is the teaching that speaking in tongues is
the initial evidence of baptism in the Holy
Spirit. Ministers have lost their Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada credentials by
suggesting “an” may be more appropriate
than “the.”
Had the question been “Do Pentecostals think that only those who have spoken in tongues are baptized/filled with the
Holy Spirit?” the answer would have been
an unequivocal “Yes!” Unfortunately an
unclear question receives an unclear and
perhaps misleading answer.
PETER ROZELUK
London, Ont.
Shack Strays Theologically
Re: Why Is a Christian Novel … (Nov/
Dec 2008)
In Romans 1: 25, Paul describes how humanity has “exchanged the truth of God
for a lie, and worshipped and served created things rather than the Creator.” Truth
is what should lead us into relationship but,
if we create God into an image that we find
palatable but not biblical, we fall into this
same trap to our own peril.
In his book, Young describes the god of
his own projection – a mishmash of some
biblical and many non-biblical cultural influences. The depictions of God’s love and
active seeking for intimacy with humanity
are indeed scriptural, but to deny that there
is a place of punishment as The Shack does
contradicts the clear
teaching of Scripture. The Gospels
often quote Jesus
talking about a place
of punishment.
Sin in the book
seems only to consist of our tendency
to attempt to navigate life outside
of fellowship with
God. This ignores
the whole fact of
our nature’s wilful disobedience to
God’s laws, which
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Milestones
Retired: Brian Stiller as president of Tyndale Bank as an independent microfinance con-
University College and Seminary. He will sultant. He has been a partner with Ernst
continue at the school as its new chancel- & Young Management Consulting and a
lor. Stiller formerly directed The Evangelical principal at KPMG Consulting. EMAS is
Fellowship of Canada from 1983 to 1997. based in Stouffville, Ont.
Appointed:EdwinEppasexecutivedirector Awarded:Ray WisemanwiththeLeslieK.
of CBM Canada (formerly Christian Blind Tarr Award for outstanding career achieve-Mission). He succeeds Dave McComiskey, ment. Wiseman, 75, is an author, speaker,
director since 1999, who has become a editor and mentor in Fergus, Ont. The
CBM regional director award, given annually by The Word Guild
in Capetown, South Af- in honour of a groundbreaking evangeli-rica. Epp has served 23 cal writer (who worked at Faith Today), is
years in international also held by literary authors such as Rudy
development, most re- Wiebe and Margaret Avison as well as
cently in leadership po- popular writers such as Janette Oke.
sitions with Mennonite
Elected: Rev. Bruce Adema of the Christian
Economic Develop-
Reformed Church and Maj. Gillian Brown
ment Associates. CBM Edwin Epp
of the Salvation Army as president and
is based in Stouffville, Ont., and each year
vice-president of the Canadian Council of
helps 21 million people with disabilities in
Churches for 2009-2012. Both denomina-
100 developing countries.
tions are affiliates of The Evangelical
Appointed: Howard Wilson as president of Fellowship of Canada. Other vice-pres-
Ambrose University College in Calgary, ef- idents include Bishop Gilles Cazabon of the
fective August 1, 2009. Wilson comes from Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, and Father John Jillions of the Orthodox
Calif., where he held several vice-presiden- Church in America. The council, based in
tial positions. He previously served as a dean Toronto, is an ecumenical body including
at Le Tourneau University and at Providence 22 denominations from Protestant, Roman
College and Seminary and pastored at Catholic and Eastern and Oriental Ortho-Bethesda Church in Winnipeg. He has also dox traditions. Karen Hamilton remains as
served with many educational associations general secretary.
and consulted with individual institutions.
Awarded: Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese
He’s an ordained elder and deacon in the
with the Teasdale-Corti Humanitarian
Presbyterian Church U.S.A.
Award from the Royal College of Physicians
Appointed: Michael Wills as executive dir- and Surgeons of Canada. She is an obstetri-ector of Evangelical Medical Aid Society, an cian at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton,
organization that sends Christian health- Ont., and founder and executive director
care professionals to developing countries of Save the Mothers International, which
to provide health education, surgery and works to reduce the number of mothers
medical clinics and to address the causes who die during pregnancy and childbirth
of poor health. Wills has worked with in the developing world. She spends most
Opportunity International and the World of the year in Uganda and East Africa.
is described in the Bible and is apparent
around and indeed within us. Reconciliation with God in the book is depicted
without repentance for wrongs committed, only a wonderful fellowship that
makes no demands of our obedience or of
changing our actions. While the Scriptures
are clear that we can’t win God’s favour
by being good, Jesus nonetheless exhorts
us in Matthew 16: 24, “Whoever wants to
be my disciple must deny themselves and
take up their cross and follow me.”
God’s love for us is stunning and far-reaching but it does come with demands.
The best way for us to avoid the mistake of
reconstructing God from our own imagination is to bathe ourselves in the Word.
When we are faced with books like The
Shack, we will be able to ferret out the
truth from the fiction.
SUE WILDER
Langley, B.C.
