"There is an intellectual desire, an eros of the mind. Without it there would arise no questioning, no inquiry, no wonder." Bernard Lonergan

"It seems clear that humans cannot significantly reduce or mitigate the dangers inherent in their use of life by ccumulating more information or better theories or by achieving greater predictability or more caution in their scientific and industrial work. To treat life as less than a miracle is to give up on it." Wendell Berry

"Do not be afraid, my little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Mainline Moment?



There is an article that absolutely seized my attention.  Here it is:


Apparently there is a growing scholarly interest in us.  The mainline churches.  Presbyterians.  Episcopalians. Methodists.

I am not sure what to make of this.  What do you make of it?

There are many reasons why mainline churches declined over the past 4 decades.  But we still, even in an age of fading influence, are offering a credible and at-times courageous witness to the world.  I am glad that scholars are starting to pay attention.

The operative question - the one I ask over and over and over again is: what do we do now?  What do we do next?  What do we seek to offer the world which is to come?

Whatever it is, I hope we don't abdicate space to those whose view of the gospel is narrower than ours.

What do you think our religious legacy is?



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