An Apology to the Subscribers and Readers - Johannes Aagaard

Here we are ...  delayed and late. But better late than never.

Why this delay? First of all, we have been preoccupied with a struggle concerning the Nordic Christian Mission to Buddhists on the one side, and the ABCD, i.e. A Buddhist Christian Dialog, on the other side. In this issue, a few words will be said about this situation.

In addition, we were confronted with another problem: The article by Massimo Introvigne in Update & Dialog, October 1993, "Strange Bedfellows or Future Enemies?" started a landslide of articles corning to the Dialog Center that we, in fact, did not know w hat to do. The arguments in these articles were sometimes quite heated, and for some time we actually feared that our Dialog Center International would split on this issue.

We do believe that the DCI is very necessary in the present situation. We would not risk its ruin by any means. In such a situation it is sometimes wise just "to wait and see".

We have now decided to publish at any rate some of the articles and inserts in a booklet, which will be available as soon as possible. This the reason why this issue of Update & Dialog will not contain this discussion. Sorry .

We are not certain that this is the only solution, but we consider it to he the best solution for the time being. We hope and pray for your support in our attempt to be both fair and wise at the same time.

The Dialog Center International contains tensions, which we have to live with. But the tensions which Massimo described are at any rate serious, even if they can also be interpreted in other ways.

This issue of Update & Dialog serves the clarification of our DCI units and members in a situation in which false prophets and false expectations have taken the lead worldwide. In such a chaotic situation, it is necessary for us to consider the ways and means of our ministry.

The four exegetical studies are produced by four professors from the theological faculty of the University of Aarhus, Denmark. They all serve the same purpose: to focus on the Biblical basis of the various perversions which are now dominating the hopes and expectations to such a degree that the Biblical hope tends to disappear. Our ministry is first of all to call people back to the real thing!

The DCI is a Christian network. We cooperate with all people of good will, but our own mission is given us from the churches as part of their mission. That we want to underline in the present situation.