Is God really real and if so, do we trust Him? That’s a great individual question and it’s a question being actively debated in the culture over the motto “In God We Trust.” On the one hand there are those who want to see “In God We Trust” removed from U.S. currency and on another…
The National Geographic channel has begun airing a six part documentary featuring Morgan Freeman in what purports to be a quest to discover and tell the Story of God. If this is a genuine personal quest on Freeman’s part, then I pray God will graciously reveal Himself in a way that Freeman can apprehend. Because…
A friend of mine sent me the following (which is to say that I will not personally defend the veracity of the narrative. I will however defend the veracity of the point the story makes.) In Florida, an atheist created a case against the upcoming Easter and Passover Holy days. He hired an attorney to…
The news broke today that the Rev. Dr. Marnie Crumpler has been called to serve as the Senior Pastor/Head of Staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Bethlehem, Pa. The world knows Marnie as the Executive Pastor of Peachtree Presbyterian Church. I know her as my dearest friend in ministry since our days together at Princeton…
The smaller the world becomes, the more people we know and the longer we live, the greater our awareness of death. We have witnessed executions on foreign sands. We have seen the small lifeless body of a boy on a beach. We felt the national loss of a Supreme Court Justice. Closer to home, two…
As hundreds of congregations in the Presbyterian Church (USA) continue to evaluate their denominational affiliation and as presbyteries continue to deal with requests for dismissal in a myriad of ways, people continue to ask questions. Recently a church sent a list of what have become frequently asked questions. My answers are my own and should…
Click here to listen to the 2/16/16 edition of #CarmenTalk, where you will here Carmen discuss: 1. Moderator Heath Rad is excited about the identity/purpose conversation. There will be a GA committee dedicated to the subject and they will be in Portland a day early. Currently the COGA “identity” process does not include PMA…
The Presbyterian Church (USA) seeks to be a “socially responsible” investor and thus has a long “no-no” list in terms of business investments and holdings. The question is whether or not that social responsibility extends to companies with whom the denomination does business and from whom the denomination earns income. The denomination is forbidden through…
Dr. William P, Campbell interviews Carmen Fowler LaBerge, president of the Presbyterian Lay Committee on his Feb. 2 Beyond Words broadcast. Listen here,
Authored by my friend and colleague Faith J. H. McDonnell and first published at Patheos, this is both painful and important to read. It is then important to respond not only as we pray and sing, but as we speak up, stand up and intervene that the fellowship of the suffering might be our shared burden as…