Dear Editor,
The Archbishop of York has sparked a debate by suggesting that the term ‘Our Father’ in the Lord’s Prayer is ‘problematic’.
The Most Revd Stephen Cottrell feels that this term may upset people whose fathers were abusive, and for people who have ‘laboured’ under an ‘oppressive patriarchy’.
The Lord’s Prayer, considered the most important Christian prayer, begins: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, hallowed be your name’. God is also referred to in the text of this prayer as ‘He’ and ‘Him’ at various points.
Does the Archbishop really think that in Jesus’ time there weren’t abusive fathers? Was Jesus therefore being culturally insensitive when He taught us to pray in this way? Do bishops really think they can change what God has said in his word to fit in with a WOKE generation?
Similarly, people have always been promiscuous, both heterosexually and homosexually, yet Jesus and His apostles made it clear that without repentance and a determination to live as He wants there is no salvation. To speak like this would be offensive to some, yet Jesus and His apostles spoke out about how God’s people must behave. The church can only advise those outside the church, but must insist on godly behaviour from God’s people.
God wants His people to demonstrate to society around them that it is possible for fathers to live in a godly way, who do not embitter their children so that they become discouraged. Whatever outsiders’ social and moral backgrounds, it will be behaviour such as this that will attract people to know more about the Lord Jesus and the salvation he offers to all.
To dumb down the Bible’s teaching will not help outsiders find eternal life. What the world needs to hear from church leaders is a lot more of ‘Thus says the Lord.’
Yours sincerely, Bernard Palmer By email
