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Sunday, March 3. 2013

The Death of the NCC

End of the Mainline. It was suicide:



The arc of the NCC’s story showcases the rise and fall of liberal Protestantism in America. It’s a sad tale but also instructive for the more robust churches of today.





Posted by The News Junkie at 16:54 | Comments (16) | Trackbacks (0)

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Abandoning Israel helped them not, as well.
#1 Sam L. on 2013-03-03 18:36 (Reply)
The sad part of this story is that the NCC didn't go toes-up 30 years ago. >:(
#2 benning on 2013-03-03 19:29 (Reply)
I am still a member or the PCUSA though I have not attended regularly since my wife and I started dating 12 yrs ago. i saw this coming for a long time. God help us.
#3 Gordon on 2013-03-03 19:45 (Reply)
I was for some reason drafted to lead songs on guitar at a NCC national retreat for theology students in the late 1980's. I drew up a list of all the "guitar-able" hymns and songs that I thought would be well-enough-known to make group singing without songbooks plausible. Then the day before the event I spent about 3 hours negotiating with an organizing committee who seemed to think that every single song or hymn choice had some wording that would be offensive to a constituency within the assembled students -- e.g.: UU's would be offended by any mention of the holy spirit is the one that springs most readily to mind., but I seem to recall that Filioque came up, as well as dispensationalism. Anything associated with Luther or a Wesley was right out.
Anyway, we met for the Sunday service in a 1960's university classroom that had no chairs, only carpeted risers, and I dutifully led singing for about 4 insipid songs leaving out the most offensive verses. And then this wonderful large black woman stood up to give the message, which was loud, and was pure Dallas Seminary: "You are all sinners, hell is your destination, and your only hope is that you can be saved by faith alone in Jesus". If she had gotten the memo and sat through the 3-hour meeting with the organizers, she paid it no mind. I suspect she offended many people there, and I was pleased that they were hearing it, because I think few of them ever heard anything like that at their seminaries.
#4 Douglas2 on 2013-03-03 21:00 (Reply)
Thankfully, liberal Catholics seem also to be headed for oblivion. They meant well, but truth is immutable.
#5 Mark on 2013-03-03 22:35 (Reply)
Ichabod.
#6 Bill on 2013-03-03 22:55 (Reply)
so they're crawling closer to their protectors in the White House and Capitol...
#7 J.T. Wenting on 2013-03-04 00:42 (Reply)
I attend a Lutheran church in the heart of Liberal Land (Park Slope Brooklyn), and the church is thriving. I love this church, as we worship God in a way I can relate to, do Adult Bible Study, have a thriving Sunday School, etc.

The pastor is very pro-gay marriage. And I have to say that we get a lot of young people, in their 20's and 30's, who join the church becuase it is pro-gay marriage.

This is highly important to a certain group of the young. I made my peace with it years ago. I am anti-gay marriage, but if our church were anti-gay marriage, I think we might be a dying congregation instead of a thriving one. So I keep my mouth shut on this subject (as well as the fact that I vote Republican). I enjoy the hordes of little children who are there learning about Jesus, and the spiritual sustenance I get from so many other aspects of the church (which is a very spiritual place). I like it that there are many baptisms every year, and you can almost always hear a baby crying for part of the service.

Liberal Christianity is better than no Christianity. I am so happy to have my church, even though I don't agree with everything the pastor believes in.

I have never understood why liberal Christians are so critical of the born-again, the Seventh Day Adventist, the Catholic, etc. But I also don't understand why conservative Christians are so aginst the UCC, the mainline Christians, etc. I prefer any Christian over the Nones or the Muslims. Can't we tolerate all forms of Christianity?
#8 Park Slope Pubby on 2013-03-04 12:38 (Reply)
no, orthodox Christianity is not a collection of inoffensive happy-sayings, lowest common denominator-style beliefs.
#8.1 wirraway on 2013-03-04 14:17 (Reply)
So the church is thriving because it promotes a perverted lifestyle that is condemmed by the very scriptures that are supposedly the basis of its beliefs? Good grief!

It is little more than a social club with a quazi Christian veneer.

Better than another collection of angry athiests I suppose, but not sure what additional value it really has and am pretty certain that it has no prospects for long term viability.
#8.2 phil g on 2013-03-04 15:15 (Reply)
At the end they had bread and circuses. I'm sure they were all clapping, smiling, and praising ceasar right up to the day the doors closed for good. And then the muslims showed up.
#8.2.1 indyjonesouthere on 2013-03-04 15:44 (Reply)
Relax everybody. Jesus constantly complained about the Pharisees, and that's what these comments sound like. And get to know some younger people. And then let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

In a lot of ways, this church is totally orthodox. We just read through the whole Letter to the Romans, including Paul's anti-homosexual early chapter. But the pastor has his beliefs, and most of the young people who live here agree w/ him. In fact, I am amazed how important this is to them. That's just the truth. I disagree w/ them, but they are good people, and they want to follow Jesus.
#9 Park Slope Pubby on 2013-03-04 16:59 (Reply)
Actually, Christianity is about Gods laws, not the pastors or the congregations beliefs. Unless, of course, this isn't about the practice of Christianity.
#9.1 indyjonesouthere on 2013-03-04 17:38 (Reply)
That's true. Love God. Love your neighbor.
#9.1.1 Park Slope Pubby on 2013-03-04 19:52 (Reply)
These comments have absolutely nothing to do with the Pharisees Jesus criticized.

Also same sex cohabitation has absolutely nothing to do with marriage. They're two different things unless of course you're suggesting everyone must adopt a different definition of marriage.
#9.2 phil g on 2013-03-05 16:56 (Reply)
End of NCC (and all of its associated denominations): couldn’t happen fast enough to a nicer bunch.
#10 ErisGuy on 2013-03-06 05:38 (Reply)

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