Musings on Faith, Culture and ADHD
I've never watched Duck Dynasty. I didn't really know about Phil Robertson until he uttered his beliefs on homosexuality and race. It's no surprise that I don't agree with either of those views. But there is a question that keeps rumbling in my mind. It's not directed at Robertson, it's directed to my fellow Christians... Continue Reading →
I haven't followed the news about Methodist minister Frank Schaefer as closely as I should have. For those who know even less, Frank Schaefer faced a church trail for going against the Book of Discipline by marrying two men (one of who happened to be his son). What I do know about the affair has... Continue Reading →
There are folks who tend to focus on the "numbers" taking place in Mainline Protestantism with concern. One example is an article written in 1987 by William Willomon and Robert Wilson. They looked at the numbers and didn't like what they see: The Methodist and the Evangelical United Brethren Churches each began to experience a... Continue Reading →
Things are not going well in American Mainline Protestantism. Despite all the talk about how religious progressives are winning the day over the Religious Right, I tend to see a tradition that is in decline. I see churches closing- the remaining members too tired to continue. I see churches that are still going on, uncertain... Continue Reading →
I wrote this post back in 2006. A lot has changed since this post was written. Sadly, how Progressive Christians view church planting isn't one of them. I sometimes wonder if mainline Protestant churches really have a passion for new churches. I won't go into the nitty gritty of the situation with Community of... Continue Reading →
The latest meme going around at the moment is a Pew Research survey on religion. What has caught people's attention is how the share of religious conservatives falls with each new generation while religious progressives seem to be rising with each new generation. Of course, progressive Christians have latched on to this story. There is... Continue Reading →
Just a bit of a warning here: I'm about to go all "get off my lawn" in this post. I guess at 43 I do earn the right to be the cranky middle aged guy. What's getting stuck in my craw lately is the perceived lack of enthusiasm for the continuance of the mainline/progressive/liberal church. ... Continue Reading →
First off, welcome to all the new visitors who saw my post on Freshly Pressed. Below is a post from last year. It was about 20 years ago, that I attended a large Baptist church in Washington, DC. The church was an odd mix, or at least it would be odd today. Evangelicals and liberals... Continue Reading →
Anyone who has read this blog of the years, know that I have a bit of a beef with Progressive Christianity. While it might sound like I don't like Progressive Christianity, or that I want to move to a more conservative denomination, let me reassure you, I'm not going anywhere. The fact is there are... Continue Reading →
Anyone who's read this blog knows I tend to be critical of mainline Christianity. It's not that I want to leave what has been my theological home for two decades; it's that I get frustrated at some of it's shortcomings. Despite all of that, mainline/progressive/liberal Christianity is my home. As much as I respect my... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 