30 years ago — February 19, 1990 A few days before the remembrance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth, the state of Virginia, the former capital of the Confederates States, inaugurated its first elected black governor. “The grandson of a slave now holds the highest elective office in a commonwealth where, only 32 years ago, on the same platform which Gov. Wilder spoke his inaugural words, Gov. Lindsay Almond proclaimed a doctrine of ‘massive resistance’ to federally sponsored integration.” Nonviolent advocacy coupled with the political process brought change. “In 1963, when I was a student at Union Seminary in Virginia, I recall attending a” conference led by King and Adam Clayton Powell. Seminary professor E.T. Thompson, “who was for many years associated with the Outlook,” was on stage welcoming the speakers. “Twenty years later, I sat in Thompson’s living room with a confirmation class” and asked if he remembered that night. “He asked if I remembered the title of King’s sermon. … [Read more...]

“Asked to state her opinion of the current status of the PC(USA), she responded: ‘I think it faces a lot of problems. The Presbyterian Church is graying and its membership is dwindling. Financially, the church continues to face budgetary difficulties and to search for ways to do the essential work of the church while keeping costs under control. ‘At the same time, I believe the church is filled with people of deep faith who want nothing more than to put their Christianity to work in making a better world. I realize there will be battles, over power and theology. But I believe there also are important stories to tell about the real work the church is doing in spreading and living out the gospel message.” So goes an interview with the new Outlook staff member, Leslie Scanlon. The article indicates Leslie is a veteran, award-winning newspaper reporter and columnist of the Louisville Courier-Journal. “We have sought a high-quality, professional journalist to fill this position and we … [Read more...]

10 years ago — January 11, 2010 “The time has come to turn the page from a black and blue magazine … to … a high def, full color … magazine. … When first presented a copy of The Presbyterian Outlook, over 25 years ago, I didn’t contain my immediate impression. ‘Looks boring.’ It was printed entirely in black and white. It showcased zero pictures. My older, wiser ministerial colleague had handed this young, newly ordained upstart a copy of the weekly newsletter with the words, ‘You have a lot to learn about being Presbyterian. This is where you start.’ My reaction didn’t keep me from subscribing. Soon I was devouring it. A similar first impression has stopped many others in their tracks.” So started an editorial that announced the Outlook’s move into the second decade of the 21st century with a new look. The editor used the image of black/blue and full color to express the hope for the future of the PC(USA). His hope for the church was to leave behind the infighting and find a new … [Read more...]

80 years ago – December 20, 1939 There are some days that stand out from the others like Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. But Christmas stands out among all these. In “a day when Christmas has been commercialized, tinseled with empty and gaudy pleasures, cheapened with excesses and turned over to unclean rioting, it is well for us to pause and ask ourselves what Christmas really means. … Christmas came and with it the worth of the child was recognized as never before. Bret Harte has a story of how Christmas came to Roaring Camp. Roaring Camp was a mining camp in the lawless west, with a sinister and unenviable notoriety. But a baby was born into the camp. The camp was subtly changed under the influence of that little child whose helplessness appealed to all that was” noble in people. They “became tender and thoughtful.” It’s an allegory about Christmas. “The world itself was Roaring Camp two thousand years ago. … Then a little child was born in Bethlehem. … Harte’s lovely story is a … [Read more...]

10 years ago — November 30, 2009 “It is estimated that approximately 12 million undocumented people reside in the United States and another estimated 300,000 come each year, according to materials from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)’s Office of Immigration Issues. “By the end of 2009, more than 440,00 immigrants will be incarcerated at a network of county jails and for-profit prisons at a cost of approximately $2 billion annually, according to the Office of Immigration’s website. … “As compelling as the statistics are, Candie Blankman, pastor of First Church in Downey, California, began to research issues of immigration and undocumented workers for a different reason. Her own congregation included folks for whom the ‘issue’ – debated, in sound bites, the media and in government – were real and personal.” A two-day forum on immigration was held at her church. “What we are really hoping is to make it possible for people to have reasonable conversations. … It was designed not … [Read more...]

80 years ago — November 22, 1939 The 18th annual observance of Race Relations Sunday was approaching. The Federal Council of Churches shared a message drafted by Philip Jones, pastor of the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, “challenging the churches in a time of world conflict, suffering and wreck of war, to be aware of the ‘lack of social justice in our own country,’ and ‘to purify herself of the great modern heresy of racial discrimination within her own walls.’” It called Christians to oppose “cruelty and injustice which greed, bigotry and prejudice create.” But more than this, Christians are called to action in communities to effect change. Christians are called to correct “unequal educational opportunities for minority races, inequitable administration of public benefits of social security and the like, the withholding of civic privileges and rights from citizens of color, and an unbrotherly conduct in the daily life of people of different racial groups. Concrete … [Read more...]