January 1996 New Horizons

May Women Speak in Church?

by James W. Scott

“As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached?” (1 Cor. 14:33b–36 NIV) For many people, especially in the developing “Christian feminist” movement, the question asked in the above title is not only astonishing but infuriating. Nonetheless, 1 Corinthians 14:33b–36 does seem to teach that women should not speak in church. But is that really what the passage teaches? The Extent of the Passage The Greek New Testament was written without any punctuation or division into verses. As a result, it is not always easy to determine where one sentence ends and another one begins. This problem faces us in verse 33. Does the second half of the verse, “as in all ... Read more

What Is Orthodoxy?

by J. Gresham Machen

To the surprise of many, including a number who not too long ago prophesied our denomination's imminent demise, the Orthodox Presbyterian Church recently has experienced remarkable popularity. It seems the OPC has become "the church of choice" for an increasing company of inquiring Presbyterian and Reformed groups and individuals across the United States. We are amazed and grateful to God for the interest and zeal expressed by these people. At the same time, we need to appreciate the opportunity that is ours. I mention this because we may not be taking full advantage of this opportunity. For example, for many years the word orthodox in our name has been thought by some to be a liability to the growth of the denomination—so much so that a number of congregations have chosen not to include it in their names. But as more and more people are seeking us out specifically because of our orthodoxy, does it not make sense for us to set our full name prominently before the public? If we are hesitant, ... Read more

A Look at Promise Keepers

by G. I. Williamson

An organization called Promise Keepers has been much in the news lately for attracting large crowds of men to its gatherings. But what is Promise Keepers (PK)? PK is a parachurch movement that was founded five years ago by former football coach Bill McCartney. The first organized meeting in 1991 drew some 4,000 men. The following year there were 22,000. And this year there were 61,000 in the Minneapolis Metrodome alone—one of thirteen sites across the nation. Next year the number of meetings is expected to double, and there is talk of a million-man rally in Washington in 1997. But what does PK stand for? The answer is found in "The Seven Promises" (see sidebar). There are some good things in this statement. In spite of them, however, it is my conviction that the movement is not only unacceptable, but in fact a serious threat to the honor of Christ and the well-being of his church. First of all, PK (like so many parachurch organizations) usurps the prerogatives that our Lord has given only to his ... Read more