Posted on 08/21/2006 3:07:56 AM PDT by markomalley
About 30 clergy and lay church leaders representing nine denominations on Tuesday at a seminar in Rapid City, S.D., received advice from several religious organizations about how to hold appropriate discussions with their congregations about "divisive" issues such as abortion, the Rapid City Journal reports. The educational program, titled "Controversy and the Clergy," was sponsored by Network of Spritual Progressives and was led by speakers from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and the Network for Spiritual Progressives.
The majority of the invited participants were from "mainline" Protestant churches that have official statements supporting abortion rights in certain circumstances or that allow views on the issue to be "left to individual conscience," the Journal reports.
The seminar's "Faith and Choices" curriculum examined the denominational statements on abortion rights for Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian, United Church of Christ and other Christian groups, as well as several branches of the Jewish faith and the group Catholics for a Free Choice.
The Rev. Bruce Herrboldt, pastor of South Park United Church of Christ in Rapid City, said he hosted the day-long seminar because he feels that the religious "middle ground" on issues such as abortion in the Christian community continues to shrink, adding, "I'm required more and more often to be 'either/or' on issues. ...
The grand middle that allows for there to be extreme views is getting smaller."
Herrboldt said the church is the right place to have conversations about issues such as abortion, adding, "That's what the church should be about -- where people can talk about anything and still be in fellowship, still members, one of the other" (Garrigan, Rapid City Journal, 8/16). USA Today on Monday provided a summary of viewpoints held by various religious groups on abortion rights (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 8/14).
At least they didn't call themselves Christian...
IF they were genuine Christian churches, perhaps that Commandment about not killing might get a mention...
The hottest places in hell will be reserved for those who use Christ as a front to kill babies!
Sorry, Reverend, but you can't half-kill a baby.
The Rev. Bruce Herrboldt, pastor of South Park United Church of Christ in Rapid City,......... "I'm required more and more often to be 'either/or' on issues. ...
Well, Rev. Herrboldt, mainline Protestant churches are dying and one of the reasons is that your people are advocating the killing of babies, which is definitely murder in God's eyes. Take that cross off your church, because you do not follow Christ.
Articles such as this one always try to give impression as if there's a movement among evangelical christians toward progressive causes, including on abortion, gay marriage, and so on. They fail to mention that most members of these 'mainstream protestants' have never considered themselves 'religious right' so they did not vote for the conservative candidates in the first place.
Abortion and islamic terrorism - two things you'll never hear preached about in a U.S. protestant church.
Ah yes, the Spiritual Progessives...What is it exactly these "wiser than thou" people actually believe in, The holy Karl Marx Manifesto?
Thank you and Amen.
The Church of Christ figures in many of these discussions, and comes across as being a cesspool of liberalism. My reading indicates that perhaps this impression is promoted by the independence of different congregations among this denomination (which often refuses to be considered a denomination, but calls itself "non-denominational").
If you check the detailed Wikipedia article on the Church of Christ, you find the following, which is very much at odds with the actions of some of the clergy mentioned in the article above. From the Wikipedia:
"Abortion
Abortion in most circumstances is considered to be the sin of murder. Some institutional congregations participate in organizations that promote adoption as an alternative to the practice. But nearly all congregations strongly condemn abortion because of the belief that the unborn child has a soul. Some, however, make exceptions for cases of rape and incest, because these scenarios constitute situations under which moral obligations are placed upon an individual against that individual's volition; people are not normally condemned to bear the burden of another person's sin; therefore, the morning after pill may be appropriate in matters of rape and incest, especially because this prevents rather than terminates pregnancy. However, the vast majority of the members and clergy of the Churches of Christ are against abortion in any form for any reason, and many equate the fertilzed, non-implanted egg with human life.
Homosexuality
Homosexual activity is seen as sin. Churches generally differentiate homosexual activity from homosexuality itself or homosexual people, sometimes espousing the idea that while mere sexual orientation is not sinful per se, all homosexual acts are a choice. Many see homosexual proclivity as not inherent in a person's nature but rather a result of personal choices or life events that have pushed the person toward such feelings." [End quote]
The Church of Christ has a strong pacifist tendency, which also may influence some public stances, making them look exceedingly liberal, or allying them with "anti-war" politics. This is IMHO a bad tendency in today's world, where pacifism is not a viable option; but the CoC attitude does not necessarily stem from a totally corrupt theology.
It's about time the Mainline churches start telling their elderly congregations they're pro-choice. The PCUSA pastor at the church I once attended never mentioned it.
This original article is talking about the United Church of Christ. This article is referring mainly to "churches" that belong to the National Council of Churches.
Leftist bull*hit,northeast lib alert!
Just a point of clarification. This group is not sanctioned by the Catholic church, nor is its leadership actually Catholic.
"NOW what do we believe?"
Well all I am going to say is thank goodness they finally put quotes around "mainline" and properly put Protestant after it.. get so tired of references to "mainline" churches that represent only a few million in their congregations total.
That's hard when you've spent you're whole ministry being lukewarm on everything that matters.
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