Several months ago, Lifeway Research released a report titled Pastors in Different Protestant Traditions Face Unique Challenges, highlighting notable differences in the pastoral experience across three Protestant streams: Black, evangelical, and mainline. Reading as a mainline pastor, I found myself engaging the findings from within that particular context. Three statistics, in particular, stayed with me: Taken together, these findings offer a glimpse into both the resilience and the Read More …
politics
Mainline Protestant Clergy: 3 Intriguing Stats (#2081)
Earlier this month, Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) published Clergy and Congregations in a Time of Transformation: Findings from the 2022-2023 Mainline Protestant Clergy Survey. This wide-ranging study "considers the perspectives of mainline Protestant clergy from the seven largest mainline Protestant denominations on the cultural and political divides facing the nation, and how such divides may be impacting their own congregations." And, it is filled with statistics that warrant Read More …
Religion is Losing Influence (#1836)
A new survey conducted by Pew Research Center shows that Republicans and Democrats strongly agree that religion is losing influence in American life. In an era where Republicans and those who lean Republican tend to disagree with Democrats and those who lean Democrat on nearly every issue (e.g, check out Partisan Polarization - 3 Critical Issues) it is interesting how much support there is in both groups for the statement that religion is losing influence in American life (Democrat/Lean Read More …
Faith Palm Banners Go Viral (#1715)
Until a few days ago I had never heard anyone use the term "faith palm." Thanks to a tweet by Daniel Dale, a Washington D.C. correspondent for the Toronto star I not only learned the term, but also was introduced to a unique marketing campaign by a progressive Episcopal congregation in D.C. The President Said What? The image at right is one of four banners on a chain link fence outside of a construction area on the campus of St. Thomas' Parish Episcopal Church. Each banner contains Read More …
Christianity is Always Political (#1676)
If your preferred version of Christianity isn't political, then you have likely misunderstood the religion. Willimon on Politics and Christianity Popular author and long-time United Methodist Bishop William H. Willimon delivered the T. B. Maston Lectures in Christian Ethics last year at Hardin-Simmons University. One address - "Say Something Polictical: A Christian Vision of Engaging the World" - appeared in print in the Winter 2016-2017 edition of the Window (a publication of the Read More …
Top 5 Posts of 2016 (#1661)
I appreciate each and every one of my readers. Your activity on my blog indicates that the most read So What Faith posts of the year are (according to the number of page views during this calendar year among all posts made during 2016) are My Transition from Professor to Student Search for a Church: 9 Months and Counting Top 10 Books of 2016 Search for a Church: The Final Four In Politics and Beyond, #LoveUltimatelyWins Previous Lists Check out my top posts of the year for the Read More …
Perspective: Visiting Dozens of Churches (#1638)
Over the first four decades of my life I had the opportunity to participate in worship in around 30 different communities of faith (not counting those I joined on special occasions or for events other than their normal weekly services). Most of my adult life was spent serving congregations in a variety of lay and pastoral positions. Over the past twelve months I have participated in worship in over 30 different communities of faith in Texas during one of their normal Sunday services. Read More …
Recent Reading: Politics & Bible (#1611)
Politics are everywhere; I have yet to spend more than a few seconds scanning my social media feeds before encountering a political remark. Political experts are everywhere; 99% of the political remarks I read and hear are communicated as though the communicator is a subject matter expert. In reality, of course, most are simply people who have strong feelings about their particular perspectives. Political writing is particularly popular. As a non-expert, I have Read More …
Review of On God’s Side (#1092)
Meet the Author Jim Wallis is president and CEO of Sojourners where he is editor-in-chief of Sojourners magazine. He has written ten books including two New York Times bestsellers: The Great Awakening: Reviving Faith & Politics in a Post–Religious Right America (2008) and God’s Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn’t Get It (2006). Wallis regularly teaches a course on “Faith, Social Justice, and Public Life” at Georgetown Read More …
Election Night Worship? (#0870)
A grassroots movement hopes that Christian churches will leverage the election night as a way to show their oneness in Christ by celebrating Communion / Eucharist / Lord's Supper in their respective gathering places that evening. More specifically, Election Day Communion is a time for Christians to come together in our respective churches, regardless of party, political affiliation, or denomination. Let’s all share this sacred act of communion together, reaffirming our Read More …