Something moved me in the June Record. I thought it was a good issue—a thinking way of reading the Bible outlined, the theology series continued, […]

Dr. McLelland is supporting the watering down of our mission. He tends to stray from the path of our faith onto worldy concerns instead of […]

Re Abraham and Sons Inc., May Prof. McLelland intended to open and facilitate religious dialogue in an age of pluralism. But at what cost? As […]

As bulletin secretary of our congregation, I have often had to phone the Presbyterian Church in Canada at Wynford Drive. It is such a pleasure, […]

I would like to share my experience onboard a recent cruise. Normally the cruise ships have a priest for the Catholics as well as a […]

Re: A Prayer Request, March Letters

The realities of this cruel and unjust world has made me, and many others, more non-spiritual regarding the (for lack of a better term) true value of praying to God for divine assistance.

I would agree with Dr. McLelland’s view that science and religion should not be treated as opposed to each other, they should be both able to correspond with and compliment each other; their relationship is more subtle and intimate than generally acknowledged.

The Presbyterian Record does not shy away from critical, often sensitive, questions about the function and future of the church and the God she serves. It shows courageous stewardship, allowing little room for the comforts of complacency and judgmental fundamentalism.

This advertisement has no place in the Presbyterian Record, whether paid for by a Presbyterian or not. Regardless of one’s personal views of abortion, to say, as the cardinal does, that it is “the transcending issue of the day” is simply wrong. War, genocide, poverty, racism, human rights, gender inequality all might well be described as “transcending” issues. While abortion is an issue for many, so too is the right of women to have control of their bodies and their lives.

I especially appreciated Dr. McLelland’s last paragraph where he speaks about “God-centered faith.” The following quote from Margaret Isherwood’s The Root of the Matter has helped me understand that I can agree with Mclelland’s views, and still journey in faith as Presbyterian.

Re the February 2009 editorial, Suffering Servants

No professional that I know works a 40-hour week, other than hourly paid workers. Everyone else, salaried or contract, works the hours required to complete their job descriptions. Particularly in today’s world, the onus is on the employee to prove their worth everyday.

ENI—The Roman Catholic bishop in Sudan, Antonio Menegazzo, is warning that the humanitarian situation in the country’s western Darfur region is worsening, nearly a month after President Omar al Bashir ejected 13 relief organizations.

There’s a saying in scientific circles: “Just because your shoe can be used to pound in a nail, doesn’t make it the same as a hammer.” Two Kinds of Knowledge was disappointing for the fundamental reason that not only was the line distinguishing the two modes of inquiry—theological and scientific—ostensibly blurred, it was in fact made invisible. Rev. Dr. Joseph McLelland equates theological categorization with scientific inquiry.

Re Faithful Citizenship—Respect for Life advertisement, April
Having read your April issue virtually cover-to-cover, I am left struck by the gross contrast between two items in particular: Joyce Gladwell’s Sharing Rejection and the three-page advertisement, a letter of Cardinal Justin Rigali, inserted by a member of the Presbyterian Church.

What a clever April Fool’s joke is to be found on three unnumbered pages following page 40 marked “advertisement”! It is quite an anomaly for Holy Week—an anonymous church-member paying the Record 30 pieces of silver to publish it.

Dr. McLelland replies: My vocation as philosopher of religion is to test and stretch the theories of theology. This demands speculative thinking. It is only through such “speculative” theorizing that we can appreciate the implications of our doctrines.

Rev. Dr. McLelland wrote: “Instead of assuming that Christianity is the centre, with other religions moving around it as error, what if we see them all as moving around God, with their own varieties of faith and truth?” and “Is there the same truth in their [Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism] devotion as in ours?”

McLelland’s comments are a blasphamous denial as to the person and work of Christ.

Sorry to see that unusually prominent advertisement written by a cardinal. Just as the Record was improving in all respects, especially in theological content, we are given a one-sided presentation on an extremely serious, contentious and divisive subject, presented like an American Madison Avenue ad.

Patriotism or faithful citizenship can be an admirable. Being a Roman Catholic can be an admirable. Being a “member of The Presbyterian Church in Canada” who hides behind someone else’s words is not admirable; nor is publishing a pro-life argument just to receive some needed advertising money.