Order, Chaos, and Broken Methodism
By Scott Kisker I officially joined the United Methodist Church in 1980 when I was confirmed. I was 12 years old. It was not a major event in my life, secular or spiritual. I had been through confirmation, but the only thing I remember was John Wesley being saved from...
Our Daily Grace
By Courtney Lott - Do you hear the song of grace in your life? For the Rev. B.J. Funk, Associate Pastor at Central United Methodist Church in Fitzgerald, Georgia, its sweet melody has played throughout her entire life, calling to her like a well-intentioned siren...
The Liberal Majority
The Liberal Majority By Martin Marty March/April 1991 8.7 percent of Americans prefer to be seen as “liberal Protestants,” against 15.8 percent “conservative Protestants.” Most liberals are partly conservative, and many conservatives are partly liberal. Both types...
The Truth of Liberalism
The Truth of Liberalism By Richard John Neuhaus March/April 1991 The term “liberalism” cloaks a multitude of sins, and a few virtues. Liberalism, also in our churches, is usually defined politically. It is theological liberalism, however, that should be our chief...
A Liberal Manifesto
A Liberal Manifesto By W. Paul Jones Conservatives and liberals need each other in order for each group to be sure what they don’t believe. Such labels point loosely toward two sides of the spectrum, each being an umbrella for a wide assortment of positions – thus...
Liberalism: A Faith of Freedom
Liberalism: A Faith of Freedom By John B .Cobb Jr. March/April 1991 “For freedom Christ has set us free, stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:13). Freedom is the heart of liberal Christianity. But Christian freedom is not license....
Liberalism and Modernity
Liberalism and Modernity By Edward P. Wimberly March/April 1991 Liberalism has been understood as an effort of thoughtful Christian theology to embrace the values of the freedom of thought, tolerance, and humanitarianism. There has been an emphasis on expressing the...
Liberalism and Miracles
Liberalism and Miracles By Jerry L Walls March/April 1991 In his classic critique of liberalism, written over a generation ago, J. Gresham Machen held that the common root of all liberal theology is a denial of the supernatural. As Machen pointed out in Christianity...
