Kudos to Steve Carr for publication

Steve Carr is a local church planter, and he seems to be everywhere these days. I like Steve because he is jazzed about Christ and he's willing to share that enthusiasm. He also has no qualms about being involved in the public arena. He doesn't do this in a "rallying the troops" sense -- never does he abuse his position as pastor of a congregation. Instead, he writes letters to city council (see his thoughts on the recent casino issue, exercising his rights as a citizen.

Major Kudos to Steve for his letter to the editor in the Cincinnati Enquirer today. He wrote to respond to a well intentioned but misinformed earlier opinion piece that suggested there was no conflict between the Da Vinci Code and the gospels.

Steve responds graciously but firmly:

Walt Huber might be well-intentioned in his efforts to synthesize Christian Scripture with the content of "The Da Vinci Code" in his "Your voice" column "'Da Vinci,' Gospels need not be in conflict" (May 22), but his simplistic solution isn't satisfying to either side.

As a Christian minister, I believe that Jesus' Crucifixion and Resurrection did complete the work God sent him to Earth to accomplish. So the idea that God "sent Jesus back to Earth" a second time to "spread his word" would have been unnecessary. It also would have undermined the mission of the church, to whom Jesus left the responsibility to tell the good news.

The message of Christianity is divisive, forcing individuals to choose whom they will serve. Instead of trying to come up with a solution that makes everybody happy, let's just be content to have differing opinions and agree to disagree.

Well done, Steve. May other Christians have your blend of graciousness and boldness.

Soli Deo Gloria
Russell