Lutheran (ELCA) Ping!
The United Church of Christ has been a "Full Communion Partner" with the ELCA since 1997.
Happy anniversary \sarc.
Posted on 12/16/2007 4:45:45 PM PST by lightman
By Pastor Ted Weis, Congregational Church, Little River, Kansas
Characteristic of the mainline church tradition, the United Church of Christ (UCC) is a denomination committed to freedom of thought, social justice, and understanding others. So when you enter the doors of a local UCC church, it's possible to hear advocacy on a whole host of social issues, from many viewpoints-- at a worship service, a Sunday School class, or a community event.
The free exchange and consideration of ideas is essential in order for an individual or group to decide beliefs and direct actions. To this end, United Church of Christ congregations often act as a public square. Their rooms, tables, and chairs provide the literal space for issues to get hashed out. But in contrast to secular community buildings, the space of a church is unique. In subtle and not so subtle ways, religious spaces are infused with the presence of the divine.
Which leads to a question: What degree of accountability should a local church incur when it hosts an outside group that espouses controversial, dare I say, unbiblical views?
Consider this example. On Thursday, November 29, Congregational United Church of Christ in Iowa City, Iowa hosted a noon luncheon of the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, a non-profit association affiliated with the University of Iowa's International Programs. Ms. Sue Simon, of the George Soros funded Open Society Institute, spoke on, "The Global Movement for Sex Worker Health and Rights: Only Rights Can Stop the Wrongs."
Inside a UCC church, Simon argued that society should legalize prostitution. Daily Iowan reporter Shawn Gude writes: Iowa City native and City High graduate Sue Simon argued for increased rights and an end to negative stereotyping for sex workers around the world Thursday afternoon at the Congregational United Church of Christ in an Iowa City Foreign Relations Council-sponsored event.
Making the distinction between sex workers and human sex trafficking - two things too commonly equated with each other, Simon said - she argued that many individuals she has come in contact with through her international work have been in the profession willingly, whether it's for personal, economic, or social reasons.
"Many believe there is no good reason to get into or remain in sex work," Simon said. "The reality is that for a lot of people, sex work is their best or only opportunity to earn enough money to support their families."
...Asserting the validity of the sex-worker profession, Simon decried the treatment such workers receive and "right-wing conservatives and prohibitionists … who believe they can and should end sex work because of their religions or moral beliefs."
...She also advocated for the complete decriminalization of the sex-worker profession throughout the world. And instead of state discrimination against prostitutes, governments should advocate for the ethical treatment of sex workers, she asserted.
"No one should lose their human rights because of the work they do," she told the crowd of approximately 60, who sat around 11 tablecloth-covered tables.It's protocol to report the facts of an event, but it's interesting we read about the "11 tablecloth- covered tables." Could it be the reporter found it a tad odd that, of all places, it was in a "sacred place" he heard an uncontested argument for legalized prostitution?
When a church hosts an outside group, it's easy for the church to say, "The views expressed do not necessarily represent the opinions of ... blah, blah, blah."
Frankly, that's a cop out excuse.
Church leaders should be savvy enough to know that whenever they lend out their sacred space as an "impartial" public square, it can easily become an advocacy forum-- one that carries with it the church's implicit endorsement.
Lending sacred space for this kind of radical advocacy is tragically unfaithful. posted by Living the Biblios, Friday, November 30, 2007 | link | 6 comments | Toles cartoon says it all
The United Church of Christ has been a "Full Communion Partner" with the ELCA since 1997.
Happy anniversary \sarc.
I’d still call the ELCA a church, barely, but still a church. UCC is a socialist organization given tax exempt status by claiming it’s a church.
GOOD GRIEF!!! JUST WHEN I THOUGHT IT COULDN’T GET ANY WORSE!!!!
Awhile ago there was a thread on DU asking about religious affiliations. A lot of people there went to a UCC “church” & being a Christian does not seem to be a requirement.
But they’re not really a church. They’re a liberal political organization masquerading as a church.
Yes, that’s a good way to put it.
• African Methodist Episcopal Church
• The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
• Alliance of Baptists
• American Baptist Churches in the USA
• Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
• Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
• Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
• Church of the Brethren
• The Coptic Orthodox Church in North America
• The Episcopal Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
• Friends United Meeting
• Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
• Hungarian Reformed Church in America
• International Council of Community Churches
• Korean Presbyterian Church in America
• Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church
• Mar Thoma Church
• Moravian Church in America Northern Province and Southern Province
• National Baptist Convention of America
• National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
• National Missionary Baptist Convention of America
• Orthodox Church in America
• Patriarchal Parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church in the USA
• Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
• Polish National Catholic Church of America
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc.
• Reformed Church in America
• Serbian Orthodox Church in the U.S.A. and Canada
• The Swedenborgian Church
• Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church of America
• United Church of Christ
• The United Methodist Church •
Not to mention a lot of churches that have no affiliation with anyone.
I don’t know much about them.
No, I am afraid it is just an organ of the world socialist movement.
I’m talking about things like store front churches in the inner city & a lot of “churches” that I’ve seen on the cable channel that I mentioned to you in another thread.
There are some congregations affiliated with the ELCA that haven’t gone totally off the ledge. See CORE:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1940400/posts
I hope not, but I expect that they will leave the ELCA.
Thanks. I have some idea of what your’re talking about.
Legalization of prostititution? I doubt that the UCC would find any problem with supporting that. In fact, it may be the least of the biblical sins that it is pushing.
ALL lameline/"mainline" church mis-leaderships are all too cozy with the NWO. That especially applies to the Episcopal "church" (e.g., Jefferts-Schori and retired "bishop" Swing), but even to the ELCA. Parishoners and parish pastors need to be fully aware of the machinations taking place in their head-offices, diocesan/synodical offices, and in all too many parishes.
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