(RNS) — The United States is steadily becoming less Christian and the number of people with no religion is rising. Those are the twin headlines from the latest Pew Research report released Thursday (Oct. 17), which shows a dramatic decline in American religious habits over the course of a decade. The report, an aggregation of yearly political surveys that ask about religion, shows rapid changes in generational attitudes toward religion. It finds that two-thirds (65%) of Americans describe themselves as Christians, down from 77% in 2009. It also shows that the number of Americans who say they have no religion — sometimes called nones — has risen to 26%, up from 17% a decade ago.“The rate at which Christians are declining is very striking,” said Greg Smith, associate director of research at Pew. “And the share of Americans who have no religion is growing very rapidly, which is just as striking.” Protestants now make up less than half of all U.S. adults — or 43% (down from … [Read more...]
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Book Reviews 23 hours ago
The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong
Karen Gonzalez Herald Press, 200 pages Reviewed by Neil Craigan Immigration is one of the hot-button issues in the current political landscape of the United States. It is an issue that is impossible to ignore and on which everybody seems to have an opinion. What is often missing in these largely partisan debates is the recognition of the full humanity of the immigrants. In “The God Who Sees,” Karen Gonzalez reminds us that “immigrant stories always matter, because immigrants are image-bearers of God.” In this book the reader will encounter… continue reading... -
Outpost Blog 23 hours ago
Envisioning a different reality: Reflections on the CoInspire conference
Montreat, North Carolina. A beautiful place. A complicated history. “Presbyterian Disneyland” as my husband called it. All these things were present at Montreat’s conference earlier this month, “CoInspire: Eviscerating Racism, Liberating Imagination.” Racism is a topic I would rather, in my white privilege, ignore. But life keeps convicting me not only to understand the nature of racism in the United States, but to actively fight against it. Attending this conference was one more step for me in this process of becoming anti-racist. Traci Blackmon preaches during worship The central Scripture… continue reading... -
Outlook Features 2 days ago
The place and status of women
Editor’s note: As we mark our 200th anniversary, we look back at the Outlook’s coverage of issues in the church that are still relevant today. This article was published in March of 1953 and presents a Reformed theological discussion of the role of women in ministry. In order to give us perspective on the present, it helps to look back and get a sense of how far we have come and how far we have yet to go. This article is reprinted just as readers in 1953 would have experienced it,… continue reading...
Parties in Stamford case had tried to expedite process in order to get a ruling on the merits of the case January 1, 1995 Uncategorized117 views The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission -- in sidestepping the question of exactly how deeply a session should be required to probe into the private life of a gay elder who has acknowledged being in a committed, life-long relationship but has declined to say whether he is sexually active -- has put the question off but has not put it to rest.- Ministering with the Earth January 1, 1998 Book Reviews120 views By Mary Elizabeth MooreChalice. 1998. 226 pp. Pb. $19.99. ISBN 0-8272-2323-4 Ministering with the Earth is a quiltwork, both the on-the-ground activity and Moore's book about so ministering. Moore, professor of theology and Christian education at Claremont School of Theology, is fond of the metaphor, suitably pastoral and feminist.
- Remembered Voice: Reclaiming the Legacy of 'Neo-Orthodoxy' January 1, 1998 Book Reviews108 views By Douglas John HallWJKP. 1998. 145 pp. Pb. $18. ISBN 0-664-25772-0 It was in this order. I first read Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. Riveting. Next came The Courage to Be. Gripping. Then I went back and read the first volume of the Systematic Theology. Things began to make sense. Next came Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality. Positive.
Women in ministry — October 7, 2019 October 3, 2019 Digital Issues1 comment Jesus called women to share in his ministry when he walked the earth and he still does today. Nonetheless, the role of women in the church has been debated and contested — and continues to evolve. This issue of the Outlook offers a snapshot of women in Presbyterian ministry past and present.
Click here to read the issue in the Uberflip reader.
The rise of women in the pulpit Margaret Towner was ordained in 1956 — 36 years after the fir...
Words matter October 9, 2019 Insights columns1 comment After the tumultuous election season of 2016, my co-pastor and I wrote “a letter of solidarity” to our congregation. Many had been emotionally impacted by the campaign rhetoric, and we worried the political fissures would affect the unity of our diverse community. The letter did more damage than good. Some were offended, others concerned. “The letter” ushered poisonous bipartisan politics into our community of faith. I regret this deeply. The words that caused the most pain were these:
While the world around us has continued to polarize, we have maintained a community of mutual respect and love which is roote...
New Board of Pensions educational offerings go “deep and wide” for wholeness October 1, 2019 Outlook Features1 comment “We call people to varied forms of service and covenant to support them so they may devote their best gifts and energies to the work of God’s kingdom.” — A Theology of Benefits
Michele Ward, associate pastor at Brown Memorial Park Avenue Church in Baltimore, is a big believer in holistic well-being, especially after diving into the wholeness education offered by The Board of Pensions of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
“It blows my mind that I can be a pastor and have this sort of support,” she said after hearing from a colleague that one in three pastors is at risk of burnout. “By engagi...
Pew report: Older US Christians being quickly replaced by young ‘nones’
PC(USA) investing group and others urging GM to adopt clean vehicle goals
(PNS) The Presbyterian Committee on Mission Responsibility through Investing is joining with New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer and a coalition of 25 major investors in calling on General Motors to join its peers in a compromise agreement with California and other states for clean vehicle standards. The letter comes in the wake of President Donald J. Trump’s proposal last year to roll back clean vehicle standards. The Obama-era regulations included goals such as average fuel economy of 50 miles-per-gallon or better in passenger vehicles by 2025. California has stated its intention under the 1970 Clean Air Act to maintain its own standards, and other states are following suit. The Trump administration is challenging California’s authority to enforce its own standards. Automakers have largely agreed to a compromise with California, setting standards that are not as strict as the Golden State and Obama-era goals, but are tougher than the Trump administration … [Read more...]
The God Who Sees: Immigrants, the Bible, and the Journey to Belong
Karen Gonzalez Herald Press, 200 pages Reviewed by Neil Craigan Immigration is one of the hot-button issues in the current political landscape of the United States. It is an issue that is impossible to ignore and on which everybody seems to have an opinion. What is often missing in these largely partisan debates is the recognition of the full humanity of the immigrants. In “The God Who Sees,” Karen Gonzalez reminds us that “immigrant stories always matter, because immigrants are image-bearers of God.” In this book the reader will encounter stories, not policy — but those stories will challenge the way we think about immigrants and immigration. Throughout the book Gonzalez takes on the challenges of biblical exposition, autobiography and advocacy. Gonzalez invites the reader to step into the stories of several biblical immigrants: Naomi and Ruth, Abraham, Hagar, Joseph, the Syrophoenician Woman and the Holy Family. Examining the challenges faced by these immigrants, she uses … [Read more...]
Envisioning a different reality: Reflections on the CoInspire conference
Montreat, North Carolina. A beautiful place. A complicated history. “Presbyterian Disneyland” as my husband called it. All these things were present at Montreat’s conference earlier this month, “CoInspire: Eviscerating Racism, Liberating Imagination.” Racism is a topic I would rather, in my white privilege, ignore. But life keeps convicting me not only to understand the nature of racism in the United States, but to actively fight against it. Attending this conference was one more step for me in this process of becoming anti-racist. The central Scripture for the conference was Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37. The prophet, who has witnessed the horrors of war and captivity, is brought by God to a valley that is covered in human bones. It ought to be a startling sight. But as Raj Nadella, professor at Columbia Theological Seminary, pointed out, Ezekiel has experienced so much trauma that he has lost the capacity to be shocked by the sight of a valley full … [Read more...]
Study: Religious attendance flatlining, but giving remains strong
(RNS) — All the available hard evidence — not to mention a look around many houses of worship — shows that religious congregations are declining. As congregants increasingly head for the exits, younger Americans, who say they have no religion, are far less likely than previous generations to join a church. But a new nationally representative study from the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy finds that revenue is not necessarily declining along with attendance. In fact, the study finds that nearly half of America’s estimated 360,000 congregations saw an increase in giving from three years ago. The study, which included a representative sample of 1,231 congregations — including churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship — found that 48% of congregations saw an increase in revenue, 35% saw a decrease and 17% said giving remained the same. The median annual revenue for a religious congregation was … [Read more...]
PC(USA) celebrates Hunger Action Congregations on World Food Day
(PNS) Hunger Action is much more than one program or committee in the ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Alton, Illinois. During worship, sermons regularly address hunger issues, as do hymns, litanies and, of course, minutes for mission. The church has hosted speakers from countries such as Peru, who have familiarized the congregation with hunger issues around the world, as well as at home. Fair Trade products are sold at the church and there is active recycling and composting, including compostable carry-out dishes for mission meals. Twice a week, First Presbyterian Alton offers hot lunches for people staying at the Salvation Army across the street, and regular Saturday Cafes offer food for the church’s neighbors and volunteer opportunities for church members and people in the community. Members participate in advocacy for people who are experiencing homelessness and are economically disadvantaged, and they give regularly to the Presbyterian Hunger … [Read more...]
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