Editorial October 2, 1989 Issue

What's the real issue?

Michael D. Rissler

If the "devil" were going to look for a way to undermine Christianity, he'd have little success if he condemned Christianity outright. Wherever this has happened, Christian people have always rallied, found solid spiritual unity, and prevailed against even terribly evil accusations and persecutions. However, there'd probably be no way more effective to attack Christianity than to find a crucial spiritual issue and then offer equally sincere, but opposing positions, over which people of good intentions could bitterly dissent.

And if there were a single issue over which sincere, dedicated Christians were to have differing views, what would be more central to Christian life than prayer?

People believe in prayer. This is a fact that cuts across denominational or sectarian creeds. There's something within us that naturally responds to the presence of God—even if we haven't thought of ourselves as "religious." Yet, to what ends can prayer be directed?

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