CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND (ENI) Historian Simon Schama says the sudden spread of “democratic liberation” in the Middle East should prompt discussion of whether secularism has a future in emerging democracies in the region.
LONDON (Ecclesia) The increasingly targeted attacks on gay people in a number of African countries, which are thought to have led to the Jan. 27 murder of Ugandan gay activist David Kato, make it less likely gays will seek treatment for HIV infections, says the U.K.-based churches’ international development agency Christian Aid.
RICHMOND, VA. As the cold month of January drew to a close, so did the tenure of Martha Skelton, who had announced in mid-December her intention to retire from serving as associate editor of the Presbyterian Outlook. She completed six years of service.
I truly wanted to vote for a more concise, less cumbersome new Form of Government (“nFOG”). One that would inspire and send the church fully empowered and engaged in what God is doing in the world. But the proposed new Form of Government actually moves our church backwards, distracts us from actually doing ministry, and further illustrates our denomination’s disconnect with our culture.
Even if you are in favor of gay and lesbian ordination, you should vote against Amendment A, for three reasons. The same reasons pertain to battle-weary centrists eager to put the conflict to rest.
INDIANAPOLIS – What is next for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)? The 350-or-so folks who gathered in Indianapolis for the Next Church Conference, Feb. 28-March 1, know pretty much what it’s not going to be. Not a return to the 1950s … to rules and regulations and bickering …Click here to read full article.
INDIANAPOLIS – What is next for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)?
The 350-or-so folks who gathered in Indianapolis for the Next Church Conference, Feb. 28-March 1, know pretty much what it’s not going to be. Not a return to the 1950s. Not a groundswell of folks desperate to come to church because they can’t get enough of rules and regulations and bickering. Not a denomination that can be older and whiter than the rest of the nation and miraculously expect to thrive.
As of February 26, 2011, 95 presbyteries have voted. Thirteen of these presbyteries have reversed direction from their votes of 2008-09. Twelve have switched from opposing a change in ordination standards to supporting a change, whereas just one has switched from supporting to opposing.
On February 2, 2011 many members of our Presbytery received a letter circulating around the PC(USA) stating that the PC(USA) is "deathly ill" and inviting us to a conference to consider new structures for the future, including a new fellowship. This letter raises both important issues and some serious concerns, so the Council of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta feels it is important to respond…
The decades-long conflict over ordaining gays and lesbians, now bleeding into endorsing same-sex marriage, has clearly reached an impasse for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
[This essay is based on remarks I made to Foothills Presbytery on 7 November 2010, at the request of the Presbytery overture committee. The committee members came from the whole spectrum of the PCUSA—right, left, and center. The Presbytery voted to adopt Belhar by a vote of 54-42.]
This essay covers the debate over ordaining gays and lesbians in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) at three points: (A) the four stages of the argument to date, (B) where the debate leaves us theologically, and (C) where the debate leaves us as far as some kind of resolution.
Amendment 10-A: Standards for ordained service reflect the church’s desire to submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life (G-1.0000).
A few weeks back, we published an editorial suggesting that the first 10 years of the 21st century could well be dubbed, “The Decade of Disclosure.” With the proliferation of Facebook, YouTube, blogging, instant messaging, etc., we’ve become a whole generation of folks with never an unpublished thought.
Good evening, I’m Michael Kirby, minister member from Good Shepherd, Chicago, and I’ve been asked to speak to you on behalf of those supporting Amendment 10-A.
This brief essay will cover three sub-topics. Namely:
1. What does the New Testament say about homosexual practice? 2. Misguided readings of these New Testament texts. 3. What is at stake in the discussion?
The Apostle Paul says we hold this treasure – meaning the Gospel – in earthen vessels. The same can be said for our polity. Any polity is an imperfect vessel in which we seek to hold the perfect will of God for the church. However, I firmly believe that the document that is before you is a significant improvement over the current Form of Government.
One stated purpose of the authors of the New Form of Government is to “empower the church to engage effectively in the mission of God in the twenty-first century.”
