Some of the problems for mainline invisibility might be self-inflicted. “They best stop complaining and take another look at their methods of communicating and organizing,” says the Rev. C. Welton Gaddy, head of the Interfaith Alliance, a religious liberty organization dedicated to protecting faith and freedom.
“Mainline congregations do not tend to translate their moral convictions into effective political organization and influential social action with the adeptness and passion that characterize evangelicals moving in lockstep with one another,” says Gaddy, who also hosts a show on the liberal Air America radio network. Leaders and activists of mainline denominations might be heeding Gaddy’s advice. Some are raising their profile by reaching out to find common cause with emerging, moderate evangelical churches on issues such as climate change, genocide in Sudan, human trafficking and HIV/AIDS.
Now there is also hope that with the two leading Democratic presidential candidates from their ranks ”” Hillary Clinton, a United Methodist, and Barack Obama, who despite the controversial minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is affiliated with the more moderate United Church of Christ ”” mainliners could have one of their own standard-bearers in the seat of secular power.
Megachurches? Collaboration with evangelicals? One of their own in the White House? Despite low fertility rates and other demographic challenges, mainline Protestantism isn’t fading from the national landscape just yet. In fact, if the budding megachurches are any indication, mainline believers might be hitting their stride, and finding their voice, just in the nick of time.
[blockquote]…the more moderate United Church of Christ…[/blockquote]
I choked when I read that. Mark Pinsky is normally a fine religion writer, but I have no idea what got in to him here. The United Church of Christ is on the far left edge of the spectrum, both theologically and politically.
See here: http://www.biblicalwitness.org/ for more information.
“The more moderate United Church of Christ”…is this guy kidding and what has he been smoking? Isn’t this the same UCC that has lost half its membership in the last 40 years? Current statistics show barely 1.2 million members. It is a church that is wholly revisionist from top to bottom. It tosses out the scriptures, has abandoned the fatherhood of God (and fatherhood in general), persecutes the boy scouts for not including gays and the possibility of child molesters in its leadership and totally embraces the gay agenda, gay ordination, same gender marriage…blah, blah, blah. The UCC is a church on life support, totally emasculated, with a sprinkling of few little old blue-rinsed ladies and, now, their hair dressers. And this the author describes as moderate?
Its hard to be a political force when any given ML congregation is representative of the nation. 20% on either side care deeply about the issues but disagree vehemently and the 60% in the middle don’t care about anything except where they are about to have lunch. 🙂
It is something about the Sermon on the Mount as apposed to the obscure writing of the Apostle Paul that tilted me toward Obama’s position on SS marriage, (sarcasm off)
Well, in his defense, I read it as the UCC being more moderate than Wright. Which isn’t saying much.
“Now there is also hope that with the two leading Democratic presidential candidates from their ranks — Hillary Clinton, a United Methodist, and Barack Obama, who despite the controversial minister, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, is affiliated with the more moderate United Church of Christ — mainliners could have one of their own standard-bearers in the seat of secular power.”
Isn’t President George Bush Methodist? (moved from the Episcopal Church)
I’m not sure the megachurches can be characterized as mainline either. Those that I’m familiar with seem more non-denominational.
It’s worth remembering that the large gay congregation, Cathedral of Hope, Dallas, left the Metropolitan Community Church and affiliated with the United Church of Christ. That’s how “moderate” they are.
And Senator McCain is an Episcopalian who attends a Baptist church.
No. 2 – What do you have against their hairdressers?
[blockquote]Mainline congregations do not tend to translate their moral convictions into effective political organization and influential social action with the adeptness and passion that characterize evangelicals moving in lockstep with one another…”[/blockquote]
Where has this guy been? If the mainline is “less effective,” it has not been for lack of effort. All the mainline denominations have political officers in DC, and the NCC certainly tries hard to influence the government.
RE: “Isn’t President George Bush Methodist? (moved from the Episcopal Church) . . . ”
Heh. Yeh, but HighPlace . . . you know . . . he’s conservative, and so not really one of “our representatives.” ; > )
In order to have a “standardbearer” for the mainline we need a polyamorous metrosexual touting The Next Prophetic Thing.
I was at Southern Methodist University in Dallas yesterday for commencement and couldn’t help mulling over the tantrum certain Methodists are throwing over the Bush Library being built there. It’s not about politics, you know: it’s about security.
I came across this lovely quote from Peter Berger the other day. Somehow it seems appropriate here
[blockquote] The problem with liberal Protestantism in America is not that it has not been orthodox enough, but that it has lost a lot of religious substance. It has lost this in two different ways: one is through the psychologizing of religion, whereby the church becomes basically a therapeutic agency, and the other through the politicizing of religion, whereby the church becomes an agent of change, a political institution. Whatever the merits or demerits of either therapeutic or political activity, for religion these moves constitute digging your own grave, because there are other ways to get therapy and there are other ways to engage in politics. [/blockquote]
Found here:
http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=240
I think churches should make a deal with the government. Churches promise to stay out of politics, if the government will turn over all social programs to the churches. Nah. That would be too good to be true.
No. 14 – There is a lot of truth in what you say. The Episcopal Church has lost a lot of gravitas.