Some time ago in Schuyler’s column the subject of the patriarchy movement arose. In reaction to this, some disagreement was expressed by a reader of Beacon Lights, Brenda Hoekstra. While controversy is not the strong suit of the magazine, her argumentation was cogent and persuasive, so I printed her article.

In an e-mail to me, she was not shy about advising me that Beacon Lights should resurrect from the dim and distant past a rubric called Truth vs. Error.

Far be it from me ever to throw gas on a fire, but in this case I made an exception. I decided to match her forthrightness with a bit of my own. So I challenged her to put her money where her pen is and write this column. After some consideration, she agreed to do this. Beacon Lights therefore welcomes her as a regular writer. Plans call for her to write for this rubric every other month. In this issue she takes up the historical background of the patriarchy concept, and she plans to write further on this subject.

Brenda is a mother in Israel who is well qualified to address the young people of the church. Young people, please read and take to heart what she has to say. It matters.