Ask the Editor - Humility in listening

MYRNA BROWN, HOST: Today is Friday, October 2nd. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Myrna Brown.

NICK EICHER, HOST: And I’m Nick Eicher. Marvin Olasky now on the power of a good argument.

MARVIN OLASKY, EDITOR IN CHIEF: The current issue of WORLD has back-to-back interviews with theologian Wayne Grudem, who supports President Trump, and writer David French, who opposes him. A pastor complained, quote: “French’s thinking belongs in Christianity Today– NOT in World!”

I agree more often than not with readers’ critiques, because I know that all of us at WORLD, like all of you, have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Chapter 3 of Romans tells us that. This time, though, I talked back. I wrote, “Thanks for your note, but we had Wayne Grudem’s perspective alongside French’s. Do you want a magazine that only presents views with which you agree? What ever happened to ‘iron sharpens iron’ from Proverbs 27?”

The pastor surprised and impressed me by writing back, “Sorry!!!!! You are right! Thanks for the admonition!” I wasn’t surprised to see most of the comments on our website disagreeing with French. That’s fine. But one respondent complained, “I thought I clicked on World News Group but apparently I hit MSNBC or CNN.”

Well, we do not present MSNBC or CNN propaganda in WORLD. Those networks give you an unbiblical perspective and some fake news as well. We praise Amy Coney Barrett. MSNBC and CNN do not. But we do not excommunicate Christian conservatives who disagree with President Trump. French is a thoughtful Reformed Christian. He has spent years at conservative organizations like Alliance Defending Freedom and National Review. He volunteered to serve during the Iraq War. That’s iron. He can sharpen us. That’s why we put two opposing views, French’s and Grudem’s, side by side.

We apply that approach generally. When there’s a clear biblical position, as there is on ethical issues like honesty and social issues like abortion, we do not need to balance contrasting viewpoints. When there is not a clear biblical position, which is often the case at election time, we will help to sharpen you by presenting contrasting views. If we don’t sharpen you, we’re doing you a disservice.

Our chief goal at WORLD is to glorify God by describing with Biblical objectivity the world He has made and humans have messed up. The words at the top of our cover are “Earning your trust. Every day,” Not supporting your biases, every day. If everything in WORLD just confirms what you already think, you should not trust us—unless you think you’re always right on every issue. I know I’m not. 

I’m Marvin Olasky.

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