January 1972 · Vol. 1 No. 1 · p. 1
Editorial
Since 1952 The Voice has served the Canadian constituency of the Mennonite Brethren Bible College/College of Arts by “dealing with theological and church-related concerns and issues.” In addition to articles on biblical, theological, and historical subjects, its editors proposed, in 1969, to open up a frank dialogue between laymen and pastors on the urgent issues of our day.
In 1965 the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Tabor College, and Pacific College launched The Journal of Church and Society, a “journal devoted to the task of letting Christianity speak to the issues of our time.”
Both publications have presented a broad range of articles. Many of them deserve to be consulted again by those in our churches who are concerned about the meaning of our faith and with the ways in which faith can illuminate the world and shape our action in it. An index for both journals appears in this issue.
The positive response by subscribers of both publications to the joint issue which came out last spring has encouraged the schools to merge the Voice and the Journal.
The sponsoring schools have agreed that this joint work will be a forum where mature and concerned churchmen speak to significant questions. This magazine is not for everyone. It is not always appropriate to invite the weak in the faith to doubtful disputations. But, as the Apostle Paul took for granted, the church must not therefore avoid such disputation. The sponsoring schools offer this journal to those laymen and ministers who are willing to listen to each other and to think prayerfully together on the sort of questions described in the article which follows.
But we do not intend only to address ourselves to questions. We intend to print exegetical and historical essays. We will review important books. And we will help readers to understand and assess current biblical and theological thinking. The Preaching Lab, a popular feature of the Voice, will continue. Finally, we will print thoughtfully argued responses from the readers. We welcome letters and articles which help to fulfill the aims of this publication.
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