Dear Editor,

There are many points which I would like to pick up on in Paul Trathen's article "Left, Right or Christian" in the last edition of Christis. However, I shall limit myself to one - his description of a "fully Christian society". What Paul Trathen describes is anything but. His reference to parasites suggests that poor and unemployed people are where they are entirely through their own fault and wilfulness. Patronising? Ignorant? Yes. The only reason why these people are as they are is because of Capitalism - the exact opposite to God's Kingdom. But above all, I would like to refer to his comment that wives must obey husbands. Not only is this patronising and ignorant (again), but it is sexist. Women are equal with men, all human beings together (as are children, incidentally), and Paul Trathen's type of "Christianity" is deliberately fostering oppression and degradation of women. In a truly Christian (or Communistic) society all will be equal.

These two issues, which are central to Capitalism, should not and indeed are not so to Christianity - all are equal before God and each other. Paul ought to re-read his Bible with the twentieth century in mind.

Sam McGrady

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Dear Editor,

I would just like to pass on to Christis readers something that happened to me.

My Moslem penfriend from Turkey having being told about Heslington Church being ecumenical, with Anglicans and Methodists joining together in one church, asked me "What is the difference between Anglicans and Methodists?" This gave me a lot to think about...there SHOULD be NO difference AT ALL.

In 1 John 4 verse 13 it says;

"We are sure that we live in union with God and that he lives in union with us, because he has given us his spirit."

(Good News Bible)

Thus we are ALL, whatever Christian denomination we claim to belong to, UNITED in Christ. Thus we are Christian FIRST and foremost - so lets all get on in one ecumenical, evangelical Church and show EVERYONE how great Christianity is!

I am under no pretences that it can happen overnight, but let us strive for it. Quasi-ecumenical soceities, such as Meth-Ang, and Churches such as Heslington ARE to be encouraged but more so we should strive for totally ecumenical clubs, such as Christis, where members from many denominations are represented.

It is Christian Unity Week in week 1, so perhaps NOW is a good time to start trying to abolish self imposed barriers and come together in one united church, where there are NO such things as denominations within the Christian Church.

I sincerely hope that for the C.U.'s mission on campus (week 3) petty differences betweeen the denominations can be put behind by individuals, so that the real message of Christianity can be brought to the attention of lots of people on campus.

Stuart Roberts