By the Rev. Mary Holder Naegeli, Bringing the Word to Life blog The question of whether the PCUSA is leading our culture or following it with regards to views on same-sex marriage needs some careful consideration. How the church is to relate to the culture (“the world” in contrast to God’s Kingdom) is best addressed…
By Lore Ferguson There are times I wish we could capitalize letters verbally. One of the main speakers at a conference I attended this week stated his case, including some lines about “the church shrinking these days.” Did he mean his local church, lowercase c? Or did he mean the great, grand, beautiful capital C…
By Matt Thornhill A few weeks ago, author Rachel Held Evans posted “Why Millennials Are Leaving the Church” on the religion blog at CNN.com. Almost immediately, commentaries and points of view began zipping around the interwebs. What has been especially interesting to us, as observers of all things generational, is that most of the “blame”…
Maria Dixon (MDiv., PhD) is an Associate Professor of Communication at the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. In a recent post at patheos.com, Dixon writes about a recent experience she had where she led a group of students to London for a rich educational opportunity that included discussion…
On Thursday, May 23, at their annual meeting in Grapevine, Texas, 1,400 members of Boy Scouts of America’s national council are scheduled to vote on a resolution that would revise the organization’s membership policy on homosexuality. If accepted, the resolution would lift an existing ban on youth who are “open or avowed” homosexuals. In its current form, the…
Commentary by Forrest A. Norman III, PLC chair For Christians, Easter is the high point. Our sanctuaries are resplendent with lilies, daffodils, tulips and fresh smelling hyacinth. The vestments change from purple to white, and choirs lead congregations in robust renditions of triumphant hymns as the organ hits full crescendo. Every Easter Sunday seems to…
By Robert Austell Jesus prayed in John 17 for his followers and those who would come after them. In his prayer, Jesus reveals several things about the relationship of the Church to the world. In doing so, he also reveals a significant part of the purpose of the Church. 13 “But now I come to…
The Whitworth University Board of Trustees today adopted a statement that affirms and expands Whitworth’s historic relationship with the Presbyterian Church and elevates the university’s theological identities. The statement is the culmination of a yearlong inquiry a board-appointed Task Force on Denominational Relationships conducted in anticipation of the June 2013 expiration of the university’s current…
By Melissa Steffan Sunday used to be a day reserved by many Christians for attending worship services, but new research indicates the extent to which American churches today are competing against myriad other activities. The biggest competition? Children’s sports. According to a new study published in the Review of Religious Research, an examination of declining…
A western Pennsylvania church was dismissed from the Presbyterian Church (USA) and will make its new home as part of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians. East Brook Presbyterian Church, located in New Castle, Pa., between Pittsburgh and Erie was dismissed graciously from the PCUSA during a Feb. 26 meeting of the Presbytery of…