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All the national PC(USA) news
"from left to right"
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What's the role of religious beliefs in a civil society?
By Gene TeSelle, Witherspoon Society |
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"...thoughts on various ways our society and our theologians have tried to define a proper – and properly limited – role for religious faith in political discourse..." |
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Reflections on the Episcopalian decision
By PFR Issues Ministry |
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"...the bishops have overturned the settled conclusions of two millennia of Christian biblical interpretation and moral teaching, in addition to ignoring the heartfelt pleas of large sections of the worldwide Anglican communion. We believe such a move grieves the Spirit by misrepresenting the plain sense of Scripture, threatens the Anglican church with schism, and sows confusion and uncertainty in the hearts of faithful Christians worldwide..." |
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Contrasting worldviews
Viewpoint of Earl H. Tilford Jr. |
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"The split in the Presbyterian Church U.S. A. widens evidencing ultimately two incompatible worldviews between conservative-evangelicals and liberal-progressives. Conservative evangelicals have a theocentric worldview... Liberal-progressives tend to an anthroprocentric worldview... Ultimately the two cannot co-exist in the holy catholic Church or, more specifically, in the PCUSA..." |
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George Adams hangs ‘em up after almost 40 years
Board of Pensions veep, corporate secretary retired Aug. 1 |
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Adams was instrumental in developing the BOP’s “relief of conscience” provisions for sessions and plan members conscientiously opposed to abortion, as well as the streamlining of the board’s post-retirement service rules and total quality management program. |
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| Berkley Blog – An evenhanded explanation |
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You may have people asking you what the big deal is about the homosexual question in mainline churches. If you're like me, you've been thinking about that for about 30 years and have so much background, passion, and baggage that it's sometimes tough to come up with a simple, unemotional explanation.
Associated Press Religion Writer Richard Ostling comes to our rescue. |
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News of and for the wider Church,
in the USA and around the world
plus: opinions, resources
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| Europe suffering values crisis, Pope says |
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The pontiff in recent weeks has decried what he calls a movement away in Europe from its Christian roots.
"You can't deny, that in these times of ours, Europe is going through a crisis in values, and it is important that it recovers its true identity," John Paul told pilgrims and tourists in the courtyard of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, a town on a hill near Rome.
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| Family values groups gear up for battle over gay marriage |
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The traditional values groups are beginning a massive campaign focusing on both politicians and the public. They are calling and visiting legislators in their districts soliciting support for a federal constitutional amendment codifying marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and promoting their cause through mass mailings and Christian radio and television programs. They are also considering urging their constituents not to vote for members of Congress if they fail to support the marriage amendment.
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Africa: A tragic continent – by Walter Williams
"What African countries need, the West cannot give." |
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 "Anyone who believes President Bush's Africa initiative, including sending U.S. troops to Liberia, will amount to more than a hill of beans is whistling Dixie...
"...about 9 million black Africans have been slaughtered through genocide, politicide and mass murder... if an equivalent number of rhinos, giraffes and lions had been similarly slaughtered, the world would be in an uproar..."
"Poverty is not a cause but a result of Africa's problems..."
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| Crowd Rallies for Ten Commandments Judge |
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Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore told possibly as many as 10,000 supporters that he would be guilty of treason if he didn't fight to keep a monument of the Ten Commandments in the rotunda of the state judicial building. |
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| Christian Church moderator asks his congregants to forgive 'borrowing' |
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"I am so very sorry for bringing embarrassment on this wonderful congregation," the Rev. Alvin O'Neal Jackson told more than 200 worshippers at the 11 a.m. service of the downtown church, which is the flagship of the 800,000-member denomination known as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). "I apologize for casting aspersions against anyone in this congregation. . . . This won't happen again."
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| Denominations can count on intense debates in future |
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"I don't think the Episcopal confirmation will make any difference to the other churches at all," said Princeton's Stackhouse. "Unless there is a move toward a split, then, it will scare off other churches who have been talking about these issues."
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Astrologers fail to predict proof they are wrong
By Robert Matthews, London Telegraph |
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For several decades, researchers tracked more than 2,000 people – most of them born within minutes of each other. According to astrology, the subject should have had very similar traits.
Researchers looked at more than 100 different characteristics, including occupation, anxiety levels, marital status, aggressiveness, sociability, IQ levels and ability in art, sport, mathematics and reading – all of which astrologers claim can be gauged from birth charts.
The scientists failed to find any evidence of similarities between the "time twins", however. They reported in the current issue of the Journal of Consciousness Studies: "The test conditions could hardly have been more conducive to success... but the results are uniformly negative."
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BreakPoint with Charles Colson
Phony threats and great accents – A&E’s MI-5 |
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On July 22, the A&E network began airing the BBC series MI-5, named for Britain’s domestic intelligence agency. The first episode was titled "Thou Shalt Not Kill."
In the episode, MI-5 operatives learn that twenty bombs have disappeared somewhere between Ireland and Britain. A short while later, their worst fears are confirmed as a car bomb goes off, killing a mother and her child.
One bomb accounted for, nineteen left. It’s obviously just the start of a prolonged terror campaign. Who’s behind it? If you guessed the IRA or al-Qaeda, you would be wrong. No, the threat to British internal security comes from pro-lifers — and not just any pro-lifers, but American pro-lifers..."
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| Book: Christian women can enjoy single life |
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Forget the Christian Internet dating service, the Christian singles mixer, and the Who Wants to Marry My Christian Sister reality TV show. The single life is it – for now, at least – and God is holding the stopwatch.
The message that Brownback preaches is to enjoy the single life, be thankful for it, and be productive.
The question she asks is: Can you?
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| Building on a solid foundation – Macon [GA] downtown churches investing millions in restoration and renovation |
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The steeples, spires and towers that punctuate Macon's skyline have had some company recently: construction cranes.
At least five downtown churches are in the midst of major renovation and restoration projects, totalling more than $20 million.
First Presbyterian Church (PCA) spent between $8 million and $10 million over the past few years building a new fellowship hall, parking lot, and a youth and children's education facility, complete with gymnasium. Now church officials are concentrating on renovating the sanctuary that was built in 1857.
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| Citadel drops pre-meal prayer |
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The Citadel has dropped mealtime prayers after a federal appeals court decision this week involving the Virginia Military Institute.
On Wednesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to reconsider a ruling that declared VMI's nondenominational group prayer unconstitutional.
When upperclassmen returned from summer break on Thursday, they observed a moment of silence at meals, as would the 650 freshmen arriving Saturday, school officials said.
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Alabama tied in knots by tax vote
Riley stuns GOP by stumping for hike |
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In a stunning subplot to the fiscal crises roiling the states, Alabama Gov. Bob Riley – who for three terms in Congress boasted that he never voted for a tax increase and was elected governor on a promise not to raise taxes – is proposing to raise state taxes by a record $1.2 billion, eight times the largest previous increase and almost twice what is needed to close a $675 million budget deficit.
"We've got a conservative, evangelical Christian, Republican governor trying to get a massive turnout of black voters to pass a tax increase so he can raise taxes on Republican constituents."
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| Point of honor for the faithful |
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When David Wells decided to get a tattoo 11 years ago, he didn't want to use his body as a billboard for anything trivial. So he used his Christian faith as inspiration and had a series of symbols emblazoned on his left breast that told the story of how Christ made him whole.
They were small and discreet. Quickly, though, things got out of hand.
Today, Wells carries a business card that announces him as "The Living Sacrifice." And if sacrifice can be defined as spending more than $20,000 and enduring countless needle stabs to turn 90% of your body into a canvas for religious artwork, then the 46-year-old Westminster man has earned the label.
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| Letters from readers |
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Mary Ellen Lawson "As a member of the Theological Task Force, I want to respond to the number of letters and comments that have been written about the task force exploring decision making, which includes consensus building..." |
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Donald D. Denton, Jr. "I have never met Mr. Jack Marcum of Research Services. But I shall pray for him. He appears to be the good soldier who has drawn the short straw of speaking the truth to the commanders in language they may no longer deny. His summary statement, "the problem is not so much a shortage of ministers but a shortage of members," is the truth. This time no one can blame The Layman..." |
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Karl S. Landstrom "Edward Koster asserts: "The shame is that so far G-6.0106b has rarely been used in any case other than trying to filter out self-affirmed practicing homosexual persons."
"Actually it would be strange if the provision has been used at all in cases not dealing with such persons..." |
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Walter L. Taylor "...Edward Koster asserts : "The shame is that so far G-6.0106b has rarely been used in any case other than trying to filter out self-affirmed practicing homosexual persons." This is patently false..." |
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