TLC’s Kirk Petersen reflects on how quickly — and early — General Convention can start. By Kirk Petersen The 79th General Convention hasn’t officially started, but it already feels like I’ve missed a lot. Thegeneralconvention.orgwebsite lists the convention as meeting on July 5-13. Fly into Austin early July 4, get settled in, scope out the neighborhood, and I’ll be … [Read more...] about The Meetings before the Meeting
Archives for July 4, 2018
Marketing the Religious Moment
Phyllis Tickle: A Life By Jon M. Sweeney Church Publishing. Pp. 274. $26.95 By Phoebe Pettingell I first encountered Phyllis Tickle (1934-2015) in the 1990s through her religion column in Publishers Weekly. Books about religion had hitherto been a niche market, hard to order through one’s local small bookstore. But with the advent of Barnes & Noble, Borders, and … [Read more...] about Marketing the Religious Moment
Radical Hospitality
By Steven R. Ford “Radical hospitality” has become an almost mandatory buzz phrase in American liberal Christian denominational statements of identity and purpose. It has rapidly spread to the judicatory and congregational level. One looks almost in vain for any “mainstream” Christian website that does not include radical hospitality as a draw to the religious organization … [Read more...] about Radical Hospitality
Abuse Investigations ‘Botched’
A report to be published this month claims the Church of England “botched” its investigations into alleged cases of abuse. Sir Roger Singleton, chairman of the Independent Safeguarding Authority, said the church’s 2010 investigations “failed to give a complete picture” of the abuse. He said that in mitigation he found “no evidence of a planned, deliberate attempt to … [Read more...] about Abuse Investigations ‘Botched’