The United Church of Christ, which prides itself on being a Progressive denomination, through its HIV and AIDS Network, is encouraging condom distribution at UCC places of worship.  A statement explains: “Condoms are a sign that people of faith take sexuality seriously as part of human life and...

Perhaps no sociologist has written on American churches more extensively than Dr. Rodney Stark of Baylor University.  Along with Dr. Roger Finke he wrote The Churching of America 1776-1990 Winners and Losers in our Religious Economy  (Rutgers: 1990), followed by Acts of Faith ...

The feature article in the February 10 issue of The Christian Century is titled “God Does Not Require Blood.”  As the title suggests, the author, Daniel M. Bell, Jr., is opposed to the substitutionary doctrine of the atonement, or any doctrine of the atonement, for that matter, in whic...

It may not really be important, but for those interested in such things, it is quite possible to locate churches on the denominational or theological or Christian subculture scale by hearing the prayers they pray.  Pentecostals plead the blood, call down angels, and break the bonds of Satan.&nb...

Rarely does one hear a United Methodist preacher suggest that anyone needs to be saved, especially if that salvation has eternal implications.  Most United Methodist pastors try to "save" people from poverty, ignorance, prejudice, bad habits, and fundamentalism.  But seldom does one hear t...

In 1836, Eli Farmer, a licensed Methodist preacher on location, saw a need for the gospel in Brown County, Indiana, and on his own and without any authorization, entered the field, held revivals, and established a circuit of ten churches.  He then went to the annual conference, and offered his ...

The week of Prayer for Christian Unity (January 18-25) has come and gone without a lot of fanfare.  If there were any special services in my own community I missed them.  I saw no notices from the district or the conference about the need for prayer for Christian unity.  UM News Servi...