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Some trends in the Protest *a message from the editor* I n t h e F e b r u a r y 1968 McCalls Magazine there appeared a very significant article entitled The View From the Pulpit. It is based upon a questionnaire which apparently was sent quite extensively throughout the United States. An explanatory note states: ''Three thousand Protestant clergymen reveal some star tling changes in their feelings about God, prayer, sexual free dom, social conformity, and their own role as ministers.” Two conclusions may be arrived in regard to the contents o f this rather extensive article. First, a significant portion o f Protestant clergy find themselves frustrated, disheartened, and disillusioned because they are preaching a social program and their parishion ers do not go along with all o f their idealistic notions. Second, there is a great solid core o f ministers, both within the various denominations and without, who find the Gospel quite relevant for today and who evidently believe that the way to a social change is via changed hearts o f individuals. The survey turned up a rather shocking number o f ministers in Protestant pulpits who apparently have no conception at all o f what the Gospel is all about. Instead, they look upon the church as merely a socio-economic society in existence for the purpose o f bringing about race equality, open housing, desegre gation, and pacifism (including an end to the idea o f wars and particularly the Viet Nam struggle). They believe that Utopia can be brought into being by having everybody share and share alike and living together as one great happy family. These min isters, most o f whom are o f the younger generation, preach such doctrines with zeal that knows no bounds. However, after their messages have been concluded, they see their congregations going back to their customary manner o f life. N o change whatever is taking place in the social structure o f their constituency or o f their communities as a whole. This leads to complete frustra tion on their part and many o f them are apparently almost ready to tear out their hair in their vain efforts to change the social structure o f society. Their misguided zeal and misplaced enthusiasm lead one to question whether or not they have actual ly ever come to a saving knowledge o f the Lord Jesus Christ themselves. I f they haven’t, it’s certainly understandable why they have gone into these areas o f idealism only to find them selves batting their heads against a stone wall in a futile effort to get action on the part o f their hearers. Small wonder that they are preaching their churches empty! Small wonder that so many o f them are ready to give up in despair! They have no Gospel to preach and no solid scriptural authority for what they THE KINO'S BUSINESS
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