I was appalled by David Harris' November editorial.

I hadn't realized that the Presbyterian Church in Canada considered the sacrament of baptism as “the most important Christian sacrament” as mentioned in the Record's November editorial. To my reading of Living Faith and the Westminster Confession of Faith there is no such ranking between baptism and the Lord's Supper. It should be noted, though, that the W.C.F. (chp. 28, sec. 5) states “grace and salvation are not so inseparably connected with it (baptism) that a person cannot be regenerated or saved without it.” This underscores Living Faith's affirmation (3.6.1): “Salvation comes from God's grace alone received through faith in Christ.”

It was with deep sadness, regret and astonishment that I had occasion to read David Harris' editorial entitled “A Grave Sin” which criticized Rev. Nieuwhof's and his congregation's departure from the Presbyterian Church in Canada. The criticism leveled at Rev. Nieuwhof was excessive, amounting to nothing less than a severe and needless religious condemnation of a church minister who has attempted to apply the Gospel of Christ which has apparently met with resounding success in terms of large numbers of previously unchurched individuals coming to know Jesus Christ.

I was gratified to read in your December 2007 issue that Trinity Oro might be more than a remnant and there is a good possibility that it could become a viable congregation. However, I was very distressed to hear that Rev. Carey Nieuwhof found it necessary to take his 1,000 plus members and adherents out of the PCC. Our denomination cannot afford to lose one of our largest congregations in Canada.

As a former leader of Trinity — and now a leader at Connexus, I was saddened by the comments of David Harris concerning our decision to move forward spreading the Gospel.

I am troubled by the editor's nearly-libelous comments about Carey Nieuwhof's leadership. Since when is seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance on what it means to be the church a grave sin? Since when is following God's vision a grave sin? Since when is leading people biblically, authentically and passionately a grave sin?

A word of appreciation is in order for moderator Hans Kouwenberg's November column. How refreshing to find no indulgence in church back-patting but a solemn warning of the need to return to our roots serving our Lord and Saviour. Such an observation is itself recognition of the Presbyterian Church in Canada having drifted dangerously in practice from unquestioned centrability of Jesus Christ Himself to a primary concern for its own denominational identity and prestige. It is hoped that many readers of the Record, especially church leaders, will be awakened enough by this moderatorial challenge to become willing to receive God's gift of “repentance unto life” as were the Gentiles in the days of the Apostle Paul. Thank you Hans for “telling it as it is.”

The Record's October editorial was pushing dialogue with Muslims. The same day I got a report from The Mustard Seed, a faith mission in Taiwan. They have become self-supporting and are reaching out to others around them in Southeast Asia. Here there are Muslim and Hindu communities in rural areas with no school or medical centres. When asked by the leaders, “How could we help you?” The answer is always, “Please give us schools for our children”.

How could the PCC justify negotiating with a group of thugs and terrorists such as the Taliban who stand against everything not only Presbyterians, but Canadians as a nation believe: Freedom of religion, speech, education for all and equal opportunity for women.

I was disappointed in the Christmas message from the editor. It reminded me of warnings about political writing from George Orwell in his essay, Politics and the English Language: “Defenseless villages are bombarded from the air, the inhabitants driven out into the countryside, the cattle machine-gunned, the huts set on fire with incendiary bullets: this is called pacification.” Similarly, Harris indicates that Canadian military intervention in Afghanistan creates “possibilities for peace” and that “peace is a messy business.”

It has been my experience that if you delve beneath the hard exterior of most atheists you will find a one-time believer. The person has suffered a deep spiritual wound and they have turned upon God. They see the deep hurt as God lashing out at them. They are fighting back against this insensitive God.

Re Secular Militants, November

I particularly enjoyed reading the articles in the January issue — something for everyone. Among the articles I found most interesting was the feature on Rick Warren, Chuck Congram's take on relationships, the informative Presby-Assyrians and the funny piece on a Canadian comic in New York. I even found it interesting to look up the meaning of “zeitgeist,” which made Andrew Faiz's treatise Jesus Good, dealing with acceptance/love of all people, understandable and interest-piquing. Now to find out about the on-line program Opening the Doors to Discipleship as advertised on the back cover.

I'm a bit startled by Andrew Faiz's January column, Jesus Good. I thought I should clarify some points.

The review of Jack Rogers' book on homosexuality (October 2007) unfortunately adds to the confusion on this matter in the church at large. Prof. Robert Gagnon of Pittsburgh (Presbyterian) Theological Seminary has refuted every major exegetical and theological claim made by Rogers in his monumental work The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics; and also in his detailed critique of Rogers at robgagnon.net/articles/RogersUseAnalogies.pdf