Baptist Press Stories for Aug. 10 2012 --------------------------------------- Sex in movies influences teens' behavior, study confirms http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38476 Study: 85 percent of films have sexual content http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38477 Chick-fil-A to be issue in gay marriage votes http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38478 Komen leaders step down months after flap http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38479 Ex-communist rebel shares Christ at Olympics http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38480 Church planters in Russia prep for '14 Games http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38481 DR volunteers needed for Okla. cleanup http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38482 UPDATE 2: Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38483 CULTURE DIGEST: Honesty may boost health, study finds http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38484 FIRST-PERSON: When God says, 'No ma'am!' http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38485 EDITORIAL: La Trinidad: base esencial de la fe cristiana y de los creyentes http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38486 --------------------------------------- Sex in movies influences teens' behavior, study confirms By Erin Roach Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38476 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- Exposure to sexual content in movies leads teenagers to have sex earlier and to participate in riskier sexual behavior, a study has confirmed, leading researchers to suggest incorporating media literacy training into sexual education. [IMG=33257@right@300]The study, published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, said roughly 85 percent of movies released from 1950 to 2006 contained sexual content, and only 9 percent of sexual content in movies contained messages promoting sexual health. Sexual explicitness of PG-13-rated and R-rated movies has increased over the past decade, researchers also said. Evidence suggests that adolescents' sexual attitudes and behavior are influenced more by movies than by other forms of media, the study said. "Adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in movies start having sex at younger ages, have more sexual partners, and are less likely to use condoms with casual sexual partners," Ross O'Hara, who conducted the research with other psychological scientists at Dartmouth College, said. Richard Ross, professor of student ministry at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, said allowing a middle schooler to watch sex on the big screen is like allowing a toddler to ride in the front seat with no seatbelt, standing up, at rush hour. Allen Jackson, director of the Youth Ministry Institute at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, likened it to a pregnant woman drinking alcohol. "There's an enhanced risk at that life stage," Jackson said. "There is an enhanced impact of the images that are viewed." The effect of media on sexual behavior, the study said, is driven by the acquisition and activation of "sexual scripts." In behavioral psychology, a script is a sequence of expected behavior for a given situation. A higher degree of sexual media exposure, researchers said, has been found to predict more permissive sexual attitudes. Adolescents sometimes seek out sexual media, possibly to learn scripts, the study said, noting that 57 percent of U.S. adolescents ages 14 to 16 reported using media as a primary source of sexual information. This particular study examined why movies impact adolescent behavior, looking closely at the role of a personality trait known as sensation seeking, a tendency to seek novel and intense stimulation. Adolescents, experts said, have a predisposition for sensation seeking behavior, which peaks between the ages of 10 and 15. "It is important to note that sensation seeking arises from both biological and socialization factors ..., which suggests that environmental influences, such as [movie sexual exposure], could affect the development of this trait," the study said. [QUOTE@left@150="Adolescents who are exposed to more sexual content in movies start having sex at younger ages ..."]The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, suggests that exposure to sex in movies may accelerate the normal rise in sensation seeking during adolescence, thereby promoting risky behavior generally, and that it has a lasting influence on risky sexual behaviors in adulthood. "Given the prevalence of [movie sexual exposure] among adolescents, we believe that even small effects of [movie sexual exposure] have important implications for adolescents' sexual health," the study authors said. "Our results suggest that restricting adolescents' [movie sexual exposure] would delay their sexual debut and also reduce their engagement in risky sexual behaviors later in life." "One promising approach would involve incorporating media-literacy training into sexual education," the authors said. "A recent intervention showed that a peer-led sexual-media-literacy curriculum increased ninth-grade students' self-efficacy in resisting peer pressure with regard to sexual behavior, reduced their perception of the normative prevalence of sexual activity during adolescence, and improved their attitudes toward abstinence." Identifying risk factors for early sexual debut and sexual risk taking is an important public health concern, the study said, and delaying adolescents' sexual debut could curb U.S. rates of sexually transmitted infections and instances of unplanned pregnancy. The study, initially published online July 18, recruited more than 1,200 participants who were from 12 to 14 years old and asked them to report which movies they had seen from several different collections of 50 that were randomly selected. Participants reported how often they attended church or engaged in religious activities, how many hours of television they watched each day, whether they had a television in their bedroom, and with whom they lived (to determine family structure as intact or divided). Six years later, the participants were surveyed to find out how old they were when they became sexually active and how risky their sexual behavior was. "This study, and its confluence with other work, strongly suggests that parents need to restrict their children from seeing sexual content in movies at young ages," O'Hara said. Ross, the student ministry professor, told Baptist Press when film studios spend millions to make sexual content powerful and when adults give youth permission to view such content, real consequences in real lives will result. "What teenagers most need is a new set of 'movies.' The Bible is the 'novel.' Teenagers need to read and study the book, absolutely. But they also need to see the 'movie' based on the book," Ross said. "They need Mom and Dad and their leaders to live out -- in high definition -- what life looks like based on the book. "If we only prohibit bad movies, we leave a vacuum. We need to replace them with 'movies' that star parents and leaders who reveal what it means to love God, to love others and to join Christ in bringing His Kingdom on earth," Ross said. Jackson, of the Youth Ministry Institute, said conservatives and liberals alike can find common ground regarding media literacy. An example, he said, is the fact that cigarette ads no longer appear on television or in print. "Media literacy groups said you shouldn't use advertising tricks on children. You shouldn't have a cartoon camel selling cigarettes to make children think it's OK," Jackson told BP. "There are voices from both the very liberal and the very conservative that say we should monitor what children see in the way of media because all of the camera angles and multiple scene changes and special effects are almost like an unfair advantage influencing the lives of children," he added. Jackson recommended the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding as a resource for parents who want to be proactive in the battle to raise godly children in the current media climate. "Walt Mueller is one of the most respected faith-based voices in this whole area, and there are hundreds of free resources including the Digital Kids Initiative, which is on the cpyu.org website," Jackson said, noting that the initiative is a media literacy guide for Christian parents. Parents, Jackson said, should watch a television show with their children and ask questions such as, "What is the message behind the message? Was there an agenda in that show? If we heard profanity, why is it in there? Why would we listen to that? What's the lifestyle that's glorified? What's the worldview that's inherent in the show?" When special effects are used onscreen, parents should help children sort fact from fiction, Jackson said. "I'm not one that says we should seclude our children from media, although I respect the parents that do so," he said. "It's quite a useful thing for parents to watch a movie or to watch a commercial or to watch a television show with their children and employ active media literacy principles even as they do so." --30-- Erin Roach is assistant editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Study: 85 percent of films have sexual content By Erin Roach Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38477 EDITOR'S NOTE: To read the main article about this study, visit [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38476]http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38476[/URL]. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- A recent study confirmed that as adolescents absorb sexual content from movies, they are more likely to attempt to live it out in real life. Statistics compiled in the study point to a major challenge for parents striving to raise godly children. Among the data reported in the study, published in July by the Association for Psychological Science: -- One significant influence on engagement in risky sexual behavior may be media -- specifically, movie sexual exposure. -- Among movies released from 1950 to 2006, roughly 85 percent contained sexual content (68 percent of G-rated movies; 82 percent of PG-rated movies; 85 percent of PG-13-rated movies; and 88 percent of R-rated movies). -- Sexual explicitness of PG-13-rated and R-rated movies has increased over the past decade. -- Seventy percent of the sexual acts depicted in movies released from 1983 to 2003 occurred between newly acquainted partners, 98 percent included no reference to contraception and 89 percent resulted in no consequences. -- Adolescents sometimes seek out sexual media, with 57 percent of U.S. adolescents ages 14 to 16 reporting that they use media as a primary source of sexual information. -- Exposure to tobacco use in movies predicts initiation and escalation of smoking, and exposure to drinking in movies predicts initiation and escalation of alcohol use. -- Adolescents have a greater tendency to seek novel and intense stimulation between the ages of 10 and 15. -- Among the 1,200 children ages 12 to 14 who were surveyed initially, sensation seeking was generally low. Six years later, though, 63 percent had sexually debuted: 5 percent before age 15, 10 percent at age 15, 25 percent at age 16, 29 percent at age 17, and 31 percent at age 18 or older. --30-- Erin Roach is assistant editor for Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Chick-fil-A to be issue in gay marriage votes By Michael Foust Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38478 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- In a sign that the debate over Chick-fil-A is not going away, traditional groups in the four states voting on gay marriage this fall apparently are set to make the pushback against the restaurant an issue, arguing that the intimidation and name-calling aimed at Chick-fil-A were only a preview of what will happen to traditionalists if marriage is redefined. [IMGONLY=33204@right@250]In recent days pro-traditional marriage groups in Maine and Washington state have sent emails to supporters referencing the Chick-fil-A controversy, with one of them warning "there will be profound consequences" if gay marriage is legalized. The National Organization for Marriage, a national group working in all four states to defend the traditional definition of marriage, also has referenced Chick-fil-A in multiple emails, saying in the latest one, "Let's bring the Chick-Fil-A crowds to the polls in November!" Maine, Washington and Maryland are voting in November on whether to legalize gay marriage, while voters in Minnesota will decide whether to amend the state constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman. A victory for gay marriage supporters in any of them would be landmark, as the issue has lost in all 32 states where it's been on the ballot. The emails reference pushback against Chick-fil-A by the mayors of Boston, Chicago, Washington D.C. and San Francisco. "Maine voters should pay close attention to what is happening with the Chick-fil-A situation south of us along the I-95 corridor because this is what will happen here," Bob Emrich of Protect Marriage Maine -- which is trying to defeat a gay marriage ballot initiative -- wrote in an email to like-minded supporters. "Once the definition of marriage is changed, the government will come after anyone who refuses to go along. The implications of the threats from these powerful mayors is clear: If you do not go along, you will be punished." The controversy over Chick-fil-A began when company president Dan Cathy [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38271]told[/URL] the Biblical Recorder newspaper that Chick-fil-A is "very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit." A radio interview then surfaced in which he had said, "I think we are inviting God's judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at Him and say, 'We know better than You as to what constitutes a marriage.'" Chick-fil-A's donations to groups that support biblical marriage also became an issue. The mayors of Boston and Chicago initially threatened to block new Chick-fil-a restaurants in their cities, with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel saying, "Chick-fil-A's values are not Chicago values." In a tweet, Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray called the restaurant's food "hate chicken" and said its "support of bigotry is an embarrassment." San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee tweeted, "Closest #ChickFilA to San Francisco is 40 miles away & I strongly recommend that they not try to come any closer." Philadelphia Councilman James Kenney told NPR that Cathy's comments amounted to "hate speech." Traditional groups now are asking: What is the future for business owners with strong religious beliefs who oppose gay marriage? Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, told Baptist Press he believes the intimidation of Chick-fil-A will be an issue in the four states. It "potentially," he said, could have a "massive effect on the elections." "It opened peoples' eyes to the consequences of redefining marriage," Brown said. "Because if just saying that you support marriage as the union of a man and a woman means that government can try to punish you -- and we don't even have same-sex marriage now -- what more would it mean if you had same-sex marriage throughout the country? A lot of people said, 'Enough is enough.'" When hundreds of thousands of people took part in "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day," Brown said, traditionally minded voters were heartened. "I got hundreds of emails," Brown said, "and the constant refrain was people feeling a part of the community, people feeling like they weren't alone, people feeling like, 'I've always believed marriage is the union and a woman but I've been a little worried about sticking my head out, and now I'm here and we're singing God Bless America in the middle of Chick-fil-A and there's hundreds of us.'" Joseph Backholm, chairman of Preserve Marriage Washington -- which is trying to overturn a gay marriage law in the state -- wrote in an email to voters, "The aftermath of the Chick-fil-A CEO's support for traditional marriage gives us a clear indication of what could happen here in Washington if we do not preserve marriage." "It is a great example," Backholm told Baptist Press, "of the kind of intolerance that the campaign to redefine marriage is really built upon. Once the public realizes that redefining marriage is not really about treating their gay friends and neighbors fairly -- which we already do here in Washington State by every measure -- I believe the examples of their efforts to interfere with people's ability to engage in commerce because of their beliefs about marriage will help us." Similarly, Brown wrote in an email to voters, "The homosexual lobby's attack on Chick-fil-A isn't just a bullying of one of America's best businesses. It's a full-frontal assault on all of us who believe in the unchangeable definition of marriage as one man and one woman." For its part, Chick-fil-A released a statement in July saying it treats every customer with "honor, dignity and respect" and that, "going forward," it is going to stay out of the gay marriage debate. --30-- Michael Foust is associate editor of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). Read other resources about the gay marriage debate: [URL=http://bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=38461]FIRST-PERSON (Daniel Akin): Is it true Jesus never addressed same-sex marriage?[/URL] [URL=http://bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=37494]FIRST-PERSON (Glenn Stanton): Why not legalize gay 'marriage'?[/URL] -- End of story -- Komen leaders step down months after flap By Staff Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38479 WASHINGTON (BP) -- Susan G. Komen's top two leaders will leave their current positions in changes announced about six months after the world's leading breast cancer charity reversed its decision to defund Planned Parenthood amid an onslaught of criticism. Komen announced Aug. 8 its founder, Nancy Brinker, will step down as chief executive officer to become chair of its board's executive committee and concentrate on "revenue creation, strategy and global growth." Komen President Elizabeth Thompson announced her resignation at the same time. The charity also disclosed the departure of two of its board members. The changes were not related to the controversy over Planned Parenthood, a Komen spokeswoman told the Associated Press (AP). Komen's decision to stop grants to affiliates of Planned Parenthood -- the country's leading abortion provider -- came under intense criticism when it was reported Jan. 31. After a few days of withering attacks that appeared to be fueled by Planned Parenthood, Komen reversed course, announcing Feb. 3 the organization would remain eligible for its grants. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates –- which do not perform mammograms -- received $487.4 million in government grants, contracts and reimbursements in 2009-10, the most recent year for which statistics are available. PPFA clinics performed 329,445 abortions in 2010, which was more than one-fourth of the lethal procedures in the United States for the year. The widespread news coverage of Komen's original action, the PPFA-orchestrated reaction and Komen's subsequent policy change served a couple of educational purposes for the public: (1) More Americans, including pro-life advocates, learned the breast cancer foundation is giving to Planned Parenthood. As a result, pro-lifers' donations to Komen and participation in its popular five-kilometer, fund-raising runs/walks that have drawn more than 1.6 million participants annually in the past may decline. (2) More Americans came to realize Planned Parenthood centers do not offer mammograms but refer women to other clinics for the screenings. The ensuing six months since the publicity over Komen's on-off defunding decision have been detrimental to its leadership and revenue. About six executives have resigned, AP reported. The charity's Race for the Cure events in some cities have seen significant drops in attendance and fundraising. For instance: -- Registration for the Washington, D.C., Race for the Cure fell from 40,000 in 2011 to about 25,000 this year, according to The NonProfit Times. -- Participation in the Tucson, Ariz., event dropped from about 10,000 to less than 7,300, National Public Radio reported. -- The Seattle, Wash., race raised only $1.1 million compared to its $1.8 million goal, The NonProfit Times reported. -- The Los Angeles (Calif.) County race raised about $950,000, far short of the $1.3 million goal, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Typically, news reports have at least implied that the drops in attendance and giving are based on abortion rights advocates' displeasure with Komen's initial defunding decision. Other observers, however, have said pro-lifers' dissatisfaction with Komen's reversal has precipitated much of the falloff. It appears Komen has upset both sides in the abortion debate. The report of Komen's later-rescinded decision to defund PPFA came about six weeks after LifeWay Christian Resources pulled from Walmart and other stores copies of a special pink-covered Bible that partially benefited the cancer charity. LifeWay's decision came after the Southern Baptist entity learned that Komen provided grants to PPFA affiliates. Komen is funding about the same number of Planned Parenthood affiliates this year as it did in 2011, The Washington Post reported in April. At least 17 PPFA affiliates are receiving Komen grants this year. Last year, Komen gave grants totaling $680,000 to 18 PPFA affiliates, according to reports. In deciding to defund Planned Parenthood, Komen said it did so because of a new policy that banned grants to organizations under government investigation. A House of Representatives committee began an investigation of Planned Parenthood in September that is continuing. When it announced its reversal in February, Komen said it would amend the criteria "to make clear that disqualifying investigations must be criminal and conclusive in nature and not political." --30-- Tom Strode is Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Ex-communist rebel shares Christ at Olympics By Ava Thomas Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38480 EDITOR'S NOTE: Baptist Press' London bureau, in tandem with Tim Ellsworth, editor of BP Sports and director of news and media relations at Union University, will be providing coverage of 2012 Olympics. Baptist Press will publish features about Christian athletes in the Olympics, recap results of their competition and cover Baptist initiatives to share the Gospel during the Summer Games and among Londoners' rich culture milieu. LONDON (BP) -- José Cárcamo learned the ways of a communist rebel a long time ago. Committed to the cause, he studied in Chile, Cuba and Russia. But his activism didn't change his life the way he thought it would. "There was a lot of fighting going on in my country back then, and when it all came to an end in 1989 and didn't end the way I wanted, I felt very depressed," said Cárcamo, known as Pepe. "I was discriminated against because of my political views, and I felt very alone." Everything fell apart -- his marriage, his plans for the government, everything. "I felt lost," Pepe said. But God's plan for him was right on schedule, he said. "I looked at my life, and I didn't see God reflected in my life. I started to wonder, 'Did God abandon me, or did I abandon God?'" Pepe grew up Catholic but never really thought much of it, he said. He wrestled with his faith until 2010, when he finally decided to go looking for the God he'd never believed in. "I cried out, 'Dios ayudarme (God help me),' and I started reading the Word of God. I felt His love, and I got a connection with Him then that I'd never felt before," he said. He started looking for a church and eventually made his way to a service held at a local Baptist seminary. "I really met God there," he said. In the time since, Pepe has started taking classes at the seminary and has used his job as an athletic trainer to show athletes the love of Christ. This week, he's with the Chilean Olympic team in London for the Summer Games, working with the athletes for 12- to 14-hour days. "My life is my worship to God and my witness to them [the athletes]," he said. "Some of them have come up to me and asked me who Christ is just from being around me and seeing my life with Him." And by his life, he means the way the formerly "depressed, aggravated" political man now lives with a joke and prayers of thankfulness on his lips. "After Russia and Cuba and everything else, the thing that made me the happiest was just knowing that God loved me exactly as I was," Pepe said. It's something he said he wants to pass on. He started telling athletes about Christ during the 2011 PanAmerican Games in Mexico, and after the Olympics he will be headed to Italy, France and Japan to tell more people about the hope he's found. "I am a sheep to God and a shepherd to the world," Pepe said. --30-- Ava Thomas is an International Mission Board writer and editor based in Europe. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- Church planters in Russia prep for '14 Games By Marc Ira Hooks Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38481 LONDON (BP) -- Though the Winter Olympic Games in Russia are still 18 months away, church planters in the host city of Sochi are already hard at work to capitalize on what the "Olympic Spirit" will bring to their city. And they recently spent time in London during the Summer Olympics getting a grasp on what the opportunities would look like.
"Traditionally Southern Baptists have used Olympic ministry as an opportunity for broad seed sowing. However, Olympic ministry can be much more than that. It can be a catalyst for church planting in the host city itself," said Earl Gillespie*, a team member for Engage Sochi, an International Mission Board initiative aimed at taking Olympic ministry beyond the opportunity for mass evangelism. Gillespie explained the Engage Sochi strategy is for the residents of Sochi to be reached with the Gospel before, during and after the 2014 Winter Games. "It is our goal to use the opportunities that the Olympics will bring to Sochi to not just reach out to the people of the world who will visit the city for the games but to use this event as a way to build relationships with the people who live and work in the Sochi area," Gillespie said. "And we have already begun to do that." The Engage Sochi church planting team, which formed after the Russian city was named as the 2014 Olympic host, has been actively involved in partnering with Central Baptist Church of Sochi for more than a year. Together they have been exploring ways to use the sporting event to connect believers with the Sochi community. The Engage Sochi team, which arrived in London prior to the start of the Summer Games, was surprised at how the atmosphere and demeanor of the people on the streets changed after the Opening Ceremonies. "Since the games started, people have been so open," said Kay Gillespie, who coordinates prayer efforts for the Engage Sochi initiative. "We even had one young lady thank us for coming and telling her about Jesus. If I can have those kinds of experiences in Sochi, then I cannot imagine what Jesus is going to do there." Joining the Engage Sochi team was Danil Pankratov, a Russian Baptist pastor who partners with the team in Sochi. "I was surprised how people would talk with you and would listen to a Gospel presentation," Pankratov said. "Usually in Sochi when you try to start a conversation with people they do not want to hear. And sometimes they walk away. But I am discovering that the Olympics are a celebration, and I am pretty sure that people will be more open in Russia during this time." While in London, the team spent time in areas where they knew Russians -- specifically people from Sochi -- would be. "The Russians have two exhibits here in London to promote the next Winter Olympics, and you can already see how they are getting excited about having the Winter Games in Sochi," team member Craig Dean* said. The team uses pin trading, a popular pastime for Olympic spectators, as a way to engage people in conversation. The specially designed Engage Sochi evangelism pin uses the colors of the Olympic rings to tell the Gospel story. In addition to giving away the trading pins, the group included a small card that explains the colors in both English and Russian. "I really like this method," Pankratov said. "It helps you to meet people and to very quickly tell the important things about why people need salvation and why they need Jesus. I can see this being very effective in Sochi." Pankratov added that in Sochi the team has partnered with his church to offer English classes for local residents who need or want to learn English to help them better communicate during the games. "One of the people we met here in London lives in our neighborhood in Sochi and was very excited to hear that we are starting an English program," he said. "We now have her contact information and look forward to not just teaching her English but sharing about Jesus with her." In addition to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, Sochi will host the 2018 FIFA World Cup and a Formula One Racing promotional event in the summer of 2014. "I think that God has brought these events to Sochi to allow the people in our city to be more open," Pankratov said. "As the church, we have to get on our feet. And we must begin to use other methods to reach out so that even more people can hear a Gospel message during these big events." Dean said volunteers from America are needed to partner with the Sochi church. This is key, he said, as the team takes what it has learned in London and moves back to begin efforts in Sochi. "The bridge from London to Sochi is not complete," Dean said. "As a matter of a fact, it is just starting. There are nearly 400,000 people in Sochi who need to hear the Gospel. So even without the Olympics coming to this area, there is a huge need for the Gospel there." --30-- *Names have been changed. Marc Ira Hooks is a writer for the International Mission Board based in Europe and co-director of Engage Sochi. He can be reached at marc@engagesochi.org. For more information about how you and your church can partner with the Engage Sochi team before, during and after the 2014 Winter Olympics, visit EngageSochi.org. Click on "Register for Updates" to contact members of the Engage Sochi team. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- DR volunteers needed for Okla. cleanup By Mickey Noah Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38482 OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (BP) - The Oklahoma state convention needs up to 150 volunteers for "ash-out" work after wildfires charred 110,000 acres and destroyed 380 homes the past week across the state. Sam Porter, disaster relief director of the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City, said Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are needed to respond to damages in four parts of the state. "We need DR help from state conventions across the country," Porter said. "The work will take three weeks. We need seven teams of 8-10 people in the Mannford area (near Tulsa), and another five teams to work in the Noble area near Norman." The wildfires, some of which are believed to have been caused by arson, were fueled by several days of 110-degree heat, extremely low humidity and high winds. "Last Friday, the day the fires started, the temperature was 113 degrees," said Porter. "With the heat, drought, low humidity and winds, it was the perfect firestorm. Even green trees were burning." Porter and volunteers have received more than 100 requests for help from families, most of whom do not have insurance, and may field requests from up to 200 more. "It's just overwhelming," Porter said, adding that many victims were low-income and elderly people in rural areas. "Many of these folks couldn't afford homeowner's insurance; it was either food or their medicine," he said. "Now, they may have a $100,000 pile of ashes." SBDR volunteers are desperately needed for "ash-out" work, which involves scraping off what's left of charred foundations or slabs, cleaning scorched lots and clearing debris. "We want as many volunteers as we can get," said Porter, "trained if possible. But even if they haven't done ash-out, it won't take long for us to train them. If the team doesn't have an ash-out trailer, we will just need them to bring basic things like wheelbarrows, rakes and scoop shovels. Workers will need to bring work clothes, heavy boots and gloves, goggles and dust masks. It would also be great if a DR team has a Bobcat® tractor with claws for picking up the debris." Oklahoma's command post will be based at First Baptist Church in Mannford, Okla., just west of Tulsa, where some 80,000 acres were scorched by the wildfires. At Oklahoma's request, the North American Mission Board deployed its command post, already in operation at Twelve Corners Baptist Church near Norman. Affected by separate wildfires were Luther, east of Oklahoma City, and Glencoe, near Stillwater. "We expect our volunteers to come in for just one week at a time," Porter said. "We can house as many people who want to come, up to 200 a night, in various churches." Many Oklahoma DR volunteers had to be recalled from Colorado, where they had been responding to wildfires in that state since July. Colorado crews will be replenished by volunteers from Texas Baptist Men and the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas. Porter plans on completing all ash-out work in Oklahoma by Aug. 31. It takes a full day for a team to "ash-out" a house, he said. Fritz Wilson, NAMB's executive DR director, said the widespread need for DR volunteers demonstrates the necessity of NAMB's new command center and DR equipment. "It benefits both the emerging state conventions and the mainline states," Wilson said. In addition to wildfires, Wilson said mid-August remains the peak of the hurricane season, which doesn't end until Nov. 30. Southern Baptists who want to support the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Oklahoma Wildfire Relief fund can visit www.bgco.org and click on the disaster relief button. From its disaster operations center in Alpharetta, Ga., NAMB coordinates and manages Southern Baptist responses to major disasters in partnership with the 42 Southern Baptist state conventions, most of which also have state-based DR programs. SBDR assets include 82,000 trained volunteers, including chaplains, and some 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, childcare, showers, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild and power generation. SBDR is one of the largest mobilizers of trained, credentialed DR volunteers in the United States. --30-- Mickey Noah writes for the North American Mission Board. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- UPDATE 2: Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible By Benjamin Hawkins Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38483 EDITOR'S NOTE: This story is part of a series of stories about Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's "Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible" exhibit, which runs through Jan. 13. For more information visit [URL=http:// seethescrolls.com]seethescrolls.com[/URL]. FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- The Dead Sea Scrolls challenge the assumptions of liberal scholars by affirming the reliability and antiquity of biblical writings, experts said during the Joan & Andy Horner Lecture Series at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. "The Dead Sea Scrolls confirm the accuracy of the biblical text," said Peter Flint, who is professor of religious studies, Canada Research Chair of the Dead Sea Scrolls and director of the Dead Sea Scrolls Institute at Trinity Western University. The scrolls, Flint said during his Aug. 7 lecture, confirm that the Old Testament was copied accurately for thousands of years and that the Hebrew text now used by Bible translators represents what was contained in the original texts. Dead Sea Scroll fragments from the book of Daniel also defy the skepticism of scholars who deny the possibility of predictive prophecy, said Randall Price, distinguished research professor and executive director of the Center for Judaic Studies at Liberty University. One such fragment, owned by Southwestern Seminary, is currently on display in the seminary's Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible exhibition. Some critical scholars in the past claimed that the book of Daniel was written in the second-century B.C. or afterward -- that is, after some of the events that the book of Daniel predicts. According to Price, however, the Daniel fragments among the Dead Sea Scrolls were copied in the second century B.C. They reveal that, by this time, Daniel was "already accepted as authoritative Scripture" and that the book had been copied for quite some time. This evidence, Price said during his July 31 lecture, "pushes the date of (the writing of) Daniel back before the second century B.C.," before the events that the book predicts. This confirms the antiquity and prophetic nature of the book of Daniel, he said. To learn more about The Dead Sea Scrolls & the Bible exhibition at Southwestern's campus in Fort Worth, Texas, visit [URL=http:// seethescrolls.com]seethescrolls.com [/URL] --30-- Benjamin Hawkins is senior news writer for Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas (www.swbts.edu/campusnews). Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- CULTURE DIGEST: Honesty may boost health, study finds By Staff Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38484 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) -- People who tell fewer lies experience improved health, such as less stress and fewer headaches, according to research presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association. "Recent evidence indicates that Americans average about 11 lies per week. We wanted to find out if living more honestly can actually cause better health," lead author Anita Kelly, professor of psychology at the University of Notre Dame, said in an APA news release Aug. 4. "We found that the participants could purposefully and dramatically reduce their everyday lies, and that in turn was associated with significantly improved health," Kelly said. The study, which has not yet undergone peer review, followed 110 people for 10 weeks. Sixty-six percent of the participants were college students, and 34 percent were adults in the community. About half of the participants were told to stop telling lies for the duration of the study, and the rest were given no special instructions. Both groups reported to a lab each week to answer questions about their health and relationships and to take a lie detector test regarding the number of lies they had told that week. Those who told fewer lies experienced fewer mental health complaints such as feeling tense or melancholy and fewer physical complaints such as sore throats and headaches, the study found. Participants also reported their personal relationships and social interactions went more smoothly when they told fewer lies. Some said they realized they could simply tell the truth about their daily accomplishments rather than exaggerate, and others said they stopped making false excuses for being late or failing to complete tasks, Kelly said, according to the news release. "When you don't lie, you have less stress. Being very conflicted adds an inordinate amount of stress to your life," Linda Stroh, professor emeritus of organizational behavior at Loyola University, told USA Today. NEW LAW, CREATIVITY BLOCK WESTBORO PROTESTS -- The independent Westboro Baptist Church of military funeral protest fame is being blocked on more than one front in its radical demonstrations at solemn family gatherings. In recent months, thousands of people have invoked creativity in stopping Westboro's protests, gathering in droves wearing colorful shirts or dressed as zombies to form a human blockade of the group's path. This week, President Obama signed into law the Honoring America's Veterans and Caring for Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012, which restricts protests at military funerals to at least two hours before or after the event, and at least 300 feet away from the venue. The law counters a 2011 Supreme Court ruling that Westboro's protests are protected under the First Amendment. Last month, large crowds donned red shirts to prohibit Westboro from disrupting a funeral in Columbia, Mo., and a group of Texas A&M University students put on maroon T-shirts to protect a College Station, Texas, funeral from Westboro's onslaught. In Seattle, dozens of people dressed as zombies to block a Westboro protest at a military burial there. The Kansas-based Westboro church frequently demonstrates at funerals to spread its extreme message that deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan are God's punishment for the United States' tolerance of homosexuality. Members of the group say they will not respect the Honoring America's Veterans Act limiting such protests, according to news reports. Violating the law would include the possibility of $50,000 in statutory damages, according to the Army Times. CHINESE WOMAN RESCUED BABIES FROM TRASH -- Lou Xiaoying has been a one-person refutation of China's coercive "one-child" policy for decades. Lou, 88 years of age and experiencing kidney failure, is being recognized as a hero after a report has surfaced of her 40 years of rescuing abandoned babies on the streets of Jinhua in the Zhejiang Province. Beginning in 1972, she saved more than 30 infants whom she found in the trash, The Daily Mail reported July 30. Along with her late husband Li Zin, who died 17 years ago, she reared four of the children and gave the rest to family and friends. Her most recent rescue came when she was 82. She found her youngest son, Zhang Qilin, 7, in a garbage can. Lou found the abandoned babies as she sought to make a living by recycling trash. "The whole thing started when I found the first baby, a little girl back in 1972 when I was out collecting rubbish," she said, according to The Daily Mail. "She was just lying amongst the junk on the street, abandoned. She would have died had we not rescued her and taken her in. "I realized if we had strength enough to collect garbage, how could we not recycle something as important as human lives?" Lou said. "These children need love and care. They are all precious human lives." Of her youngest, Zhang, she said, "Even though I was already getting old, I could not simply ignore the baby and leave him to die in the trash. He looked so sweet and so needy. I had to take him home with me." Her older children help care for Zhang, she said. Lou has one biological daughter, Zhang Caiying, 49. China's compulsory population control program, implemented in 1979, generally limits couples in urban areas to one child and those in rural areas to two if the first is a girl. The policy has resulted in many reports of authorities carrying out forced abortions and sterilizations, as well as accounts of infanticide. INCENTIVES PUSH CHINESE OFFICIALS TO ABORT BY FORCE -- Local family planning officials have vested interests in forcing abortions on Chinese women, an expert on China says. Recent accounts of forced late-term abortions have brought China's coercive "one-child" population control policy to the world's attention in a way that is possibly unprecedented since it was instituted in 1979. In a July 25 column for the South China Morning Post, Jackie Sheehan said such "[c]oercion and violence are integral parts of the system." "The people who track down pregnant women to carry out unwanted terminations do it not because they are evil or unfeeling," wrote Sheehan, senior fellow at the China Policy Institute and associate professor at the School of Contemporary Chinese Studies of the University of Nottingham in England. "They do it because of powerful incentives to meet family-planning targets." She said, "Disappointing their superiors by failing to meet targets has serious career consequences, whereas violating the rights of ordinary citizens, an occasional international scandal notwithstanding, results only in temporary suspension or demotion. The understanding is that local officials do whatever dirty work is necessary to keep the numbers right and in turn their bosses look after their interests." China's population control program generally limits couples in urban areas to one child and those in rural areas to two if the first is a girl. Parents in cities may have second babies if the husband and wife are both only children. The policy has resulted in many reports of authorities carrying out forced abortions and sterilizations, as well as accounts of infanticide. It has led to a dramatic gender imbalance because of the Chinese preference for sons. Women who do not have birth permits typically must pay fines to give birth. Otherwise, officials may forcibly abort their babies. "These social compensation fees have become a vital component of local officials' income, covering overtime, bonuses, pensions and travel expenses," Sheehan wrote. "Officials lose points for every out-of-quota birth in their area and earn cash bonuses for every abortion and sterilisation [sic] they enforce." CANCER SURVIVOR ENJOYS DAUGHTER AFTER REJECTING ABORTION -- British mother Lyndsey Crowder is enjoying life with her 4-year-old daughter after refusing an abortion while she had life-threatening cancer. In late 2007, Crowder learned she was pregnant, only to find out weeks later she had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, according to The Daily Mail. She and her husband Nick already had suffered the stillbirth of a daughter and miscarriages of twins. Physicians told her she might have only weeks to live and offered abortion and chemotherapy among her options. They told Crowder they did not know how pregnancy would affect her health or what effect the chemo might have on her unborn baby, The Daily Mail reported Aug. 1. She underwent eight rounds of chemotherapy. "I thought, I can deal with the cancer but I cannot lose another baby," Crowder said, according to the newspaper. "I just knew I would do whatever it took to get that child into the world. The rest was in God's hands." She said, "To my mind there was no choice. But I knew I had to give the baby a chance. "I had scan after scan to check on the baby and even though everything looked fine it wasn't until she was born and I saw her that I could believe she'd be okay." After the delivery of Sidney Rose by Caesarean section at 34 weeks, an emergency scan showed the cancer had spread throughout Crowder's body. She received more chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant. Crowder, 34, has been in remission for 30 months. MEDICAL ACADEMY IMPLICATED IN DUMPING OF BABIES -- A medical academy reportedly is behind the dumping of the bodies of nearly 250 unborn children in the Ural Mountains of western Russia. An employee of the Urals State Medical Academy in Ekaterinburg told police the school routinely had dumped the bodies of unborn babies, according to a July 31 report on the website of RT, an English language news channel that reports on Russia. The employee said 10 barrels of fetal remains were dumped in May in addition to four barrels containing 248 bodies that were discovered recently. The location of the 10 barrels of bodies has yet to be learned, RT reported. In searching academy property, police found an agreement between it and a waste disposal company operated by the Ekaterinburg administration. Academy workers said barrels of unborn babies' bodies were placed on the waste company's truck to be taken to a forest for dumping, according to RT. Several hospitals supplied Urals State Medical Academy with fetal remains for research, LifeNews.com reported. --30-- Compiled by Tom Strode, Erin Roach and Diana Chandler of Baptist Press. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). -- End of story -- FIRST-PERSON: When God says, 'No ma'am!' By Amanda Walker Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38485 RUSTON, La. (BP) -- My daughter, Makaylan, is 1 year old. As a result, my husband and I have entered a new phase of parenting -- the discipline stage. Right now her biggest temptation is the electrical sockets. Though we have them covered, we still do not want her to play with them. We know that one day we will go visit friends who do not child-proof their homes, and we do not want her getting into the habit of playing with something that is potentially dangerous. But, every time she passes an electrical socket, she cannot resist the urge to touch it. The first day she discovered her new "favored" toy, I spent most of my day bent over her, removing her hand from the socket, and repeating, "No ma'am." During one instance, my husband counted how many times I gave her this instruction, and I repeated it 15 times before she finally became frustrated and moved on. God has used these experiences to convict me of my own sin and temptations in life. So what can a 1-year-old teach you about discipline and discipleship? More than you can imagine. The first thing I have learned is that God's discipline is always for my good and for His glory. The writer of Hebrews gives a great description of God's discipline when He says, "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives" (Hebrews 12:6). He goes on to say, "For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11). In the original language, the word "trained" is the Greek word "gymnazo," which means "to exercise vigorously, in any way, either the body or the mind."[1] Gymnazo is where we get our English word "gymnasium." A gymnasium is a place of training. I played sports throughout high school and nearly two years of college; therefore, I am accustomed to the regimented and strenuous training that must occur in order to perform well. No athlete would dare go into a competition without first disciplining his or her body. In the same way, God uses His discipline to train our hearts and our bodies to be submissive to His perfect will in order that His righteousness might be displayed in our lives. I want my daughter to grow up to be a woman who loves and serves God with a submissive heart, but this submission does not come naturally. We are all tempted by certain lusts of the flesh, and sometimes it is difficult to pass up those opportunities to sin. God continues to remind me that in order for me to teach her how to submit to Christ, I must first submit myself under His Lordship. It is amazing how children can pick up on their parents' lack of obedience. We cannot expect our children to be obedient to our instruction if we are not being obedient and submissive to God's instruction. It first begins with us. The second lesson I have learned is that discipline takes time. Too often I have seen parents "discipline" their children from the couch with a remote control in hand. In all honesty, that is the easiest thing to do. But, God commands us to train our children and not just to shout orders at them. I am so thankful that God does not discipline me haphazardly. Hebrews 5:8 says that Jesus "learned obedience through what He suffered." Jesus, while in the flesh, had to learn to be obedient to the Father's instruction. God allows temptations and difficult seasons into our lives in order to train us to trust in Him and obey Him. Scripture shows that no difficulty or temptation comes into our lives without first passing through the Father's approval (Job 1:6-12). Learning obedience and submission takes a lifetime; therefore, careful instruction must be given in order to ensure growth in maturity. For example, right now Makaylan is fighting the battle against the electric socket, but when she grows up she will have other temptations that will be more dangerous. If we are not diligent to train her in the small things, through discipline, then she will never learn self-control and submission for when the bigger temptations arise. She needs "hands-on discipline," meaning we must show her exactly what we expect and not just verbally rebuke her actions. God continues to show me that I need the same thing. I need for Him to show me, through His Word and through my situations, exactly what He expects of me. The goal is to grow in Christlikeness. As my husband and I enter this stage of disciplining our daughter, I will admit that it is not a fun stage ... and we are only at the beginning. I would much rather wrap Makaylan in my arms and snuggle with her than be firm about what she can and cannot do. But God has given us this precious child in order for us to train her according to His Word and His commands. As we train and discipline our daughter, it has been a blessing to get a glimpse into the heart of our Heavenly Father. Though God's discipline is not always pleasant, it is exactly what I need. I want to encourage you (and me) not to run from the Father's discipline, for by it, He is producing within us the fruit of righteousness. (Hebrews 12:11) --30-- Amanda Walker is in the Doctorate of Educational Ministries program at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Her greatest joy is serving alongside her husband who is the University Minister at Cook Baptist Church in Ruston, Louisiana, and being the mother of two beautiful daughters. This column first appeared at [URL=http://BiblicalWoman.org]BiblicalWoman.org[/URL], a blog of Southwestern Seminary. Get Baptist Press headlines and breaking news on Twitter ([URL=http://www.Twitter.com/BaptistPress]@BaptistPress[/URL]), Facebook ([URL=http://Facebook.com/BaptistPress]Facebook.com/BaptistPress [/URL]) and in your email ([URL=http://baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp] baptistpress.com/SubscribeBP.asp[/URL]). [1] http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1128&t=ESV -- End of story -- EDITORIAL: La Trinidad: base esencial de la fe cristiana y de los creyentes By Octavio J. Esqueda Aug. 10 2012 http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=38486 NOTA DEL EDITOR: La columna First-Person (De primera mano) es parte de la edición de hoy de BP en español. Para ver historias adicionales, vaya a [URL=http://www.bpnews.net/espanol]http://www.bpnews.net/espanol[/URL] LA MIRADA, Calif. (BP) -- La Trinidad, ¿qué es lo primero que se le viene a la cabeza cuando escucha esta palabra? ¿Sabía usted que la palabra Trinidad no se encuentra en la Biblia al igual que la palabra Biblia tampoco está en la Biblia? ¿De qué manera afecta nuestra vida que Dios es trino? Muchos cristianos creen correctamente que la Trinidad es una doctrina esencial de nuestra fe, pero desgraciadamente no se dan cuenta de la importancia que tiene para nuestras vidas. Reconozco que ésta era mi percepción hasta que hace varios años una clase con el profesor Scott Horrell me abrió los ojos a las grandes implicaciones de la Trinidad para nosotros como cristianos, para la iglesia y para la familia. En primer lugar, La Santa Trinidad es una doctrina importante a los largo de toda la Biblia. El Antiguo Testamento da evidencias de la Trinidad aunque enfatiza claramente el monoteísmo. En contra de las religiones politeístas de su época, el gran énfasis del AT es en la unidad del único Dios verdadero, el Dios de Israel: Dt.6:4 “Oye, Israel: Jehová nuestro Dios, Jehová uno es”. También en el AT se dan varias implicaciones del Dios trino. Por ejemplo, La palabra hebrea para “uno” (ehad) en ocasiones representa una unidad compuesta (Gen. 2:24, “serán una sola carne”); hay pasajes en los que Dios parece hablar de sí mismo en plural “nosotros” (Gen.1:26, “Hagamos al hombre a nuestra imagen…”); y dos de las tres palabras principales para referirse a Dios en el AT están en plural: Elohim (Dios, lit. “los poderosos”, 2570 veces) y Adonai (Señor, lit. “mi Señores”, 449 veces). La Trinidad enseña que hay un solo Dios en tres personas diferentes, el Padre, el Hijo y El Espíritu Santo. El Padre es Dios y es el Padre de: Cristo (Mt. 3:17); Israel (Ex. 4:22); ángeles (Job 1:6); todos los cristianos (Rom. 8:14-17). El término Padre indica que Él es la fuente de la cual todo procede. La palabra Padre no fue muy usada para referirse a Dios en el AT (14 veces), quizá para distinguir al Dios de Israel de los dioses paganos como progenitores de semidioses y humanos. El término Padre (Gr. Pater) es usado especialmente en Juan (122 veces). La palabra aramea Abba se encuentra tres veces en el NT, se usaba por niños e hijos para mostrar respeto. Jesús afirmó claramente en Juan 10:30 que el Hijo es Dios con esta declaración asombrosa “Yo y el Padre uno somos”. Romanos 9:5 también declara la divinidad de Jesús, “de quienes son los patriarcas, y de los cuales, según la carne, vino Cristo, el cual es Dios sobre todas las cosas, bendito por los siglos. Amén”. El Espíritu Santo es una persona de la divinidad que tiene intelecto, emociones y voluntad. 2 Corintios 3:17 enfatiza claramente su divinidad, “Porque el Señor es el Espíritu; y donde está el Espíritu del Señor, allí hay libertad. Él es el Parákletos, el “otro Consolador”, otro que comparte la misma naturaleza divina que Jesús (Juan 14:16, 26). La Biblia enseña claramente la Trinidad. Hay más de 40 pasajes que mencionan al Padre, Hijo y Espíritu Santo juntos. Sin embargo Justino Mártir fue el primero que uso la palabra Trinidad (150 d.C.), Tertuliano (212) fue un defensor de esta doctrina contra las diferentes herejías que se fueron creando al inicio de la era cristiana. Fue hasta el concilio de Nicea (325) que esta doctrina fue desarrollada y fue confirmada en el de Constantinopla (381). Si bien no fue un documento oficial de la Iglesia primitiva, el credo Atanasiano—en honor del gran defensor de la doctrina de la Trinidad—empezó a circular por el 450 aunque fue escrito por el 380 d.C. El credo fue probablemente un catecismo usado para ayudar a los Cristianos a entender mejor el Dios que adoraban: “…Nosotros adoramos un Dios en Trinidad y la Trinidad en Unidad, sin confundir las personas ni dividir al ser divino. Porque el Padre es una persona, el Hijo es otra y otra el Espíritu Santo, pero la divinidad del Padre, del Hijo y del Espíritu Santo es una unidad, su gloria es igual y su majestad coeterna… Por lo tanto, el Padre es Dios, el Hijo es Dios y el Espíritu Santo es Dios y aún así no hay tres dioses sino un Dios…Y en esta Trinidad no hay antes ni después, no mayor ni menor, sino que las tres personas son coeternas y coiguales con cada una. Por lo que en todas las cosas, como ha sido dicho, la Trinidad en Unidad, y la Unidad en Trinidad debe ser adorada”. La Trinidad es muy importante porque es la base de la unidad y diversidad entre creyentes. En la revelación de Dios, encontramos al Padre, al Hijo y al Espíritu Santo amándose uno al otro, dándose el uno al otro, honrándose y glorificándose uno al otro—esto sin confundir la jerarquía de la divinidad, los roles que cada persona de la divinidad ha llevado desde la eternidad pasada. La unidad de la Trinidad tiene su base en la perichoresis, lo que significa que cada persona de la divinidad habita (mora) en las demás. Esto sin disminuir la personalidad de cada uno. Vemos esto en Juan 14:11, “Yo soy en el Padre y el Padre en mí”. También en Juan 17:21, “para que todos sean uno; como tú, oh Padre, en mí, y yo en ti…” Por lo tanto, la Unidad en Dios se encuentra tanto en la equidad intrínseca de los atributos divinos como en la unidad que se deriva de la mutua habitación de las tres personas de la divinidad. También la Santa Trinidad comparte la deidad sin mostrar inferioridad aunque hay eternas distinciones en relación y función dentro de la jerarquía de el Padre, el Hijo y el Espíritu Santo. Cada uno de ellos es una persona distinta, cada uno es diferente, sin embargo todos son Dios. La Trinidad es la base de la unidad para los creyentes. Al igual que cada miembro de la Trinidad es igual y completamente Dios, así cada creyente en la Iglesia local es igualmente un hijo o hija de Dios, coheredero de las promesas en Cristo. Todos los creyentes tienen el mismo valor y todos desempeñan una función importante dentro del cuerpo de Cristo, no hay lugar para espectadores. El pastor no es más importante ni está más cerca de Dios; todos los miembros somos importantes y tenemos la responsabilidad de funcionar como un cuerpo. Todos los miembros de una familia comparten una unidad. El esposo y la esposa forman una sola carne. Las relaciones sexuales son el ejemplo más claro de la unidad en un matrimonio. Es por esto que tenerlas fuera del matrimonio es un pecado y está fuera del plan de Dios. La Trinidad es también la base de la diversidad entre los creyentes. Así como cada persona de la Trinidad tiene específicos roles y funciones, así existe una gran diversidad en el cuerpo de Cristo. En la Iglesia local hay un orden (pastores, diáconos). Aunque somos un cuerpo, cada miembro tiene diferentes dones y desempeña una diferente función. Las diferentes denominaciones y ministerios son una manifestación de la diversidad entre creyentes, esto en lugar de ser negativo es beneficioso. También en la familia existen diferentes roles, como esposo, esposa, e hijos. La sumisión a otro no significa inferioridad, de la misma manera que el Hijo, por su obediencia, no es inferior al Padre. Debemos imitar la manera en que cada miembro de la Trinidad se entrega a los demás. Así que, la Trinidad es una doctrina esencial de la fe cristiana que da base a la unidad y a la diversidad entre creyentes. --30-- Octavio Javier Esqueda es profesor en los programas doctorales en educación en Talbot School of Theology de la Universidad Biola en La Mirada, California. Es miembro de la iglesia bautista Green Hills en La Habra, California y ha tenido la oportunidad de enseñar en diferentes países, instituciones y niveles académicos. -- End of story -- Copyright (c) 2013 Southern Baptist Convention, Baptist Press 901 Commerce Street Nashville, TN 37203 Tel: 615.244.2355 Fax: 615.782.8736 email: bpress@sbc.net