinus” or “The Zurich Consensus”) was exceptionally clear and enlightening. Rorem concluded: “The two views of the Lord’s Supper [in the Reformed tradition, namely, Bullinger’s and Calvin’s] have managed to live side by side within the Reformed tradition for centuries. Does a given Reformed statement of faith consider the Lord’s Supper as a testimony, an analogy, a parallel to the internal workings of God’s grace in granting communion with Christ? If so, the actual ancestor may be Heinrich Bullinger. Or does it explicitly identify the Supper as the very instrument or means through which God offers and confers the grace of full communion with Christ’s body. The lineage would then go back to John Calvin.”

On the other hand, several papers were too liberal or speculative. For example, Torrance’s paper showed the strains of reading Calvin and covenant theology through Barthian spectacles. Moreover, it was disappointing to hear that some continued to sound the undocumented note of Calvin versus Calvinism in various areas of doctrine, rather than advocating, as Richard Muller has ably shown, that the Calvinists refined Calvin’s doctrine to address the pastoral and theological needs of their day. Calvin and the Calvinists may have different emphases and methodologies, but their essential doctrines of salvation bare striking parallels.

Calvin lived in a different time and theological climate than did the Calvinists (i.e., the English Puritans, Dutch Second Reformation divines, etc.). What is remarkable is not how much the theology of Calvin and the Calvinists differ, but how much they are similar!

Camble’s address underscored that Calvin studies are expanding rapidly. Calvin is finding a new and wider audience. His fertile, wide-ranging mind and theology reveals that he has numerous insights that are extremely relevant for our contemporary scene.

Nevertheless, I am disturbed by the continuing trend in Calvin studies (ably documented by Richard Gamble) to move away from Calvin the exegete and theologian to Calvin the humanist and philosopher, etc. As profound as William Bouwsma’s book John Calvin: A Sixteenth Century Portraitis, it has provided too much ammunition to church historians who desire to downplay Calvin as preeminently a Reformed exegete and theologian. I fear that the more secular Calvinian scholars themselves become the more they applaud works like Bouwsma’s. Some are in grave danger of making Calvin out to be what they desire him to be. They seem to ignore at our peril that Calvin was primarily interested in godly piety and glorifying a great and holy God. Although the central theme in Calvin’s thought is a matter of continuing debate, surely the greatness of God and our need for grace to worship Him with godly fear and dependence touches the heart of his thinking.

May we ever be aiming through careful scholarship and practical works to present the real, biblical Calvin to needy Christendom in our day!

RENEWAL AND GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS

Most subscriptions to The Banner of Truthexpire with the December 1990 issue. To avoid missing future issues, please forward your renewal for 1991 prior to January 1. A self-addressed envelope is provided in this issue.

Costs continue to rise. Our subscription price does not fully cover incurred expenses; nevertheless, a decision has been made to retain the prescribed rate of $9.75 (U.S.) and $12.75 (Canada and foreign countries) for 1991, payable in U.S. funds. Please bear this in mind when renewing; we are hoping that donations by individuals and churches will meet the shortfall. (For subscribers outside of the North American context: air mail service remains at $29.00 per year, and $20.00 surface mail, U.S. funds. Payment by International Money Order is preferable.)

Please note that you are not obliged to respond to this notice if you receive your Banner of Truthvia church payment Nevertheless, we do have a dual request in which you may wish to assist us in sharing our periodical with others.

First, we are hoping to increase our readership substantially by means of gift subscriptions. Would it be possible for you to provide a gift subscription for one year to one or more of your friends? Opportunity is given for this purpose on the enclosed envelope.

Second, we desire donations in order to continue distributing our periodical to seminaries and pastors. It is our conviction that the distribution of orthodox, Reformed reading material is a responsible task. Particularly seminary libraries are critical places for such distribution. Should you desire to assist in this regard please check the appropriate box on the enclosed envelope, thereby earmarking your donation for this cause.

With next month’s issue another decade of Banner of Truthlies behind us. We are grateful that our subscriptions have increased by more than a thousand in this decade; nevertheless, we believe that many more have friends who would profit from reading our periodical. May we all do our part to see that this number may rise, the Lord willing, in the decade to come. Further, we wish to take this opportunity to thank those who have expressed appreciation for various articles throughout the years. Your comments have been encouraging. It is good to know that our periodical continues to be read and to fill a need. Please accept this thanks in place of a personal response. Heartfelt thanks also must be extended to those who have assisted us in providing sound and relevant reading material: our assistant editors, ministers, and elders for their timely contributions; our business manager, secretary, and those who assist with updating files and caring for mailings; our typesetters, printers, and Banner of Truth Committee. Above all, may God bless the reading of our Banner of Truthto each of you, and your families, in heart and life. We are acutely aware that God’s blessing is indispensable in this and every endeavor; hence, we solicit your prayers and support for our united cause in propagating biblical, Reformed truth.

—JRB

ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED

Child Care Bill to Emerge from Committee

We ask our U.S. readers to monitor news reports for the imminent release of child care legislation for consideration by the full Congress. As far as can be seen at this point, this legislation will be a colossal step backward, promoting a state-sponsored and state-regulated day care bureaucracy which costs considerable amounts of money and which effectually discriminates against families who wish to care for their own children at home. We urge swift and urgent communication with your senators and congressman to veto such legislation when it surfaces for a vote.

INFORMATION

Couple’s Children Removed by State Because of Corporal Discipline

The state of New Hampshire’s Child Protection Act defines abuse as any intentional striking of a minor by any method whatsoever, including an open hand. Steve and JoAnn De-Costa, whose four children were forcibly removed from their home by the state due to their use of spanking as a means of discipline, are currently appealing their case to the state supreme court. Despite the testimony of a court appointed doctor and the family’s pediatrician who claimed no evidence of abuse, the court ordered the children to remain in foster homes and the parents to undergo psychological counseling. Since February, three of the children have been returned to their home, while the oldest remains away, and the parents are still under court orders forbidding any corporal punishments. We hope to keep you informed how this case turns out.

Toronto’s Sunday Closing Laws Voided

The Ontario high court has struck down Toronto’s restrictions against businesses operating on the Lord’s Day. The court has, in fact, opened the door for Sunday business wider than the case itself dealt with. Some observe that decisions impacting Ontario often carry into other Canadian provinces as well. May the Lord stem this backsliding from His laws.

Another Study Negative About Television

Yet another study (see June ‘90 Current Events for related article), this time by the American Academy of Pediatrics, says long-term television viewing is a major cause of violent or aggressive behavior in children and contributes substantially to childhood obesity.

State of Religion in England

Would it surprise anyone to know that only 3% of England’s populace attend church? This statistic was reported in the August 13 National and International Religion Report. The newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury (head of the Church of England) rejects the literal interpretation of creation, supports the ordination of women, and is friendly toward the Roman Catholic church, though he also believes life begins at conception, disapproves of unmarried couples living together, and opposes opening the ministry to homosexuals. Those who have studied church history must wonder how far England, as a whole, has drifted from the beliefs which the English martyrs died for. May the Lord give a true, deep reviving of the old paths.

Equal Access Update

A recent related federal appeals court decision has prompted the American Library Association to adopt a policy that stops discrimination against religious groups when they seek to use library meeting rooms that are generally open to the public. It is believed the ALA’s policy will result in changes in individual library policies nationwide. In a related case, a federal judge in Binghamton, N.Y. overturned a school district’s policy (based on state law) barring religious use of public schools even during non-school hours. Such discrimination reminds us of Psalm 2:2–3, “The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.”

Pornography Update

Recently the U.S. Supreme Court upheld an Ohio law criminalizing the possession of child pornography.

Corporations Supporting Planned Parenthood

Many of our readers have perhaps heard or are participating in a boycott of products of companies which sponsor Planned Parenthood or its “educational” programs. A complete list of sponsors and the criteria used to determine what constitutes a sponsor (there are various ways a company can claim to not support PP while still indirectly doing so) is available from Christian Action Council, 101 W. Broad Street, Suite 500, Falls Church, VA 22046.

Pro-Life Update

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 224 to 198 to bar channeling family planning funds for Romania through the pro-abortion groups International Planned Parenthood and the United Nations Population Fund. Both organizations are in violation of long-standing pro-life policies (Mexico City/Kemp-Kasten Amendment) which prohibit the federal government from using tax dollars to support foreign organizations which advocate abortion as a means of family planning.

AFL-CIO/ABA Pro-Abortion

Stands Rescinded

As reported in the April and June Banner Current Events the large labor union AFL-CIO and the influential American Bar Association had both passed resolutions supporting abortion. Since then both groups have rescinded that decision and rather supported a neutral stance. Both these groups have enormous political influence in the U.S.

LA Times Reporter Documents Media Bias on Abortion

The generally abortion-supportive Los Angeles Times newspaper has printed a four-part series by writer David Shaw documenting the acute pro-abortion bias the news media uses in reporting information regarding the abortion issue. Shaw went on to say he has since received a great deal of thanks from those in the pro-life movement, and strangely enough, little comment from the pro-abortionists. However, he did say there were some favoring abortion who told him his findings are undeniable and that the only surprise has been that no one has exposed it sooner. May the Lord raise up those who are willing to use the abilities for writing and editing which He gave them for reporting and writing truth, in a God-fearing manner. As we are all aware, the news media has a tremendous potential to influence how the public thinks, humanly speaking.

Abortion Compromise in German

Reunification

Under East German law, a woman could have an abortion for any reason during the first trimester, while under West German law, abortion was heretofore illegal except to save the mother’s life. For purposes of reunification, the compromise will be to allow East German women to continue as before and West German women may go to what was formerly the East to obtain an abortion. Here is a simple example of how a merger of societies (a prime goal of those desiring a “one-world” government) usually results in a weaker society, morally and/or religiously.

Polish Public Schools to Resume

Religious Instruction

After a 41 year official ban on religious instruction, Polish public schools will once again include religious training, though attendance will be voluntary. There is a fear among minority denominations, however, that the Catholic Church, which claims the bulk of the population, will use this opportunity to promote Catholic doctrine and views.

Housing Rights Issue in Minnesota

You may recall reading in the May 1989 BannerCurrent Events of a case in California where Mrs. Evelyn Smith refused to rent an apartment to an unmarried couple, was subsequently sued by them, and ruled against on the local level. Oral arguments are expected before the California Court of Appeals by year’s end. In Minnesota, however, the state supreme court has reversed a lower court and ruled against the state Department of Human Rights, upholding the rights of a landlord to refuse to rent a house to an unmarried couple.

Bible Burnings Almost Sponsored by NEA

As if the furor over the National Endowment for the Arts wasn’t great enough, the NEA gave a $20,000 grant to assist an arts festival in Lewiston, N.Y. to sponsor a performance by the Survival Research Laboratories of San Francisco which included a mass burning of Bibles on stage. The park’s director, David Midland, cancelled the performance stating, We do not condone the burning of the Bible or, in fact, any book. SRL artists had asked its West Coast supporters for Bibles for the burning and promised a “certificate of participation” for all donors. It seems that passive atheism is no longer in vogue today. Rather, there is an increasing, active, public hostility against Christianity which may, in fact, be the immediate precursor to a major period of persecution

He giveth grace unto the lowly.

—Prov. 3:34

It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn Thy statutes.

—Psa. 119:71

Low at Thy feet, Lord Jesus,
This is the place for me;
Here I have learned deep lessons,
Truth that has set me free.

None but Thyself, Lord Jesus,
Conquered this wayward will;
But for Thy love constraining,
I had been wayward still.

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