VOL. XXII  NO. 7  NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM   July 2005

EVANGELICALS DIVIDED OVER EVOLUTION—A legal battle is brewing in Dover, Pa. over the teaching of evolution and “intelligent design.” Young earth “fundamentalists/creationists” rightly believe the earth is less than 10,000 years old, and often see the teaching of evolution as undermining Christianity and posing a threat to it (Phila. Inquirer). Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) is a creationist leader who often debates liberal college professors (e.g., Eastern U.) who teach evolution. The supernatural is beyond the realm of science. Students are being brainwashed and stakes are high for both sides of the debate as it continues.

HIDDEN SECRETS OF THE ALPHA COURSE is the title of a new big book (329 8”x 11” pages) by John D. Christian. British author Colin Mercer writes: “Alpha is a destructive, dangerous and devilish scheme which must not be promoted….” Many apostate and “seeker sensitive” churches use Alpha. Bill Hybels and Rick Warren run it. NOTE: We do not endorse the book's teachings, en toto, but Alpha is dangerous and is said to have become the most popular and widely used ecumenical evangelistic system in world history. [Postage/printing costs are prohibitive, but contact author re a CD that would let you print the book at your site: 1/23 Galvan Ave., Pakuranga, Auckland, NEW ZEALAND.]

BILLY GRAHAM & HIS FRIENDS is the name of a timely 800-page book by Dr. Cathy Burns, Sharing, 212 E. 7th Street, Mt. Carmel, PA 17851. An extremely well-documented book.

NEWS-NOTES—Duane Gish, Creationist debater, is retiring from ICR. ** Former SBC president Adrian Rogers was diagnosed with colon cancer last month and will soon undergo a chemotherapy plan. ** Kenneth Taylor, publisher of The Living Bible (a misnomer) and founder of Tyndale House publishers, died last month. ** Billy Graham to leave politics, prepares for final U.S. crusade. ** Dutch doctors say they killed 20 newborns by euthanasia. ** Max Lucado holds to an eternal security position….

ROCK MUSIC IS STEEPED IN THE OCCULT—Music is perhaps the most powerful social medium—more powerful than television, the movies or computers. Rock and its younger brother heavy metal are steeped in the occult (6/6 Chr. News). The minds and morals of young people are influenced by it. Mark Chapman, the man who killed John Lennon said: “I would strip naked and put on Beatles records nd pray to Satan to give me strength. I prayed for demons to enter my body to give me the power to kill.”

SAUDI ARABIA, FRIEND OR FOE?—For years, the State Department has said “religious freedom does not exist” in Saudi Arabia. It is listed as one of the world's most severe violators of religious freedom. Saudi police made a wave of arrests of Christians in a crackdown on Christians since May 27 [6/9 Ala. Bapt.]

PRIEST SHORTAGE—Some 700 priests have been removed from the ministry since 2002, exacerbating a priest shortage (1/3 USN & WR). The number of priests nationwide has dropped from 58,632 in 1965 to about 43,304 today. The “church” ordained only 533 new priests [in 2004].

MARRIAGE AMENDMENT—The Supreme Court recently declared, by a 5-4 majority, state laws barring same-sex “marriage” unconstitutional (Charles Colson, 6/05 Christianity Today). The court overturned a Colorado case claiming that voters were biased against homosexuals. In a recent Calif. case a judge ruled that laws barring gay “marriage” deny the constitutional right to equality. There are 38 Defense of Marriage statutes enacted across America. Congress is expected to vote this summer.

POSTMODERNISM & BAYLOR—Most true evangelicals see postmodernism as a danger. And, indeed, this is because radical versions of it argue that there is no absolute truth. Some say there is only each individual's or each group's perspective on the truth and all perspectives are equally valid. Wheaton President Duane Litfin's book is a reminder that Christianity depends on absolute truth, e.g., claims that Jesus was God incarnate.--Baylor and other such schools are on paths to becoming “formerly Christian schools,” (6/5 World) having long ago secularized. Its president, accused of wanting what amounted to “fundamentalism,” under pressure, has agreed to step down to the ceremonial position of chancellor.

WOMEN INTO MILITARY COMBAT?—Current Department of Defense regulations exclude women from ground combat, as well as from assignment to forward support units that collocate…Much of the demand for women in combat comes from female officers who are eager to obtain medals and promotions. Enlisted women are acutely aware of the heavy lifting that must be done by combat infantry. Putting women into combat is the cutting edge of the feminist goal to force us into an androgynous society. Feminists are determined to impose on us what Gloria Steinem called “liberation biology” that pretends all male-female differences are culturally imposed by discriminatory patriarchy. Women, on average, have only 60 per cent of the physical strength of men, are about 6 inches shorter and survive basic training only by the subterfuge of being graded [in some areas] on effort rather than on performance. These facts, self-evident to anyone who watches sports competitions, are only some of the many sex differences confirmed by scholarly studies…Every country that has experimented with women in actual combat abandoned the idea, and the notion that Israel uses women in combat is a feminist myth. The Army wonders why it can't meet its recruitment goals. It could be that the current 15 percent female quota is a turn-off to men who don't want to fight alongside women who can't carry a wounded man off the battlefield.…[Phyllis Schlafly, Chr. View of the News]

ANDY STANLEY'S OFFICE CHURCH—Rev. Andy (son of Charles) Stanley plans to build a $40 million 3,000-seat church in Buckhead (Atlanta), with services to start in 2006. But like the ministry's 83-acre campus in Alpharetta, which looks more like a high school than a worship hall, church leaders wanted a new sanctuary minus the steeple, pipe organ and stained glass. Stanley delivers his messages in khakis and golf shirts. His opening act is a “live-band jamming Christian rock music.” The elements (architecture, etc.) are designed to “put people at ease.” The music is “like what you'd hear on the radio.” “You don't have a pipe organ in your CDs. Why would you subject people to that on Sunday?” [7/05 Christian View of the News, Dr. Norman Pyle, editor]

SBC: CONSERVATIVE RESURGENCE? NOT YET!—The SBC has softened its stance on some hot-button social issues. But it still tolerates the funding of liberals and yokes up with a wide variety of denominational groups. A study reflects that many state convention-owned institutions (colleges, etc.) have yet to be wrested from the controls of the liberals. “Specifically, we have said that the conservative resurgence in the SBC is seriously flawed and has not gone far enough in its stand….” (Sword of the Lord)

NEW ECUMENICAL SPIRIT BETWEEN CATHOLICS, EVANGELICALS—Pope John Paul II's death brought an influx of praise and admiration for him, and in a big way, advanced the cause of ecumenism—especially from liberal and New Evangelical quarters. A “prognosticator” writing in the 6/27 Christian News says we can expect more ecumenism, more dialogue, more degradation of the liturgy, more papal visits to the temples of other religions…. Timothy George, an “evangelical” on the left, says Roman Catholicism is not a cult, but doesn't seem to take seriously the false-gospel teachings and Pope Benedict's stated goals: “unity of all Christians” and to mend fences with the apostate World Council of Churches.

TV DOCUMENTARY ON ECUMENISM—David DiCanio, an executive committee member of the American Council of Christian Churches, is soon to release a television documentary on the subject of ecumenism. The documentary will include interviews that Mr. DiCanio did with Dr. Robert Schuller, Dr. J. I. Packer, Dr. Jack Graham (Pres. of the SBC), and Ted Haggard (Pres. of the NAE). The program will also include Dr. Bob Jones III, and the faithful stand of BJU over the years; and also a behind the scenes look at the ministry and stand of Dr. Ian Paisley, Northern Ireland. Preorders and an audio sample of the program can be found at: www.thechristianmedia.com.

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