The Editor, Sir:

I wanted to keep on ignoring Dr. Phillip Phinn's articles, hoping that they would pass. However, now that his columns appear regularly, and since his assertions, by any orthodox theological understanding of prophecy, appear consistently erroneous, I reluctantly offer a word of caution for both writer and readers.

There are some fundamental hermeneutical (biblical interpretation) principles regarding prophecy which, when discarded, catapult prophecy downwards and dangerously towards the abyss of 'baptised' soothsaying, political dice-rolling, and 'miracles' on demand. (Phinn's article today declares of childless marriages that, 'one word from God can change a situation and grant the release of a child, amid any situation'. This is true, but his intention appears to convey that a 'prophetic' utterance, today, would make the difference for any childless couple.) I suggest, reluctantly, that Dr. Phinn's understanding of prophecy, while popular, is certainly not orthodox, and probably dangerous, precisely because he ignores those fundamental principles of biblical interpretation regarding prophecy and miracles in general.

Prophecy and miracles

I raise only one of those principles here, and it is that prophecy (the kind that involves foretelling) and miracles are always concomitant with revelation - written revelation, that is. During the time of Elisha (to use Dr. Phinn's most recent reference) and that whole era of the major and minor prophets, and during the time of the apostles, there was a common thing happening, that has not happened since - the Bible was being written. There is a reason that the word 'miracles' are almost always interchangeable with 'signs and wonders'. The reason is, simply, that miracles (as well as prophecy) were meant as signs of God's authority onthe persons God was using in the transmission of those prophecies and miracles, precisely because God was going to use those persons, or their scribes, or other persons of their era, to write the material we now call God's Word, the Bible. It is the whole reason that Hebrews 1:1 declares that in these last days God has spoken to us by his Son - he who is the Word made flesh.

Are miracles dead? No. (We must warn, however, against notions of 'personal' miracles as well as 'personal' prophecies, which Phinn has previously espoused. To say that either is biblical is to misread scriptures completely.) Is prophecy done? Probably yes, in the way Phinn practises it, and no, because the Church is, as Christ's body, a prophetic community, holding forth God's word to the world.

I suggest that Dr. Phinn's brand of prophecy is a disturbing phenomenon with the propensity and popularity to mislead many. It is a hand-and-glove phenomenon with another situation that is increasing in Jamaica and the world, even as we speak: it is one thing for persons to self-style themselves as 'bishop', then 'archbishop' - that is bad enough. But when persons begin to label themselves 'prophet' so-and-so and 'apostle' so-and-so, all that is left is for them to take it to the next logical - and biblical - level. That level is to write new scriptures, and add to the canon. They are already getting a fair amount of practice with their 'prophecies'.

I am, etc.,

Rev. Dr. MICHAEL FRIDAY

rev_manfriday@hotmail.com

Senior Pastor, New Life Baptist Church

801 Kayleen Drive

Bellevue, Nebraska