Reviewing Spectrum

Fall, 2011
Volume 40, Issue 2
http://spectrummagazine.org/

GENERAL COMMENTS
I had great hopes for this issue. The cover art is arresting, cool, and sexy, and the last women’s Spectrum was brilliant. I wasn’t prepared to be disappointed and bored. Disappointed, because so much talent had been expended in the tortured biblical defense of women as equal partners. Enough already! It’s so 19th century it’s pathetic. Bored, because the progressive and reactionary theological skirmish lines have been drawn and defended, ad nauseam.

In DRIFT, OR ADVENTIST IDEALS AT RISK, Charles Scriven assumes that “Adventist ideals” are generally progressive. Lots of luck pushing that idea in the Fundamental Beliefs Review Committee, no matter the “somewhat encouraging point of view” of Artur Stele.

Reinder Bruinsma equivocates on the question, IS COHABITATION ALWAYS WRONG? Whatever else might be said, a relationship that merits divine approval is not identified by just looking at the label that human beings may attach to it. It is rather the relationship that truly represents a covenant between two people who have joined their lives together, with God as their witness.

And then contributors discuss domestic violence. Conclusion: it’s a bad thing, and it occurs with appalling regularity in Adventist homes worldwide. (References and Bibliography—3 ½ pages)

The memorable piece in this “discussion” is BROKEN BRIDGES by Stephen Sundin.

And then there was STUDENT POETRY AND ART contributed from students attending Adventist colleges and universities. “Bridgework” by Midori Yoshimura, Pacific Union College, takes home the prize.

The New York Times crosswords have nothing on Caleb Rasmussen’s effort on the back cover. Tough! Answers upside down on page 27.