A NEW EXODUS? AMERICANS ARE EXITING LIBERAL CHRUCHES:

Christianpost.com ^ | Christianpost.com

[Iam1ru1-2]

"We have figured out your problem. You're the only one here who believes in God." That statement, addressed to a young seminarian, introduces Dave Shiflett's new book, Exodus: Why Americans are Fleeing Liberal Churches for Conservative Christianity. The book is an important contribution, and Shiflett offers compelling evidence that liberal Christianity is fast imploding upon itself.

"Americans are vacating progressive pews and flocking to churches that offer more traditional versions of Christianity," Shiflett asserts. This author is not subtle, and he gets right to the point: "Most people go to church to get something they cannot get elsewhere. This consuming public--people who already believe, or who are attempting to believe, who want their children to believe--go to church to learn about the mysterious Truth on which the Christian religion is built. They want the Good News, not the minister's political views or intellectual coaching. The latter creates sprawling vacancies in the pews. Indeed, those empty pews can be considered the earthly reward for abandoning heaven, traditionally understood."

Taken alone, the statistics tell much of the story. Shiflett takes his reader through some of the most salient statistical trends and wonders aloud why liberal churches and denominations seem steadfastly determined to follow a path that will lead to their own destruction. Shiflett also has a unique eye for comparative statistics, indicating, for example, that "there may now be twice as many lesbians in the United States as Episcopalians."

Citing a study published in 2000 by the Glenmary Research Center, Shiflett reports that the Presbyterian Church USA declined by 11.6 percent over the previous decade, while the United Methodist Church lost "only" 6.7 percent and the Episcopal Church lost 5.3 percent. The United Church of Christ was abandoned by 14.8 percent of its members, while the American Baptist Churches USA were reduced by 5.7 percent.

On the other side of the theological divide, most conservative denominations are growing. The conservative Presbyterian Church in America [PCA] grew 42.4 percent in the same decade that the more liberal Presbyterian denomination lost 11.6 percent of its members. Other conservative denominations experiencing significant growth included the Christian Missionary Alliance (21.8 percent), the Evangelical Free Church (57.2 percent), the Assemblies of God (18.5 percent), and the Southern Baptist Convention (five percent).

As quoted in Exodus, Glenmary director Ken Sanchagrin told the New York Times that he was "astounded to see that by and large the growing churches are those that we ordinarily call conservative. And when I looked at those that were declining, most were moderate or liberal churches. And the more liberal the denomination, by most people's definition, the more they were losing."

Any informed observer of American religious life would know that these trends are not new--not by a long shot. The more liberal Protestant denominations have been losing members by the thousands since the 1960s, with the Episcopal Church USA having lost fully one half of its members over the period.

In a sense, the travail of the Episcopal Church USA is the leading focus of Shiflett's book. Indeed, Shiflett states his intention to begin "with the train wreck known as the Episcopal Church USA." As he tells it, "One Tuesday in latter-day Christendom, the sun rose in the east, the sky became a pleasant blue, and the Episcopal Church USA elected a gay man as bishop for a small New Hampshire diocese." How could this happen? The ordination of a non-celibate homosexual man as a bishop of the Episcopal Church flew directly in the face of the clear teachings of Scripture and the official doctrinal positions of the church. No matter--the Episcopal Church USA was determined to normalize homosexuality, even as they have normalized divorce and remarriage. As Shiflett explains, "It is commonly understood that the election of the Reverend Gene Robinson, an openly gay priest, to be bishop of the diocese of New Hampshire was undertaken in clear opposition to traditional church teaching and Scripture. What is often left unsaid is that this is hardly the first time tradition has been trounced. The Reverend Gene Robinson's sexual life was an issue and was accommodated, just as the Episcopal Church earlier found a way to embrace bishops who believe that Jesus is no more divine, at least in a supernatural sense, than Bette Midler."

One of Shiflett's interviewees was the Reverend Bruce Gray, Rector of St. John's Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. In an interesting comment, Shiflett recalls that this was the very church where Patrick Henry gave his famous speech in 1775--the speech in which Henry cried: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" As Shiflett notes, "The Episcopal Church, by freeing itself from many of its traditional beliefs, sometimes appears to be well on its way to achieving both." Revered Gray supports the election of Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire, and he told Shiflett that the biblical condemnations of homosexuality had been considered by thoughtful people who had decided that the texts do not mean what they appear to mean. He cited his own bishop, who had issued an episcopal letter arguing, "Many people believe any homosexual activity is purely prohibited by Scripture . . . . But other Christians who take Scripture seriously believe that the Biblical writers were not addressing the realities of people with a permanent homosexual orientation living in faithful, monogamous relationships, and that the relevant scriptural support for those relationships is similar to the expectations of faithfulness Scripture places on marriage." That is patent nonsense, of course, but this is what passes for theological argument among those pushing the homosexual agenda.

In order to understand why so many Episcopalians are leaving, Shiflett visited Hugo Blankenship, Jr., son of the Reverend Hugo Blankenship, who had served as the church's Bishop of Cuba. Blankenship is a traditionalist, who explained that his father must be "spinning in his grave" in light of developments in his beloved Episcopal Church. As Shiflett sees it, the church that Bishop Hugo Blankenship had served and loved is gone. In its place is a church that preaches a message Shiflett summarizes as this: "God is love, God's love is inclusive, God acts in justice to see that everyone is included, we therefore ought to be co-actors and co-creators with God to make the world over in the way he wishes."

Shiflett also surveys the growing list of "celebrity heretics" whose accepted presence in liberal denominations serves as proof positive of the fact that these groups will tolerate virtually anything in terms of belief. Shiflett discusses the infamous (and now retired) Episcopal Bishop of Newark, New Jersey, John Shelby Spong. "When placed in a wider context, Spong is simply another character from what might be called America's religious freak show." Yet, the most important insight to draw from Spong's heresies is the fact that he has been accepted without censure by his church. As Shiflett explains, Spong's views, "while harshly criticized in some quarters as being far beyond the pale, are present not only throughout the mainline but throughout Protestantism, even in churches that are assumed to maintain traditional theological rigor."

In Shiflett's turn of a phrase, these liberal theologians believe in a "Wee deity," a vapid and ineffectual god who is not much of a threat and is largely up for individual interpretation.

Shiflett's opening story about the seminarian who was confronted by his peers underlines the importance of theological seminaries as agents for either the perpetuation or the destruction of the faith.

[Triggerhippie]

I hear that Wisconsin Synod is even more conservative than LCMS. Do any of you know if this is true?

[ChinaGotTheGoodsOnClinton]

Care to elaborate?

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" That strategy and vision for change rested on the assumption, implicit or stated outright, that women are morally superior to men. We had a lot of debates over whether it was biology or conditioning that made women superior- or maybe the experience of being a woman in a sexist culture. But the assumption of superiority was beyond debate. " .......


There was a group of people who believe that they were the " MASTER RACE " and was " Superior " than the rest, and equated the Jews as beasts and dogs, and that group was called the ( NAZIS ).
Is it any wonder that the feminist have be labeled ( Feminazis ) and want to build the 4 th Reich ?? .
If the feminist can abort a unborn child, it's not to far of a stretch of your imagination that if they can equate men as " DOGS " and " BEASTS " just like the Nazis did with the Jews, then, you can imagine what a unbridled Feminism can do.

If you read this speech, it's not to hard to come to a conclusion , that since it was a woman commander at Abu Gharaib prison in Iraq , and it was a C.B.S producer who some how got hold of those picture, could it have been a inside job by the feminist ? to make the USA military look bad with egg on their faces ?

[karnage]

One reason we Catholics are so happy with Pope Benedict XVI. He knows what it's all about.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Sorry about the format mess up... my fault.....

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Yes.... the Bible has a lot to say about knowing the schemes and tricks of the devil, and should be on guard.

[MrEdd]

ping

[Finalapproach29er]

Yep. Wisconsin synod is quite an experience to behold.

[I still care]

I'd flee a liberal chruch too.

[Jack Black]

Paragraphs are our friends.
Paragrahps are our friends.

[Jack Black]

Interesting that the Presbyterian Church USA is called liberal. I attend the local one, mostly because my daughter goes there. It seems anything but liberal to me. The sermon the Sunday before the recent election included a long section on why homosexual marraige was a bad idea. With statistics from Sweden.

Here is what is on their web site about what the core beliefs are. Based on what I've seen there they are pretty serious about all this.

We believe that the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, is the inspired Word of God, without error in the original writings. The Scriptures are the complete revelation of God's will for the salvation of humankind and the divine and final authority for Christian faith and life.

We believe in one God, the creator of all things, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three co-equal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that God the Father created all things through His Son, Jesus Christ, and calls all humankind through the Holy Spirit to receive His Son in faith.

We believe that Jesus Christ is true God and true man, conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He died on the cross as the sacrifice for our sins according to the Scriptures. He rose bodily from the dead and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father, serving as our High Priest and advocate.

We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Jesus Christ, convict humankind of sin, regenerate believing sinners, and indwell, guide, instruct, empower, and seal believers for godly living and service until Christ's return.

We believe that humankind was created in the image of God but fell into sin and is therefore lost. Only through regeneration by the Holy Spirit can humankind find salvation and spiritual life.

We believe that the shed blood of Jesus Christ and his bodily resurrection provide the only ground for justification and salvation for all who believe, and only those who receive Jesus Christ are born of the Holy Spirit, thus become children of God.

We believe that the true Church is composed of all persons who through saving faith in Jesus Christ have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit and placed into the body of Christ, of which He is the head. Only those who are members of the true Church shall be eligible for membership at Sunset.

We believe in the personal, visible, and impending return of Jesus Christ to the earth. The blessed hope of Christ's soon coming challenges the believer to personal devotion and tireless service to God.

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead: the believer to everlasting joy and blessing with God; the unbeliever to everlasting judgment and sorrow apart from God.

[Porterville]

Liberal Churches? I didn't know communist believed in God?

[RayChuang88]

The Democrats are going to spend the next few decades in a complete free fall unless they adopt policies that support America instead of our enemies.

Ain't that the truth!

I think the Democrats are forgetting that Americans have always been on average a very religious people. After all, many of the early American colonists fled Europe to come to the colonies because they got tired of the religious prosecution by local authorities in Europe. Is it small wonder why highly-secular Europe just can't figure out the USA much of the time?

[taxesareforever]

I know the feeling. I visited a LCMS congregation last Sunday. I'll probably go back.

If you really want to get back to basics head for an ELS or WELS Synod church.

[Blue_Ridge_Mtn_Geek]

http://www.layman.org/layman/Archive1/index-constitutional-crisis.html

http://www.layman.org/layman/Archive1/index-theological-task-force-pup.htm

Attend a few presbytery meetings, and see how scornful many of the "leadership" are for such sentiments as you describe.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

Yes.... I know, I was already told that in a few posts ago, thank you anyway.

[Cruz]

ping

[Prophet in the wilderness]

" I think the Democrats are forgetting that Americans have always been on average a very religious people. " ......
And this will be to their own peril and determent.

[tessalu]

So many churches claim to believe in the bible, but they
seem not to mind lying. How may of them even believe in the ten commandments? Not many I think, so many still believe in the traditions of men brought in during the dark ages? So many.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

Churches or synagogues, or any religious house for that matter, that support homosexuality, abortion and other evils are most not definitely not places of worship of God.