Readers Reply
BR’s Equanimity in Maelstrom
Congratulations on your fine work—excellent articles and interesting features, topped by beautiful illustrations.
But most of all, my hat’s off to you for your equanimity. Accused of sacrilege, “un-Christian” attitudes, human opinions about “God’s Word,” allowing women to work on BR (shocking! Wait ’til I tell my wife, my colleague at the institute and the University of Delaware) and other sins—even your advertising policy (!)—you maintain calm and even a pleasant sense of humor. I’m sure you’ve earned the respect of many readers, as you’ve earned mine.
Institute for Science and Religion
Wilmington, Delaware
Bible Review Has a Special Place
I enjoy reading Bible Review very much. I have gained much insight from it that I don’t believe I could have found anywhere else.
I am no scholar, and I’ve come to enjoy a deeper study of the Bible late in life, so Bible Review has a special place in my study.
Lugoff, South Carolina
Isaiah’s Plumb Line
As a new subscriber to your excellent magazine I enjoy the feature “Bible Quiz.” However, as a current student in Dr. Bruce Birch’s Old Testament class at Wesley Theological Seminary struggling to keep up with a long list of identifications for examinations, I think J. Kenneth Eakins would not receive full credit with his answers.
For example, to the question “Which prophet had a vision of the Lord holding a plumb line?” (Bible Quiz, BR 02:03), Eakins’ answer is Amos (Amos 7:7–9). This is only half correct. Isaiah of Jerusalem (Isaiah 1–39) also used this image. “…Thus says the Lord God…And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plummet” (RSV Isaiah 28:16a–17a).
Cabin John United Methodist Church
Cabin John, Maryland
Kenneth Eakins replies:
Whereas the prophet Amos is given a vision of the Lord holding an actual plumb line, the prophet Isaiah speaks of justice and righteousness serving as a plumb line. No vision is described.