Dear Christis,

Peter Carr rightly argues in issue 29 that ecumenism is a search for the truth, in the same way that Matthew Vogan searches the Truth. Matthew's version of the truth differs from my own.

Matthew and Will Olphert both hold that the Catholic Church fails in certain respects. They both use scriptural arguments against the authority of the pope. Through their search for the truth they have come to this position. There are however Scriptural arguments for the authority of the pope, and others in search for the truth have arrived at such a position.

As someone who only came to discover Christ's Love a year ago, I have just embarked on my quest for the truth. At present I worship in a Catholic Church, as this is where I feel happiest, and more importantly closer to God. I'm not a committed Catholic but I am a committed Christian. To me it matters very little which Christian Church someone worships in, simply that they truely believe in the sacrifice of the cross. I often am forced to feel almost ashamed of the fact that I choose to worship in a Catholic Church when talking to certain members of the C.U. Although I enjoy C.U. worship, have many close and supportive friends there, and will be ever grateful to the C.U. for bringing me to Christ, I can not help feeling slightly, and sometimes, very hurt by some members' attitudes towards my faith. I have been heavily criticised for maintaining a Catholic belief, and have even been told by a C.U. member that I could not be a Catholic and a Christian.

I believe that I am a Christian, and I believe that I search for God's Love. I believe in Christ's sacrifice, and try to let God into my life as much as I can. This appears not enough to qualify me as a Christian; in some people's eyes at least.

I do not believe that the Catholic Church holds the "true faith" and nor do I think does any Christian Church. For me there is a True Church, and full Christian unity will come about, but only when we witness the kingdom of heaven. I firmly believe that every Catholic, every Anglican, every Methodist, etc., who really and truely believes in Jesus' sacrifice (and only God can know that) will be there worshiping God.

Yours in Christ,

Michael Comac

Dear Christis,

Can I write Robert Morton for writing in reply to my article in issue 28 of Christis. I accept all of what he stated with one exception, that I did not mean to nor intend to suggest that York Minster should cease to be a place of worship. As someone who regularly attends Choral Evensong at the Minster, especially considering the Sunday 20th November marvellous service including Bach's Sleeper's Walk, the thought of closing York Minster which added so much to the rendition is pure evil - the inspiration gained fron such an ambiance can only be divine in origin in my opinion.

I apologise if you misconstrued what I said, but am pleased that someone agrees with my overall view about Church and money.

Thankyou again for taking the time to read and respond to my article,

God Bless,

Magnus Smyly

Dear Christis,

In issue 29 Ed Dumbill quotes the result of the C.U. survey, that "75% of those students surveyed didn't really know what a Christian was."

What arrogance! And this coming after the long and sometimes vitriolic debate in your pages on the matter of Christian Unity, it seems that most "Christians" don't have much of a clue either!

It is not true, as Mr. Dumbill claims, that

"Christ has been rejected on campus simply because of misconceptions and prejudice."

rather, that people have listened to the Christian message and in full conscience chosen to reject it, and it is time that Christians learned to respect our intelligence and choice, and leave us be.

Wayne Stubbs

Dear Christis,

I don't know whether anyone else feels as enthusiastic about their subject as me, but I thought after the last issue I had to write and enthuse about it! I'm lucky enough to be taking the scientific study of a relatively small (though I think the most interesting) part of God's creation as my degree, and have become increasingly convinced over the past few years studying biology and psychology that the only sensible way to describe creation is as a sublime and inspired work of art.

I hope I never cease to be amazed at the intricacy and perfection of so many aspects of creation, from the inexorable honing of evolution, to the astoundingly effortless complex mathematical transforms that occur virtually instantly in the human visual system and so many other beautifully elegant systems. Some people say that seeking to document and explain creation is reduction of the beauty, but the experience of understanding even a very small part of creation to me is often so like that of looking at a breathtaking painting or listening to a moving piece of music that I can't believe that is true. In fact to me the more I understand about God's creation the more I appreciate it's fantastically elegant complexity and efficiency.

If I'm right, then God is most definitely the first and most skilled artist, and if we, his work of art, are made in his image then we are created artists too.

from Nick MacDonald