• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Sermons
  • About
  • Contact

So What Faith

Greg Smith

  • Books
  • Discipleship
  • Social Media
  • Leadership
  • Trends
  • Prayer

A Unique Top 10 News Stories of 2011 (#0592)

2011/12/29 By Greg

Christianity Today published its list of the “Top 10 News Stories of 2011,” which includes the following explanation: “The events, people, and debates of the past year that have shaped or will significantly shape, evangelical life, thought and mission.”  The list is available online (here as a quick loading web page or here as a pdf including the graphics printed on p.9 of the January 2012 edition of the magazine).  The list includes two pastors and one decision regarding qualifications for consideration for ordination to pastoral ministry:

  • #1 Rob Bell’s attempt to “legitimize universalism” and departure from Mars Hill Bible Church
  • #4 Evangelical giant John Stott’s passing (1921-2011)
  • #10 The PC (USA) amending its constitution to allow noncelibate gay and lesbians to serve in ordained ministry

So What?
Christianity Today is well known for its conservative Evangelical theological stance, which it affirms anew in the latest edition with a special article noting how Billy Graham’s original vision continues to guide the organization today and into the future.  As such, it is no surprise that two Evangelical pastors made this year’s top ten.  It is, however, a surprise that the mainline Presbyterian Church’s (USA) decision to adopt a more inclusive policy relative to ordination was included.

Based on the stated reasons items were chosen, does #10’s inclusion surprise you? Why or why not?

 

Primary Sidebar

Greg Smith

Greg is a follower of the Way of Jesus who strives to make the world a better place for all people. Currently, he serves as Chief Executive Officer of White Rock Center of Hope and as Interim Senior Pastor of Advent Lutheran Church. He has served ten congregations, taught religion to undergraduates for eight years, and helped three organizations provide quality healthcare to underserved populations. (Read More)

Categories

Recent Posts

  • Going Electric! (#2229)
  • Living by Faith (#2228)
  • Fewer Master of Divinity Students (#2227)
  • Welcoming Everyone (#2226)
  • The Increasingly Purple Mainline (#2225)

Tags

Advent Lutheran Church Bible blogging Catholic change Christian Christianity church COVID-19 Dallas decline Diana Butler Bass discipleship education ELCA Episcopal Evangelical facebook faith Jesus Leadership love mainline Mainline Protestant marcus borg membership Ministry Naples United Church of Christ ordination pastor PCUSA Pew Research Center Prayer preaching Presbyterian Protestant religion Scot McKnight social media technology theology twitter United Church of Christ United Methodist worship

Copyright © 2025 ยท So What Faith, a member of The Faith Growth Digital Ministry Network