As editor of a magazine that speaks to the whole church, I feel compelled to write to Presbyterian friends in particular groupings of conviction — while allowing others to eavesdrop. Last time I addressed those celebrating the adoption of Amendment 10-A. This time, I write to those grieving the amendment’s adoption. In the next edition, I will address those who stand somewhere in the middle.
Ask any Protestant how the Roman Catholic Church is structured, and you will hear, “The pope rules the cardinals, the cardinals rule the bishops, the bishops rule the priests, and the priests rule the congregations.” Too simple, but mostly true. In most cases.
For ministers, elders and other church leaders seeking to create a Multichannel Church, perhaps the hardest challenge will be developing trust and letting go of control.
As editor of a magazine that speaks to the whole church, I feel compelled to talk with Presbyterian friends in particular groupings of conviction – while allowing the rest to overhear the conversation. I begin with those celebrating the adoption of Amendment 10-A. In the next issue, I’ll write to those grieving its adoption. Finally, I’ll address those who stand in the middle.
Former President George W. Bush seldom carried crowds with the force of his oratory. He was known for mangling the language, for twisting up his words, for blurting countless “Bushisms,” as they were dubbed, and then following with an ah-shucks, self-deprecating grin and shrug.
c. 2011 USA Today (RNS) In its relatively short history, the United States has stood as the world's beacon of freedom, defender of democracy and pillar of principled power. An exceptional country, one blessed by the very hand of God. Right? Well, sort of.
Organizations and individuals from across the globe took to the streets a couple of weekends ago to protest the U.S. government’s treatment of Pfc. Bradley Manning (of WikiLeaks fame), who has been held in solitary confinement for more than nine months. As founder of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, I agree that solitary confinement is not the answer.
Symbol or substance? Church leaders transact so much business in the language of metaphor and symbol that they can mistake it for reality. When Pastor Trina Zelle of Tempe, Arizona, submitted to the 2010 PC(USA) General Assembly a commissioners’ resolution regarding her state’s Senate Bill 1070, she did not make such a mistake. She chose substance over symbol.
Of all the Christians who will gather for Easter worship services the world over, we Presbyterians have just a slightly greater need to hear about the resurrection.
In her recent book “Spiritual Leadership for Church Officers, A Handbook” (Louisville: Geneva Press, 2009), Joan Gray, former moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), urges leaders to ask if they are a part of a rowboat or a sailboat church:
As a big sports fan, I have been watching how the NCAA is working to maintain unity in the ever changing landscape of Division I athletics. It has made me wonder if the PCUSA should discuss something similar. Consider the following changes that will be made this coming fall in college sports:
