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The Presbyterian Outlook

The Presbyterian Outlook

Creating and curating trustworthy resources for the church, the Presbyterian Outlook connects disciples of Jesus Christ through compelling and committed conversation for the proclamation of the Gospel.

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Come one, come all to the Big Tent event June 11-13

LOUISVILLE — (PNS) I will admit it up front: This column is an unabashed promotion for the Big Tent event, June 11-13, in Atlanta.
 
The Big Tent will bring together several of our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) summer conferences in one place at the same time so that participants might experience the breadth and width of the ministries of the PC(USA).

John F. Anderson: A tribute

On January 31, one of the nation’s great Presbyterians joined the Church Triumphant. It’s still hard for me to believe John Anderson is gone. By the sheer force of his amazing personality he made his mark on both the church and the world.

Reviews of recent film releases

“New In Town”

This is an old story: a fast-track corporate executive is sent to Podunk, U.S.A., to take over the operations of an unprofitable factory and lay off all the deadwood so the bottom line improves. But when she arrives there, all business and clacking high heels and attitude, she’s not exactly received with warmth by the locals, who are wary of her for good reason. She’s likely to fire them all. Plus she’s a bit full of herself. Not a winsome combination in a small town.

COMMENTARY: Not now for NewB, Re-visiting the no-vote option

Reading and reflecting on Erwin C. Barron’s three-part essay on the perennial controversy over ordination of gay and lesbian pastors  — (November 10, 17 and 24, 2008 issues of The Presbyterian Outlook), as well as subsequent related letters from readers — has been a discouraging experience for this observer. A highly contentious vote of the presbyteries is coming, and a basis for genuine consensus does not exist. No matter which side “wins” the presbytery balloting in coming months, the issue will not be settled and will not go away. It seems probable that continuing contention in the short term will only delay the adoption of a widely accepted way forward, but that forbearance in the short term could favor success over time.

COMMENTARY: Yes to NewB, Now’s the time

I was five when I was baptized. I don't know why they waited, but one Sunday my parents took me and my little brother to the local Presbyterian Church. I vividly remember standing in front of the congregation, excited, knowing something very special was happening but entirely unsure of what it was. An elder from the Session gave us each a tiny embroidered rainbow as a reminder of God’s Covenant. It still hangs in my childhood room in my parents’ home.

ACSWP seeks moral voice in economic reconstruction

In 1944, global economic leaders gathered at Bretton Woods to plan the massive economic recovery that would be necessary after the destruction of World War II. Out of that meeting came such financial institutions as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

Enjoying God

If the chief end of man [and woman] is to glorify God, then the central purpose of worship must be the same. While pursuing that purpose, would it be inappropriate for worshipers to enjoy God as well? Reformed worship proclaims God’s greatness. It also teaches participants to order their beliefs and behaviors in godly ways. It calls believers to gather in community and to scatter into mission. But enjoy God? Not in First Presbyterian Church!

1000 Conversations organized after GA to promote dialogue over debate

After this year’s General Assembly, Lisa Larges, minister coordinator of That All May Freely Serve and Mieke Vandersall, coordinator of Presbyterian Welcome, realized that they shared an overwhelming desire: to bring change to the ongoing debate over homosexuality and ordination standards. “We need to change the tenor by giving people an opportunity to talk and listen to each other, one on one,” explains Paul Mowry of Presbyterian Welcome. “It’s easy to find out each other’s position on the issues,” Mowry continued. “But we wanted to help people find each other in true fellowship.” 

Don’t mess with my music

Reprinted with permission from Presbyterians Today, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, Ky. 40202-1396. This article originally appeared in the December 2005 edition of PT. Subscription information is available at 1-800-558-1669.

Call it what you will

During my theological education and early in my pastoral ministry, “multiculturalism” and “diversity within unity” were fashionable issues in seminaries and some church denominations. Then, some of the same church leaders and congregants who had made a public point to develop cross-cultural sensitivity among Christians turned their attention to developing “contemporary worship.”

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