What do I know? Not much. I am reminded of this on almost a daily basis, but I have questions – a lot of questions. But I do know one thing: God Loves Me. The education of Feldman has been a long work in progress. I’m blessed to be in an eclectic weekly Bible Study led by Stephan Tchividjian, and on occasion I name drop mostly to get a reaction and usually the respondent says, “Oh, that Bible Study...” I’ll let that sit for a while and perhaps some juicy con- tent for a future Publisher’s musing... This next bit is likely to get a rise out of some pastors and readers, not because of its nature but because some would think, “why would I dare give space here to write about that?” I like to stimulate and some may suggest provoke? In any case, I think there’s some deep thought here. Nobel prize-winning physicist Albert Einstein thought about more than just the theory of relativity or gravitational waves. In fact, a letter he wrote in 1954, in which he discussed his inner-most thoughts about God and religion, recently sold for $2.9 million dollars at Christie’s auction in 2018. The "remarkably candid, private letter was written a year before Einstein's death and remains the most fully articulated expression of his religious and philosophical views," according to a statement about the letter on Christie's website (http://bit.ly/EinsteinGodLetter) . While Einstein is not widely known for his discussion of religion, the then-75-year-old was moved to write what Christie's calls a "direct" and "unvarnished" letter on the topic after reading a book by Jewish philosopher, Eric Gutkind . Gutkind's book Choose Life: The Biblical Call to Revolt had garnered a small following at the time. In his letter to Gutkind, Einstein referred to Spinoza to express his objection to any type of claimed superiority for the Jewish belief in monotheism: “It pains me that you claim a privileged position and try to defend it by two walls of pride — an external one as a human being and an in- ternal one as a Jew.” When Einstein gave lectures at U.S. universities, the recurring question that students asked him most was: - Do you believe in God ? And he always answered: - I believe in the God of Spinoza. Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher con- sidered one of the great rationalists of 17th century phi- losophy, along with Descartes. The page-and-a-half document, in German, became known a decade ago as the “God letter,” a nickname that makes some Einstein experts wince. But while the letter has to do with his Jewish identity and mankind's search for meaning, Einstein used the word “God” only once in the letter. This in no way means that we at the Good News are supportive of some of these expressed philosophies in the God Letter. Yet the letter is a significant artifact expressed by renowned philosophers, so to turn a blind eye as if it never existed would be inappropriate, especially in today’s world of reflection. The God Letter Here is the English translation of the handwritten let- ter that sold for $2,892,500.00 Princeton, 3. 1. 1954 Dear Mr Gutkind, Inspired by Brouwer's repeated suggestion, I have read a great deal in your book in the last few days: thank you very much for sending it to me. What struck me par- ticularly was this. We are largely alike as regards our fac- tual attitude to life and to the human community: an ideal that goes beyond self-interest, with the striving for release from ego-oriented desires, the striving for the improvement and refinement of existence, with an emphasis on the purely human element, by which inanimate things are to be perceived purely as a means, to which no dominant function is to be attributed. (It is especially this attitude that unites us as an authentically "un-American attitude"1). Nevertheless, without Brouwer's encouragement I would never have brought myself to engage at all closely PUBLISHER 4 JUNE 2021 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition South Florida Edition • Good News • June 2021 • Volume 23, Issue 3 - Leslie J. Feldman - Advertising: We reach over 110,000 readers each month. 80,000 in print and 30,000 via our online digital edition. Placing an ad in our publication is affordable and effective to help grow your business. Call us today! Distribution: Available inmore than 800 locations throughout South Florida. To become a free distribution point for the newspaper, please contact Shelly. The Good News is published by Good News Media Group, LLC, Reproduction in whole or part strictly forbidden without the consent of the publisher. Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. Good News Media Group, LLC. PO Box 670368, Coral Springs, FL 33067 954-564-5378 • www.goodnewsfl.org Publisher: Leslie J. Feldman
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[email protected] On The Cover Outstanding graduates from South Florida’s Christian schools are honored in this photo taken at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale. Pictured from left to right: Joshua Pilote , Valedictorian, Calvary Christian Academy-Fort Lauderdale; Matthew Barnes , Salutatorian, Calvary Christian Academy-Fort Lauderdale; Jonathan Bennett , Valedictorian, Sheridan Hills Christian School; Audrey Lenghea , Salutatorian, Sheridan Hills Christian School; Mizanee Shanell McIntrye , Valedictorian, Calvary ChristianAcademy Hollywood; Jiatuo Zou , Salutatorian, Westminster Academy; and AlejandroAndres Molina , Valedictorian, Westminster Academy. Read the entire graduation special section on pages 24 - 31. Cover photography by Justus Martin. www.justusmartinphoto.com PERSPECTIVE . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Fancy Words – by Stephan N. Tchividjian IN THEWORD . . . . . . . . . . 8 God’s Word Is Always Right – by Franklin Graham INSIGHT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Leading AKingdom Community With A Little Friendly Competition – by Rob Hoskins PARENTING . . . . . . . . . . . 12 What Do Your Kids Hear? – by Dr. Bob Barnes & Torrey Roberts LIVE THE LIFE . . . . . . . . . 14 The Pace of Grace – by Lisa May YOU ASKWHY? . . . . . . . .16 The Gospel – Reasonable and Desirable – by Tommy Boland CHURCH UNITED . . . . . .18 Collective Impact For The Gospel – by Edwin Copeland VILLAGE HYMNS . . . . . . 20 The Dream of God’s Heart – by Jessica Busboom THERE AND BACK AGAIN . . . . . . . . 22 The Body of Christ – by Dr. Gene L. Green COVER STORY . . . . . 24 - 31 2021 Graduates March Into The Future With Flexibility and Resolve – by Shelly Pond ENCOURAGEMENT . . . . 32 Kindergarten Christians – by Omar Aleman LEGAL Q&A . . . . . . . . . . . 34 ASK BILL Why Is School Choice The Better Choice? HEART AND SOUL . . . . . . . . . .36 Spared from COVID? Offer Streams of Mercy – by Dr. Debra A. Schwinn GOODNEWS WANTS TO KNOW 38 - 40 What’s something special you and your father shared? CALENDAR . . . . . . . . . . . .43 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . .44 – 47 ALBERT EINSTEIN and “The God Letter” (continued on page 42) C O N T E N T S Good News • June 2021 • Volume 23 Issue 3