AssociationForChurchRenewal.com

Photo: Brad Braxton

As Rev. Brad Braxton prepares to be installed as Pastor at the historic citadel of mainline religion, Riverside Church in New York City, this Sunday, the church faces a lawsuit over his $600,000 package. Diana Solomon-Glover, a plaintiff who sings in the choir claims it is a social justice issue in times of economic crisis. Plaintiffs point out that it is twice what his predecessor James Forbes made and almost ten times the salary of the famous William Sloane Coffin in the late 1980’s. The $600,000 on closer inspection, however, includes housing in Manhattan, pension, insurance, travel expenses to speak for Riverside and the value of tuition free education for his children at the Riverside Church school. Supreme Court Judge Lewis Bart Stone, denied the motion to stop the installation and urged both sides to work it out among themselves.

Meanwhile it has come to light that the plaintiffs in the case have a deeper dissatisfied with the direction of the church. Over the last decade, the congregation has shifted from predominantly white liberal to African American. Rev. Braxton, a Southern Baptist former Rhodes Scholar who describes himself as a progressive evangelical, appears to represent a movement toward a more Biblically rooted personal faith experience. According to Plaintiff Solomon-Glover, “he has been taking the church toward a more fundamentalist brand of religion.”

Photo: Terry Schlossberg

Forced once again to choose whether Presbyterian Clergy can have sex outside of marriage, a majority of Presbyteries upheld the standard of Fidelity in Marriage, Chastity in singleness. The vote was much closer in this fourth attempt to overturn the Biblical standard as 28 Presbyteries reversed their vote and affirmed sexual license.

Terry Schlossberg, who coordinated the national campaign by the Presbyterian Coalition in support of Fidelity and Chastity, said, ” Those who wish to change the Biblically-rooted standard have continually pressed the matter and required repeated votes that have had the same outcome each time. It is well past time to acknowledge that the Church today, as throughout her history, knows her mind on this matter, and that it is the mind of Christ.”

Terry, a board member of the Association for Church Renewal went on to say, “Now it is time to live out the decision pastorally, leading people out of our society’s sexual confusion into repentance and newness of life,” she said. “The decision gives witness to the Church’s strong conviction that the Savior came to offer redemption to those held captive by any sin, including the prevailing sexual sins of our time. We have the Savior’s promise that he will care for us, forgive us, and tenderly lead us to repentance. This is the standard.”

Presbyterian Layman

Photo:Prayer Offered for the success of Detroit's new Hybrids. Other new religious hybrids are emerging around the mainline.

For those who thought the ‘Emergent’ movement came from beyond the seeker sensitive contemporary post-evangelical frontier welcome to the “Hybrid Emergents” who are donning the vestments and liturgies of the mainline church.

The Luthermergents feature such leaders as Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber who claims on the “Praxis Podcast” to be “unashamedly orthodox” and “devoutly Lutheran”. Nadia is pastor at the House for All Sinners and Saints; a Lutheran mission church in Denver Colorado, which advertises itself as, “liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient - future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination.” The Luthermergent website also features a link to the Emerging Leaders Network which include links (as do some other emergent sites) to folks with the ’secret behind the secret’, namely channeling non-embodied spirits.

Luthermergent
http://luthermergent.ning.com/

The Presbymergents by comparison are a bit more subdued. Meeting for the first time in February, 2009, they reflect the urge to behave “decently and in order” by creating an organization and applying for a 501c3. In fact Bruce Reyes-Chow , PCUSA Moderator is listed as one of their bloggers. One key “mission statement” put forward by their coordinator, Drew Tatusko, a Princeton Seminary Grad (2000), reads, “Presbymergent are followers of Christ who seek continual reform of existing church structures through dynamic, open, and intentionally critical systems.”

http://presbymergent.org/

The Methomergents seem less intent on the radical and more concerned with how the methodist system does and doesn’t work, what is the role of the next generation, and what it means to be a missional methodist.

http://methomergent.blogspot.com

The Reformergent’s are a bit more skeptical about their own emergence, seeing theological deficiencies in the emergent movement in their approach to evangelism and orthodoxy. Their blog site sees four primary values in ‘emerging’, namely: missional living, social justice, authenticity and unstructured ecclesiology.

http://www.reformergent.org/about/

The Anglimergent group reflects much the same diversity as their parents, stating their intent to “agree to remain friends and remain in conversation that is honest in acknowledging the differing traditions and practices in different Anglican church bodies within our communion, without falling prey to paralysis that prevents us from engaging one another and God’s mission.”

Anglimergent

The anglimergents in the U.S. have their own Bishop Protector, The Right Reverend Gregory H. Rickel, Diocese of Olympia, WA. Liberal Episcopal figures such as Bishop Bruno and Phyllis Tickle are heavily involved in supporting this movement and several of the “Emergent” churches such as the “The Crossing” which meets at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Boston under the sponsorship of the Diocese of Massachusetts, are committed to “building a core of new leaders, young adults, people of color and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgendered people.”

Episcopal Life

On the other hand a major conference entitled “Ancient Traditions, Anglican Futures An Emerging Conversation” to be held at Evangelical, Trinity School of Ministry in Ambrose, Pa, June 4 - 6, is also promoted on the Anglimergent site.

The question “Ancient Traditions, Anglican Futures” will address in June is, ” How do Anglican “insiders” welcome young evangelicals, post-evangelicals, and emergents who are attracted to the “Great Tradition”? How do inquiring “outsiders” perceive or participate in the distinctive anamnesia (memory) of Anglican worship and mission? How can the exchange between insiders and outsiders bear fruit in Anglicanism today? How will this emerging conversation stir the mind and heart of an Anglicanism in renewal?”

Trinity School of Ministry

Photo: Lutheran booth at Gay Pride Parade, Lesbian wedding, L.A. 2007

Some 130 and counting Lutheran Theologians have signed on to a statement supporting the recommended changes proposed by the ELCA Study on Sexuality to the Churchwide assembly in 2009. They support recommendations which would offer church affirmation for same gender relationships, allow those in such relationships to be leaders in the church, to be ordained and to be rostered.

Their rational is that:

“We too affirm the authority of the Scriptures, but the seven biblical texts that are frequently cited on the issue of homosexuality are not directly pertinent to the 21st century discussion.”

“While not all Lutheran church bodies are of one mind on these issues, (Notably in the global south) Scandinavian and German Lutherans have already taken similar actions to those now being proposed in the ELCA.”

“We recognize that the unity of the church is based on one Lord, one faith, and one baptism, and that within this unity, faithful members may disagree on individual items of faith and practice.”

For the full list of participating theologians and scholars:
Lutheran Theologians Statement

Image: The Lutheran Study Bible LCMS

As a six year project to create “THE LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE” by Concordia Press, (affiliated with the Missouri Synod Lutherans) nears publication in October, 2009, the ELCA has rushed into publication a rival Bible entitled “LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE.” Despite requests by Concordia to use another title, Augsburg Fortress Press released their Bible this month, with not much more than a year of preparation.

The two Bibles, however, differ significantly in their approach. In one critical passage, the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20 the ELCA Bible notes, “Jesus now sends the disciples to make disciples of all nations. That does not mean make everyone disciples. Most people who are helped by Jesus and believe in him never become disciples. Jesus includes in salvation people who do not believe in him or ever know about him (5:30; 25:31-45). Disciples are students, called for the sake of the world to learn from Jesus and to bear witness to the kingdom. They are salt and light (5:13-16). Jesus promises to be with them always as they carry out this mission. Previously, Jesus promised to be present in the exercise of forgiveness (18:18-20) and in the ‘least of these’ who suffer (25:31-45).”

The goals of Concordia’s THE LUTHERAN STUDY BIBLE are:

1. Present justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as the chief teaching of Scripture (Lk 24:44-;47; Jn 5:39; SA II I 1-4)
2. Properly distinguish and apply Law and Gospel (reading the Bible as a book about justification; Jn 1:17; Gal 3:21-22; Ap XIIA 53-54)
3. Emphasize God’s work through the means of grace (Mt 26:26-29; Jn 3:5; 20:22-23; Rm 10:17; SA III IV)
4. Function from a “Scripture alone” point of view and presents a “Scripture interprets Scripture” approach to using the Bible (Ps 119; 1Tm 6:3; 2Tm 3:16-17; FC Ep Sum)
5. Equip the laity for works of service, with a particular focus on evangelism in their various vocations/callings in life (Ps 145:4-13; Eph 2; Ap XV 41-42)
6. Present a uniquely Lutheran study Bible that features genuinely Lutheran notes and comments throughout, references to the Lutheran Confessions where appropriate, focus on the Small Catechism for helps and explanations, citations from Luther throughout, and materials to aid daily devotion and prayer

http://cyberbrethren.com

Bishop Duncan On The New Anglican Province In The US:

After an April 15th meeting in London between 8 Anglican Archbishops from Africa, Asia and South America and Bishops representing the parishes of the newly formed Anglican Church of North America, the Archbishops issued a statement which said in part:

“we are saddened that the present crisis in the Anglican Communion of which we are a a part remains unresolved. The recent meeting of Primates in Alexandria served only to demonstrate how deep and intractable the divisions are and to encourage us to sustain the important work of the Global Anglican Future Conference.”

They also stated that they, “recognize the Anglican Church in North America as genuinely Anglican and recommend that Anglican Provinces affirm full communion with the ACNA.”

Their statement concluded, “We remain committed to the Anglican Communion and to being a faithful and creative voice for renewal within it to recapture a focus on Biblical teaching and mission. Though conscious of our inadequacies, in the light of Christ’s resurrection power, we speak with confidence and seek only to serve the Lord, the people of the Anglican Communion and those who have yet to hear the lifechanging message of the Gospel. The Good News of Salvation through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ is our only hope and our focus. We continue steadfastly in our commitment to share the fullness of the Gospel in our nations and around the world.

Alleluia! Christ is Risen: The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!”

The Archbishops meeting in London represent a majority of the global membership of the Anglican Communion

Read the full statement:
Statement from London

The Anglican Church in North America will be launched with 615 Parishes from the U.S. and Canada at their first national convocation in Bedford, Texas, June 22 - 25th. ACR President David Runnion-Bareford has been invited to greet the ACNA on behalf of the renewal movements and ministries in the mainline denominations of North America.

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The ACR has been receiving the daily Bible readings and devotionals offered by the Presbyterian Church in Canada which are Biblically reliable and well done! They offer intercessory pray and a podcast of the daily devo. Check it out: Presbyterian Church in Canada Daily

At the lead and invitation of the Faithful and Welcoming Fellowship in the United Church of Christ, the Association for Church Renewal embraced plans for a national event in August 2010 in the Chicago area to encourage God’s call to a new generation of leadership for ministry in the historic mainline churches. The ACR decision at its March meeting came in recognition that the crisis and confusion of the mainline denominations has become the crisis of the entire North American church. All of the mainline churches face a crisis of leadership. Prayer for reformation and a new generation of ECOT leadership must intensify now with the hope that God in his grace will call many over the year and half to come.

NOTE: The term “ECOT” has come into the lexicon of mainline terminology from the Faithful and Welcoming Fellowship who first coined the acronym representing “Evangelical, Conservative, Orthodox, Traditional” to cover a wider diversity of self identification among those with a heart for mainline reformation.

The Anglican and Lutheran Churches in Canada are planning a joint national meetings in 2013 and are actively engaged in plans to share space for their denominational offices. “If full communion is really going to have some sense of visibility across the Canadian church, there has to be some pretty bold steps we take together to help people realize that we are in fact churches in full communion, ” said Archbishop Fred Hiltz.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada upheld Biblical standard for marriage and ordination in 2007. The Anglican Church continues to struggle with growing division over these critical issues. Both churches are experiencing ongoing decline and financial crisis. Hiltz, however, denied that this was pushing them together, “I think we’re moving together in our relationship as churches in full communion, not out of fear but out of hope”, he said.

Epsicopal Life