Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Wednesday's Catch: 'United Methodists Are Breaking Up in a Slow-Motion Schism' And More


United Methodists have for generations been a mainstay of the American religious landscape — one of the most geographically widespread of the major Protestant denominations, their steeples visible on urban streets, in county seats and along country roads, their ethos marked by a firm yet quiet faith, simple worship and earnest social service. But the United Methodist Church is also the latest of several mainline Protestant denominations in America to begin fracturing, just as Episcopal, Lutheran and Presbyterian denominations lost significant minorities of churches and members this century amid debates over sexuality and theology.

If We Can’t Reason Together, How Can We Worship Together?
The knowledge crisis afflicting American society poses even greater dangers for the church.

The Book of Common Prayer in TEC's Constitution
The difference between the Episcopal Church and most other Western ecclesial bodies, especially those that are explicitly credal, sacramental, and liturgical, is in the degree to which the authorized liturgy carries the weight of Faith and Order.

The Positive Aspects of Diversity – And Why Your Ministry Needs It
I know “diversity” is a touchy subject, largely because so many leaders feel like it’s being forced on them in multiple ways in today’s culture. However, I’ve discovered that in most nonprofits, churches, and ministry organizations, we do need to be more intentional about making diversity happen. I still see leadership meetings at churches where everyone in the room are white males, or others where everyone is a black male. That’s why we need to embrace the positive aspects of diversity – and the sooner the better.

How Did the Pandemic Affect Church Shopping and Switching?
More churchgoers shopped around with different congregations during the pandemic. Some made a church switch. What factors led to those church shopping decisions?

Shades of Grace: Catholics and Protestants in Conversation
Roman Catholic, Cheap Grace, and Reformed Christian sit in a small country pub, discussing justification. To the surprise of each, “It is of grace” they assert, one by one.

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