The Reverend Canon Dr. Frederick W. Schmidt, Jr. is an Episcopal Priest, Director of Spiritual Formation and Anglican Studies and Associate Professor of Christian Spirituality at Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. Previously he served as Canon Educator, Director of Programs in Spirituality and Religious Education, and Acting Program Area Manager at Washington National Cathedral. He is the author of seven books as well as numerous scholarly articles and Read More …
Internet Replaces TV News (#0282)
Earlier this year, the Pew Research Center released the findings of their latest national survey about Americans' main source of national and international news. The survey was conducted in December 2010 and included 1,500 adults. The chart at right illustrates how the results of this survey have changed over time. Among the significant changes: From 2002 to 2010, television showed a 16% decline (from 82% to 66%) In 2010, for the first time, the internet has surpassed Read More …
Interfaith Possibilities(#0281)
Hundreds of students from around the nation spent this past weekend at Princeton University for the 5th Annual Coming Together Interfaith Conference (CT5). The conference promoted "the importance of inter-religious engagement and understanding at American universities" and provided the student participants opportunities to "discuss how interfaith councils are formed, the role they have on campus and ideas for meaningful programs that promote unity and peace." Attendees at Read More …
Does More Education Mean Less Religion? (#0280)
Barry A. Kosmin is on the faculty of Trinity College serving as Director of the Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society and Culture and as Professor in the Public Policy and Law program. He is the author of over 20 books and research monographs and more than 50 scholarly articles in the areas of sociology, demography, politics, philanthropy, and policy research. Additionally, Kosmin has been a Principal Investigator of the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) Read More …
An Overview of American Church Membership (#0279)
Earlier this week the National Council of Churches released its annual analysis of church membership: 2011 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. According to the Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner, editor, the data in this year's report suggests that recent membership trends have continued: "That is, churches which have been increasing in membership in recent years continue to grow and likewise, those churches which have been declining in recent years continue to decline." The yearbook reports Read More …
Is Virtual Community Real Community? (#0278)
While most followers of Jesus who have been on the journey of faith for many years grasp both the theological and pragmatic need for community, newcomers to the faith may be unfamiliar with the concept given the increasingly individualistic society in which we live. Many local congregations would benefit from a renewed focus on Christian community. One helpful example of restoring an intentional emphasis is Our Savior's Lutheran Church (ELCA) in Circle Pines, Read More …
Prayer of Dedication for Sunday, February 20 (#0277)
Prayer of Dedication Loving Divine, you invite us to partner with you in the work of enacting the realm of God on earth. Accept and bless our tithes and offerings; use them and use us to challenge the status quo here in southwest Florida and throughout your global neighborhood. Stretching toward wholeness may the way of loneliness meet community the way of hatred be overcome by love the way of poverty encounter the possibility of enough. This we ask in your many names. Read More …
New Testament Reading for Sunday, February 20 (#0275)
Most of us have heard hundreds of sermons, yet would have a hard time constructing a list of even a dozen sermon titles. However, if we compared lists I suspect three would rise to the top as the most frequently cited: “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” – Jonathan Edwards “I Have a Dream” – Martin Luther King, Jr. “Sermon on the Mount” – Jesus More than centuries and geography separate the two American sermons from that of the Galilean sermon. The American preachers wrote Read More …
Invocation for Sunday, February 20 (#0274)
Unison Prayer of Invocation We are gathered here to join in the song of faith. In a world that offers goods and services to fulfill even the most demanding and discerning appetites, Jesus invites us to be consumed by an ultimate hunger and thirst for righteousness. Even as our instantaneous access to information and constant awareness of global events overwhelm and desensitize us, Jesus invites us to be difference makers by extending love to all. Empowered by the Spirit, may Read More …
Call to Worship for Sunday, February 20 (#0273)
Call to Worship We have come - from our homes and hotels, from a few blocks and from many miles - intent on entering this beautiful building built by human hands Settling into our seats we realize our task isn’t admiring the architecture, but rather experiencing and reflecting on the holy Aware of God’s presence, we begin to make meaning of words from Holy Scripture: From the first testament: Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy (Lev. 19:1) From the second testament: Be perfect as Read More …