Don’t Dwell on the Past

Don’t Dwell on the Past

Mr. Martin’s letter to the editor in the Nov. 29 issue of The Alabama Baptist raises several issues for Christians. In this letter, there seems to be a striking rejection of Catholics because of their alleged violence toward Baptists.

Surely the standard by which we evaluate a particular faith tradition can not be entirely wrapped up in their past actions. The call of Christ is not to dwell upon the past, for He is far more interested in our future. If the past becomes our criterion, then all of our Christian witness will certainly weaken because of past mistakes such as the Crusades and our Baptist heritage will suffer because of past racist ministers.

Secondly, judging Father Neuhaus as one of the “unregenerate” is not only presumptuous, but entirely false. I have heard the man speak in person and I can not recommend a more devout minister of God. To judge someone else’s salvation is quite a formidable task, one in which I feel the need not to participate; however, I must assert that the love of Christ is felt within this man as he serves among the students with which he works.

Finally, I am often amazed at how quickly people move toward a nationalistic relationship with God. Statements like “America has turned her back on God” seem to pour from pulpits as Christians feel the need to relate to God on a national level. May our commitment be that we share the good news of a personal relationship with Jesus, the Christ. A relationship in which there is certainly no turning back on God’s side and in which the turning away on our part is on an individual basis.

Tyler Mayfield
Birmingham, Ala.