(RNS) — J. Dana Trent is best known for a series of books in which she has expounded on faith, love and grief from the perspective of a Southern minister eager to win over readers with inspired messages about finding meaning, slowing down and mourning loss. But in a new podcast, this ordained Baptist minister and instructor in world religions strips away the polished, wholesome facade to reveal a painful past. Trent grew up in a trailer in the small town of Dana, Indiana, the daughter of parents who sold and used drugs. “Breaking Good,” a four-part podcast produced in conjunction with the Lilly Endowment-funded Louisville Institute, tells a complex story of a dysfunctional churchgoing family living in a fading railroad town beset by poverty, addiction and mental illness. Trent’s grandparents were pillars of the town’s nondenominational Bible church and made sure she attended every Sunday. Her parents, however, were hooked on megachurch pastor Robert Schuller, the apostle … [Read more...]
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Commentary 2 days ago
A tribute to Don Shriver
Guest commentary by Christian T. Iosso Don Shriver was on my committee when I received my Ph.D. in ethics from Union Seminary in 1991. I want to say several things about Don’s contribution to the Presbyterian Church’s social ethics thinking and action. I served for more than 14 years as coordinator of the Presbyterian Church’s social witness policy. (Don had earlier served nine years on that committee, with several years as its chairperson.) Donald Shriver In the early 1980s, Don served on the social concerns committee of New York City… continue reading... -
Book Reviews 2 days ago
What It’s Like to Be a Bird
David Allen Sibley Knopf, 203 pages One could ask why a book of ornithology is in a journal for Presbyterian church leaders. What does the behavior of birds have to do with church leadership? Fair enough. One might ask the same of John Calvin who once said, “Nature is the theater of God’s glory.” Reflecting on the wonders of creation, Calvin testified he was “ravished by beauty.” Likewise, as we enter more deeply into understanding these wonders, inextricably do we draw closer to God our creator. The “world is charged… continue reading... -
Looking into the lectionary 2 days ago
18th Sunday after Pentecost — September 26, 2021
Numbers: 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29 Ordinary 18B; Proper 21 “The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept.” Lectionary reflections are sent to the Outlook’s email list every Monday. What a beginning! Clearly Moses has a situation on his hands. This Sunday’s lectionary passage from Numbers 11 highlights the challenges and the burden of leadership — challenges and burdens leaders today know all too well. “I did not realize when I entered the ordination process that I was signing up to be a chaplain to the apocalypse.”… continue reading...
Parties in Stamford case had tried to expedite process in order to get a ruling on the merits of the case January 1, 1995 Uncategorized164 views The General Assembly Permanent Judicial Commission -- in sidestepping the question of exactly how deeply a session should be required to probe into the private life of a gay elder who has acknowledged being in a committed, life-long relationship but has declined to say whether he is sexually active -- has put the question off but has not put it to rest.- Ministering with the Earth January 1, 1998 Book Reviews162 views By Mary Elizabeth MooreChalice. 1998. 226 pp. Pb. $19.99. ISBN 0-8272-2323-4 Ministering with the Earth is a quiltwork, both the on-the-ground activity and Moore's book about so ministering. Moore, professor of theology and Christian education at Claremont School of Theology, is fond of the metaphor, suitably pastoral and feminist.
- Remembered Voice: Reclaiming the Legacy of 'Neo-Orthodoxy' January 1, 1998 Book Reviews155 views By Douglas John HallWJKP. 1998. 145 pp. Pb. $18. ISBN 0-664-25772-0 It was in this order. I first read Tillich's Dynamics of Faith. Riveting. Next came The Courage to Be. Gripping. Then I went back and read the first volume of the Systematic Theology. Things began to make sense. Next came Biblical Religion and the Search for Ultimate Reality. Positive.
Prayer for those in the path of the hurricane August 29, 2021 Worship Resources1 comment God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam. (Psalm 46:1-3)
As the waters roar and foam off the coast of Louisiana, we pray for all in Ida’s path. Holy God, be present with these, your people.
Be their refuge and strength. Protect them from danger. May the shelter they seek withstand the storm’s wind and water. May the levees and flood walls hold. May the pumps and gates built after Hurricane Katrina effectively protect. May the hospital...
Donate February 28, 20141 comment Thanks to the loyal support of many Presbyterians, the Outlook is able to continue fulfilling its mission as an independent and informative voice of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Presbyterian Outlook foundation is a non-private 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible.
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Order of worship — September 26, 2021 September 20, 2021 Worship Resources1 comment You are welcome to use this liturgy in your online worship services and distribute it to your congregation.
It is free for worship use. Please credit Teri McDowell Ott and the Presbyterian Outlook.
Download the PDF of the full order worship: Liturgy_09-26-21
J. Dana Trent turns her drug-dealing childhood into a podcast about poverty and faith
Care for creation
Earlier this summer I was fortunate to join friends on a small expedition ship to explore southeast Alaska’s coastal wilderness. The trip was a gift, an expression of their care for me as a friend, and as a traveling companion to their 18-year-old daughter. For eight days we plied the waters of the inside passage and wondered at the forests, glaciers and mountains cradling the bays and sounds. It felt like having a window into the creation story in Genesis 1: on the first day, spouting humpback whales; on the second day, calving glaciers with harbor seals floating on their icebergs; on the third day, graceful Sitka black-tailed deer grazing in a temperate rain forest. And on through pods of orcas, soaring eagles, brown bears fishing at the shoreline, playful sea otters, a swimming moose. And it was good. Good in so many ways. Good to be reminded of the beauty and to learn about that world from the naturalists aboard, who shared their knowledge of how whales migrate the long ocean … [Read more...]
Horizons 2 — “What My Grandmothers Taught Me”
Lesson 2: Tamar The trickster is a common character in folk tales around the world. Whether the character is Bugs Bunny in “Looney Tunes” or the court fool in William Shakespeare’s “King Lear,” the trickster is a character without much or any power who manages to get out of difficult situations through cunning and wits. Rabbits don’t have much power against guns, but Bugs Bunny outsmarts Elmer Fudd. Court jesters could not challenge a king directly, but through humor they can reveal the truth. Midwives in ancient Egypt could hardly defy Pharaoh, but in Exodus 1 the midwives outwit Pharaoh to save the Hebrew baby boys. Tricksters cross societal norms to challenge, expose the truth, entertain and bring about change. Tamar, in Genesis 38, ends up as the trickster. But, for much of the time, she is the pawn of her father and father-in-law. It is a disturbing story. Tamar is given in marriage to one of Judah’s sons, Er. Er dies. Deuteronomy 25:5-10 commands a surviving brother to marry … [Read more...]
Navigating change — Oct. 4, 2021
Everything is changing. That is the current reality. How do churches face this change with wisdom, faith and hope? What needs to be unlearned? What can be reimagined? What needs to be reexamined in order to move forward faithfully? What is God’s vision for communities of faith? This issue focuses on how to navigate and negotiate change to transform lives and ministries for God’s good work. Click here to read the digital issue in the Uberflip reader. Collective imagination Jessica Tate suggests that the church can build what it first imagines. What does the church need to unlearn from the pandemic? Tod Bolsinger is convinced there is much for church leaders to learn, unlearn and relearn. Navigating pastoral transitions Barbara Wheeler wonders if there might be a better way forward for Presbyterians. A vital congregation changes hearts and lives The vitality of a congregation grows as the mindset of its members is influenced toward new values, assumptions and beliefs … [Read more...]
A tribute to Don Shriver
Guest commentary by Christian T. Iosso Don Shriver was on my committee when I received my Ph.D. in ethics from Union Seminary in 1991. I want to say several things about Don’s contribution to the Presbyterian Church’s social ethics thinking and action. I served for more than 14 years as coordinator of the Presbyterian Church’s social witness policy. (Don had earlier served nine years on that committee, with several years as its chairperson.) In the early 1980s, Don served on the social concerns committee of New York City Presbytery. Compared to the major struggles described in his book of essays “On Second Thought” and in the book I edited with Isaac Sharp, “Christian Ethics in Conversation: A Festschrift in Honor of Donald W. Shriver Jr.” it is amazing that Don found the time – made the time – to meet with a miscellaneous collection of activists in New York City Presbytery. He was always gracious, both patient and impatient, always focusing on the goal of getting … [Read more...]
What It’s Like to Be a Bird
David Allen Sibley Knopf, 203 pages One could ask why a book of ornithology is in a journal for Presbyterian church leaders. What does the behavior of birds have to do with church leadership? Fair enough. One might ask the same of John Calvin who once said, “Nature is the theater of God’s glory.” Reflecting on the wonders of creation, Calvin testified he was “ravished by beauty.” Likewise, as we enter more deeply into understanding these wonders, inextricably do we draw closer to God our creator. The “world is charged with the grandeur of God,” said the poet Gerard Manley Hopkins. Birds are remarkable creatures whose beautiful songs and colorful bodies bring us joy and delight. David Sibley is a renowned author and illustrator who has published many bird guides. This book is a collection of information about more than 200 species with 330 new illustrations. It is a perfect book for those interested in learning more about birds, especially the familiar birds in our backyards and … [Read more...]
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