Presbyterians Week Headlines
[1] Death of John William Robbins
[2] 2008 Confessional Presbyterian Soon Being Printed
[3] Reformed Church in Tshiawelo Celebrates 40th Anniversary
[4] Editorial Assistant Wanted
[5] New King James Version (NKJV) Warnings
[6] California State Senator Compares Minister’s Testimony to [Male Bovine Manure]
[7] Chinese Christians Plead For Relief As Olympics Continue
[8] Saudi Kills Daughter for Becoming a Christian
[9] Federal Judge Rules University of California Can Reject Christian School Classes
[10] California Supreme Court Denies Freedom of Conscience to Doctors
[1] Death of John William Robbins
John William Robbins, Ph.D., 59, died at his home in Unicoi, Tennessee on 14 August 2008. A funeral service was held in Johnson City, Tennessee on 18 August.
Dr. Robbins received an A.B in Political Science from Grove City College, and a Masters in Political Theory and a Doctorate in Philosophy and Political Theory from The Johns Hopkins University. He served on the staffs of two U.S. congressmen, and over a 20 year period served several public policy institutions.
Robbins was an ordained PCA Elder and licensed to preach by Westminster Presbytery. At his death, Robbins served as Elder and taught Scripture in the Presbyterian and denominationally unaffiliated Reformation Church of Unicoi, Tennessee.
In 1977, Robbins founded and began directing a Christian think tank, The Trinity Foundation, which has published 75 books, 180 lectures, and 275 essays; hosted conferences and seminars in several states; and published a monthly newsletter.
Dr. Robbins is survived by his wife of 35 years, Linda; three daughters, Juley Grady, Laura Juodaitis, and Meri Robbins; two sons-in-law, and six grandchildren.
+ The Trinity Foundation, Post Office Box 68, Unicoi, Tennessee 37692 423-743-0199, Fax: 423-743-2005, tjtrinityfound@aol.com
[2] 2008 Confessional Presbyterian Soon Being Printed
The 2008 issue of The Confessional Presbyterian (4) is in preparation and is almost ready to be printed. Orders are being taken for fall delivery, with the 2008 issue priced at $US18 for U.S. addresses and $US25 for Libraries and addresses outside the U.S., and a special offer of all four issues for $US50 for U.S. addresses and $US80 for addresses outside the U.S.
+ The Confessional Presbyterian, Post Office Box 141084, Dallas, Texas 75214
[3] Reformed Church in Tshiawelo Celebrates 40th Anniversary
The Reformed Church in Tshiawelo, Soweto, South Africa celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special service on 17 August.
The church was started in 1968 by missionaries from the Reformed Church in South Africa.
Today, the church has branches in Pretoria, Central Johannesburg, Midrand, and Protea Glen.
An outreach ministry of the church has established chapters of the Reformed Youth Fellowship at Wits University, Vaal University of Technology and Medunsa – the Medical University of Southern Africa.
+ The Sowetan, 61 Commando Road, Industria West, Johannesburg 2142, South Africa, 011-471-4093, tellus@sowetan.co.za
[4] Editorial Assistant Wanted
The Education & Publication Office of the RPCNA has an immediate opening for an editorial assistant to work 30 hours per week. The job involves assisting in the work of the RP Witness and Crown and Covenant Publications. Clerical and organizational skills are a must. Working knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software is important. Knowledge of page layout software would be ideal.
Inquiries and resumes should be addressed to Drew and Lynne Gordon, 7408 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15208 or sent to drew@crownandcovenant.com
+ Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA), 7408 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15208, 412-731-1177, Fax: 412-731-8861
+ Crown and Covenant, 7408 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15208, 412-241-0436, info@crownandcovenant.com
[5] New King James Version (NKJV) Warnings
The January 2008 issue of The Banner of Truth contains an article from The Friendly Companion titled “Warning! The New King James Version of the Bible.”
The article states that the NKJV is actually a new Bible translation rather than being an update of the Authorized King James Bible (AV) “…with just a few archaic words modernized,” and that in order to receive a copyright for their Bible, the publisher Thomas Nelson “…made over 100,000 alterations…” that including removing approximately 20,000 words.
The article continues that the NKJV translators claim to have used “…the reliable, underlying Hebrew Masoretic and the Greek text known as the Received Text or the Textus Receptus,” but in some instances copied the wording from “…the Critical Text and the corrupted Westcott-Hort Text.”
The article concludes by stating that “…Satan is attacking the church from within by casting doubts upon the traditional text of the [AV] by bringing about a multitude of different versions, thus sowing confusion among the churches,” and urges reading of the book Three Modern Versions by Alan J. MacGregor for a more detailed examination of the NKJV’s textual errors.
+ The Banner of Truth, 11 Split Rock Road, Boonton Township, New Jersey 07005, ncbannersubscriptions@yahoo.com
+ Netherlands Reformed Congregations of the United States and Canada
[6] California State Senator Compares Minister’s Testimony to [Male Bovine Manure]
Pastor Robert Jones of Oak Park United Methodist Church in Sacramento, California recently testified before a California Senate committee informational hearing regarding California cutting global warming emissions that, when government imposes mandates and taxes to combat global warming, it hurts the poor and most vulnerable in our communities.
Less than two minutes into Pastor Jones’ testimony, Senator Pat Wiggins who represents the 2nd Senate District, which includes portions or all of the counties of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma, interrupted Jones’ testimony saying, “Excuse me, but I think your arguments are [male bovine manure]."
Karen England, executive director for the California family values public policy organization Capitol Resource Institute (CRI), stated “This type of behavior from an elected official is simply unacceptable. This is the attitude that many in the majority party have towards the ‘little people’ who come to Sacramento to participate in the legislative process. Even when our staff is belittled publicly by arrogant lawmakers, we have never been cursed at; this is beyond the pale.”
CRI is urging people to call Senator Wiggins and demand that she publically apologize to Pastor Jones.
The California Beef Council provided no apparent comment on the matter.
+ Capitol Resource Institute, 660 J Street, Suite 250, Sacramento, California 95814, 916-498-1940, Fax: 916-448-2888
[7] Chinese Christians Plead For Relief As Olympics Continue
House church pastor Hua Huiqi wrote an open letter to U.S. President George Bush on Sunday 10 August, asking for prayer for his personal safety and for freedom of belief for all Chinese people.
Policemen had earlier detained Hua to prevent him participating in a service at the government-approved Kuanjie Protestant Church in Beijing, where Bush was scheduled to attend. Hua slipped away from police officers, and as of 13 August was still in hiding.
Hua’s letter to Bush expressed regret at not being able to attend the Kuanjie service, and described how policemen had kicked and punched him before seizing him and his brother. While in detention, Hua was told that his legs would be broken if he tried to attend the Kuanjie service.
Other Christians remaining in detention or under house arrest as the Games continue include Christian bookstore owner Shi Weihan who remains in custody after being arrested 28 November 2007, released 4 January 2008, then rearrested on 19 March 2008. Shi’s lawyer reports that Shi is in poor health and in need of urgent medical attention.
In Shandong province, two staff members from a house church seminary await trial for running an “illegal business operation” after they attempted to purchase Bibles from Amity Press, China’s official Bible printing facility.
House church pastor Zhang Mingxuan and his wife Xie Fenglan, were detained the week of 4 August after they agreed to an interview with a BBC journalist and are still in police custody.
+ Compass Direct News Service, Post Office Box 27250, Santa Ana, California 92799, 949-862-0304, Fax: 949-752-6536, info@compassdirect.org
[8] Saudi Kills Daughter for Becoming a Christian
A Saudi man working with the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the Saudi Muslim religious police, recently cut out his daughter’s tongue then burned her to death because she had become a Christian.
The father is reportedly in police custody and being investigated for an honor-related crime.
+ Assyrian International News Agency
[9] Federal Judge Rules University of California Can Reject Christian School Classes
U.S. District Court Central District of California Judge S. James Otero ruled on 8 August that the University of California, for student admissions evaluation, can reject science and history classes taught at Christian high schools that teach creationism and biblical authority.
The university contended that a biology course using the text Biology: God’s Living Creation failed to teach critical thinking and did not adequately teach evolutionary theory. The university further contended that a Bob Jones University Press history text, which teaches that "the Bible is the unerring source for analysis of historical events”, does not include modern historical analysis methodology.
Judge Otero ruled that the plaintiff, Calvary Chapel Christian School of Murrieta, California, did not adequately refute the university’s findings and that the university did not reject the courses out of animosity.
+ Crosswalk.com, Salem Communications, 4880 Santa Rosa Road, Camerillo, California, 805-987-0400
[10] California Supreme Court Denies Freedom of Conscience to Doctors
The California Supreme Court ruled on 18 August against two doctors who refused upon principles of their Christian faith to artificially inseminate a lesbian. The doctors strongly believe that children should be raised whenever possible by a mother and father, and they did not want to participate in the deliberate exclusion of a father.
The high court unanimously ruled that the state's civil rights laws offer virtually no exceptions for people of faith, thus implying that everyone in the state's wedding industry must service same-sex weddings and that California family law attorneys must handle adoptions by homosexuals, same-sex divorces, and so on.
+ Pacific Justice Institute, Post Office Box 276600, Sacramento, California 95827, 916-857-6900 Fax: 916-857-6902, pji@pacificjustice.org
