SUFFERING'S MYSTERIES
I hope you will understand my concern about the "patness" of Nathan's Brown's article on the book of Job ("Suffering's Glorious Unanswer," May 20, 2004). While I can understand a hesitance in addressing the troubling aspects of what one writer has called the celestial "one-upmanship" described in the first two chapters of the book, I could have wished that Mr. Brown would have taken on the humanitarian impacts described in this difficult Scripture. Both matters, of course, go away if we view this book as an allegory; however Adventists traditionally accept the Job story as an actual event.

The biblical description of Job's household has resulted in some writers referring to him as an "Emir," which would signify a very important individual in the region. And the size of his holdings, in the context of the setting-in-time of the account, indicates that hundreds of "servants" would have been retained, and that their combined families would be counted in the thousands of living, breathing, feeling individuals.

The destruction of Job's 10 children and the scores of shepherds caring for 7,000 sheep was accomplished with what we would call "natural disasters." Today we see these occurrences all around the globe, from the tornado in Kansas to the earthquake in Iran to the typhoon in the Philippines.

The plundering of 3,000 camels by the Chaldeans and the 1,500 oxen and donkeys by the Sabeans, and the killing of their respective handlers is much more difficult to dwell on, particularly as the Chaldeans and Sabeans were not known for their kindness toward their victims.

The magnitude of Job's tragedy was put in stark focus for me when first visiting countries in the Middle East and central Asia where the nomadic life remains nearly unchanged from the earliest of times. When it is recognized that Job's servants would have had their families with them as they tended their flocks and cared for Job's vast lands, the humanitarian toll on the women and children, and their fathers and brothers, described in those words "only I escaped" is truly horrific.

So what do we do with the "human impact" dilemma is this book? Does the God we worship really play "one-upmanship" with inhabitants of this infinitesimal bit of His universe, or overtly worse, simply ignore us? A brief look at the realities around us surely tempt us toward that conclusion.

According to UNICEF's 2004 "State of the World's Children" a child dies every 2.87 seconds, most from preventable disease and hunger. That's more than 10 million every year. Add to that the scourge of HIV/AIDS in Africa and Asia, the unspeakable tragedy of drought and famine, and the civil strife in a dozen places, the combinations of which kill millions and millions of adults, and cause unspeakable suffering for the "survivors." And I do not ignore the afflictions of the "developed world" that bring real agony to millions more.

Because of this "human impact" question I return to my inability to accept the "patness" of Brown's conclusions. Job's case is not simply a "though He slay me" question. There has to be an answer, and I believe there is a truly glorious answer.

God, the same God of Job, has demonstrated in the most personal way that He is not simply playing with us; that this world is not being ignored. With His incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension, the Glorious Answer has shown us that He is holding the hand of each of the 62 children--real children--who have died since you began reading this.

In the meantime, all who call Him God have been given a work to do. It is not simply to follow Job and his friends and offer a sacrifice. It is to grab the hand of our Glorious Answer and follow Him in person to the deserts, wastelands, and jungles, to the hovels, tenements, and ghettos, and to the orphanages, prisons, and hospitals, and care for each of those who are being "attacked" by the "Chaldeans" and "Sabeans," or who are suffering the effects of "natural disasters."

In His time our Glorious Answer has promised to "wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making all things new! Then he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true" (Rev. 21:4, 5, NIV).

Byron Scheuneman, senior vice president
Adventist Development and Relief Agency International
Silver Spring, Maryland

I am looking at the cryptic illustration on the cover and on page 8. Obviously, it is a significant and important thing to merit two entire pages of this issue. Please let us in on the secret. Don't bother to reply to me personally; and if others are not puzzled by it, forget it.

Keep up your splendid work.

Barney E. McLarty, M.D.
Calhoun Georgia

IT'S A MAD, MAD WORLD
I read Roy Adams' penetrating treatise, "Service in a World Gone Mad" (May, 2004) and had a flashback to an unsettling moment in a divine worship service I attended some months back. The senior pastor was announcing breaking news with a measure of understandable enthusiasm. It concerned an Adventist pastor turned military chaplain, who had risen to the highest ranks before retiring. With some good years left before permanent retirement, he had been named to a prestigious civilian chaplaincy position within the federal government. With a straight face the senior pastor repeatedly referred to the subject as Pastor Chaplain General Doctor (and probably, Chaplain, once more--I can't be sure) so-and-so.

That's where we seem to be heading in our church in some regions today. There may be those who think it's trendy, because I hear with increasing frequency pastors--some in the highest echelons of local church administration and leadership--addressing each other as Pastor Doctor so-and-so during divine worship services; evidence to the truthfulness of Adams' bewildering assertion that "the church and its mission is not immune to all this madness."

When addressing serious matters of theology, Adams' writing is simply exquisite. His is a rare intellect, with an unusual ability to make the complex, in theology and philosophy, widely palatable. However, his point in the editorial, "In Search of Outrage" (Feb. 2004), totally escaped me. I can tell already that I will again be struggling for some time to figure out just what I am to make of much of his "meddling" in "Sorry to Meddle" (May 13, 2004).

Sterling M. Cox
New York, New York

I'm grateful for the article by Roy Adams. Service is an ideal almost extinct today but rebounding as people realize how short life is. Money is relative; the more money, the more relatives (ask Bill Gates). Humility is the quality taught us by Christ--who despite all the costs, surrendered His life to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Latin "servitium" comes from the word servus, "slave." Simple service means helpful actions, respect, devotion to another being, providing help to a fellow companion. Our behavior should be linked to the ideal of giving up our egos at the foot of the cross.

God bless you for what you do at the Review. When we face challenges--how good it is to come and be refreshed at the beginning of the Sabbath by your excellent articles.

Michel Kordas
West Bend, Wisconsin

STILL GROWING
I just read Tim Goff's article "Growing With God" (May, 2004). It is just the thing our churches need--desperately and a long time ago. With all the religious instructors and professors at our schools and universities, the church should have no problem producing study guides and outlines that would give the suggested classes direction and structure.

Several months ago I suggested to a professor at the Theological Seminary at Andrews University that it should create classes for the church along the lines of those offered by the Moody Bible Institute. He noted that he had just made a similar suggestion to the dean of the school that morning.

It is long past the time to stop talking and start doing!

David Conklin

INFORMATION NEEDED
Mindi Rahn's article, "Prostitution, Trafficking, and Women" (May 13, 2004), gave good examples of where and how this "business" prospers.

However, I finished the article feeling helpless to know how Christians can really help. Yes, we can instill in our young girls the truth of their value and worth, etc. That, however, does not answer the problem for countless women in countries such as Pakistan or the Netherlands.

Ms. Rahn suggests we contact governments and nongovernmental organizations, urging them to understand the harm involved in trafficking and prostitution; but more concrete examples of how we might be involved would have been helpful. The problem was presented in a compelling and succinct way, but failed in giving enough valuable information so we would be personally involved. It's less than helpful to read articles that awaken our sympathy and compassion but fail to give us the information we need to turn those emotions into action.

Shirley Karls
Chico, California

PRAYERLESS LEADERS
A hearty "Bravo!" to the Adventist Review for printing "What Happens When Leaders Don't Pray" (May 13, 2004); and to author Gavin Anthony for his utter vulnerability. A phony tells only the good; Anthony tells where he stumbled and fell, like all the rest of us.

His statement, "I do not pray because it is important. I pray because I am desperate," hit the nail on the head.

Dick Rentfro
Thorp, Washington