Letters to the editor

King James Version . . . pro

Re the May 2 letter on the King James version: I have a King James Bible about 150 years old, and this is the Bible I go by, regardless of what I hear in church. I am a member of the L.O.L. lodge and 90% of the degrees are from the KJV. Revelation 22:14-21 is my firm belief.

Elwood H. Thompson,
St. Catharines, Ont.

King James Version . . . con

I respond to the letter by Jake Peters on the King James Version being the only true translation of the Bible in English (May 2). His arguments are not very convincing.

First, he says Luke 2:33 in the other versions implies that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus. What does he make of the King James reading of Luke 2:48, where Mary refers to Joseph as Jesus' father?

Second, re John 6:47: in verses 35 and 40 in that chapter in the NIV, the words of Jesus are to believe in Him.

Third, the claim that Revelation 1:5-6 in the other versions deny Jesus' deity is dubious. In the same chapter in the NIV, in verse 8, Jesus is described as the "Alpha and Omega, the Almighty" and John 20:31 in the same version says "These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God".

If Satan is laughing at us, it's because Christians often waste their time chasing unfounded notions down blind alleys.

Roland J. Derksen,
Vancouver, B.C.

Sensitivity needed

Thank you for addressing the issue of infertility. There is also an increase in the number of couples dealing with secondary infertility. When a couple have one child, they usually assume that having more children won't be a problem. A couple who desire to have more than one child is shocked when they come face to face with infertility. Comments by well-meaning people like "When are you going to have another one?" or "You shouldn't have your kids too far apart!" only deepen the wound. As their first child grows older, many questions are brought to God: Why does it not work the second time around? Why would God want our son or daughter to grow up as an only child? How do we explain to our child that there might be no sibling?

Infertility is not an easy thing to talk about with others, and many couples go through their pain privately for years. I encourage people to be sensitive with their comments when talking to someone who does not have children yet, or someone who has only one child; they may be experiencing the trauma of infertility. Infertility is very difficult to go through, and much prayer support is needed.

Hildegard Fast,
Richmond, B.C.

Critique misses the mark

Harold Jantz's "A history with biases" (May 2), is not a serious review of Ted Regehr's history, Mennonites in Canada. Readers will have to read Regehr's book for themselves to see how one-sided, selective and negative Jantz's comments really are.

It is obvious that Jantz is most uncomfortable with what an historian has uncovered about the Canadian Mennonite past. Jantz seems to prefer to keep the failings, abuses and manipulative tactics practised by past Mennonite leaders under the rug.

Jantz states that many readers won't identify with Regehr's interpretation of Mennonite history "because they won't recognize in it the Mennonite community that they've known". On the contrary, the book mirrors accurately a past reality which is most familiar to readers who were there.

Harry Loewen, (E)
Kelowna, B.C.

Balancing the review

I applaud the inclusion of Harold Jantz's review of T.D. Regehr's Mennonites in Canada 1939-1970: A People Transformed (May 2). Regehr's book is important, and the space allotted to the review is appropriate.

My intention is to introduce a balance to Jantz's harsh words. For many readers of the Herald, Jantz's review may be their first exposure to the book. This is unfortunate, since the tone of the review is so angry. Regehr's book contains flaws, some of them significant, but it is not without strength, interest and insight for readers, including MBs. Regehr is a very good historian, whatever one might think of his stance regarding evangelicals and Mennonites.

The Journal of Mennonite Studies, Volume 15 (1997) carries a number of papers which were presented at a November, 1996 symposium on Mennonites in Canada. The editors of The Journal point out that "these articles present a dignified and constructive, yet critical and analytical voice to the discussion of Regehr's important book." This is the kind of treatment Regehr's book (and most others) deserves from reviewers. It would be unfortunate if the review in the Herald would discourage people from reading it. Regehr, in his own words, tries to tell a story of "transformation in which Canadian Mennonites accommodated themselves and became active participants in Canadian life, while not only retaining, but in many cases strengthening and redefining their own radical Anabaptist heritage" (Journal, p. 100).

Paul Doerksen, (E)
Winnipeg, Man.

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