One year after Meriam Ibrahim’s release, two Christians face possible death penalty in Sudan

(RNS) Last year, a death penalty sentence slapped on a Sudanese doctor for refusing to renounce her Christian faith stirred international outrage..

Outlook Features

Global perspectives on Pentecost: God’s ever-present Spirit

Pentecost, I had always thought, was God’s way of saying that in Christ, we’re all the same. Culture and language may divide..

Voices

Is the Holy Spirit like a dove or a wild goose?

A caveat as I begin: Scripturally speaking, it is true to speak of the Holy Spirit as a dove. After all, the..

Outlook Features

Global perspectives on Pentecost: Spirit of Steadfastness

There is a common anecdote among Palestinian Christians I’ve met. They tell me that people often ask them when they converted to..

Voices

Signs, signs, everywhere signs…

I have issues with church signs… or, maybe I just have issues. It all started with the church in the community where..

Presbyterian News Service

Placing candidates: Some numbers

Perhaps it is because of graduation season, but I have received several inquiries recently about how long it is taking our graduates..

Religion News Service

Bright spots and tough challenges for evangelicals in Pew survey (Commentary)

(RNS) The survey of America’s religious landscape released by the Pew Research Center last week engendered controversy, with headlines and articles latching onto one..

Voices

Being the church for “regular attenders”

“People vote with their feet,” a friend said to me recently. This is why every Sunday as I ascend the steps into..

Digital Issues

May 25, 2015: Digital issue for subscribers (PMAB reports)

The digital issue of the Presbyterian Outlook’s May 25, 2015 issue is now available! It is viewable on almost all computers, tablets, and..

Outlook Reporting

PC(USA) releases 2014 statistical report: Declines in membership, baptisms, ministry candidates

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) lost another 92,433 members from 2013 to 2014 – dropping the denomination’s membership from 1.76 million in 2013..

Presbyterian News Service

Regarding ruling elders: managing conflict

LOUISVILLE (PNS) Conflict. None of us really like it. The word itself may make us nervous. But conflict is part of life. We..

Voices

Looking for Jesus in Eastertide

Guest Outpost blog by Stephen McKinney-Whitaker We don’t meet the risen Jesus in Mark. The women flee in terror and dread. Jesus..

Presbyterian News Service

President emeritus Si Vaughn passes

MONTREAT, N.C. (PNS) Former Montreat College President Dr. Silas M. "Si" Vaughn died peacefully on May 9, 2015, at the age of 89...

Book Reviews

Our Only Comfort: 52 Reflections on the Heidelberg Catechism

by Neal D. Presa Westminster John Knox, Louisville, Ky. 160 pages The parking lots of the Dutch churches were packed every Sunday..

Religion News Service

World Vision suspends operations in key South Sudan state over escalating violence

(RNS) Amid killings, rapes and abductions, the international evangelical humanitarian agency World Vision indefinitely suspended its operations in South Sudan’s Unity State..

Religion News Service

Vatican decision to recognize Palestine upsets Israeli government, Jewish advocacy groups

JERUSALEM (RNS) The Vatican’s decision to recognize Palestine as a sovereign state on Wednesday (May 13) angered Israeli officials. The move comes..

Religion News Service

Vatican recognizes State of Palestine

The Vatican formally recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty, finalized on Wednesday. The treaty, which follows a decision in..

Outlook Features

Being Christian in the 21st century – A Pentecost reflection

by Phyllis Tickle In the constant morphing and shifting of the 21st century, trying to “be” anything at all is a bit..

Voices

Two roads diverged in an established church, and we took…

Guest post from Eric Peltz For last Thursday’s session meeting, we read a piece by Lyle Schaller on family-sized congregations. Every month..

Presbyterian News Service

PC(USA) membership lies in medium-sized congregations

LOUISVILLE (PNS) The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) members, by and large, belong to churches with medium-sized congregations of between 150 to 599 members, according..