Letters from the sub-editor IV
I'm flying a kite here, so please be kind. It occurs to me that the idea from my previous CHN, about using subheadings to attract the eye of the poor reader who has become bored with God's word, may have some merit. The rule is that no subheading may have more than three words. “Greeting” is good. “Thanksgiving” is excellent. “Christ the Wisdom and Power of God” will have to go. Once you've read a heading like that, you may as well read the whole passage.
We will allow the heading “Divisions in the Church” because although it is four words, two of them are little ones. Also, “Divisions” is a sexy word, speaking of conflict and fighting, which always raises attention. “Proclaiming Christ Crucified” only just makes our three word limit, and hints at a subeditor trying to see how much he or she can get away with in the way of actual content.
Remember, in the world of subediting, short is good. We have to assume that the attention span of the average Bible reader has been completely trashed by too much MTV. 1 Corinthians 1 could be called “Fight!”. 1 Corinthians 3 could be called “War!” For 1 Corinthians 6:1-11, “I'll Sue!” works a treat. Chapter 5 could be headed “Sex!”. So could chapter 6. So could chapter 7.
In fact, this sparks another thought. Why don't we extract the whole of 1 Corinthians and market it under a new title “Sex in the Church”? The word “New!” would appear in a fluorescent red label on the cover, with the label in the shape of one of those spiky explosion type thingies.
Of course we know and acknowledge that the Bible as God's word is relevant to anyone that God has created in his image, which doesn't appear to exclude anyone. Of course we know that the Bible speaks to every need and every situation ever encountered by humanity. But me and my team of sub-editors, we're going to make it really relevant, just you wait and see.