The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will soon make headlines, one way or another. The decisions we make at our 221st General Assembly will
Keep ReadingMarriage in the PC(USA) That’s my daughter there, with the rainbow face paint and the “Love who you are” sign. We were downtown in Richmond, VA, standing with same-sex couples who have asked Virginia to recognize their marriages. Ours is
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Split Votes and Shared Ethos at the General Assembly The following sermon was preached by Andrew William Smith, ruling elder at First Presbyterian Church in Cookeville, TN, at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Southfield, MI, on Sunday, June 22, 2014, the day after the General Assembly and the day of a
MoreA Sermon Reflecting on the 221st General Assembly Sermon preached Sunday, June 22, 2014 at Ogelthorpe Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA Sermon Text: Matthew 10:24-39 My friends, I bring you greetings from the 221st meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Presbyterians from across the country gathered
MoreThe Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) will soon make headlines, one way or another. The decisions we make at our 221st General Assembly will be reported across national media outlets through words loosely connected to what we actually experience together as a denominational family. (Prayers for you, reporters!) Amongst other decisions—some of
MoreMarriage in the PC(USA) That’s my daughter there, with the rainbow face paint and the “Love who you are” sign. We were downtown in Richmond, VA, standing with same-sex couples who have asked Virginia to recognize their marriages. Ours is one of the states that currently ban same-sex marriage. Last
MoreAs a Christian theologian, I support marriage equality because I take the Bible seriously. More importantly, I take the God of the Bible seriously. The God I worship has a divine passion for justice that compels me to respect all neighbors and defend their human rights, including the freedom to
MoreThe older I get, the more aware I become of a natural order in life – the more I notice how our individual lives often mimic a similar pattern to other organisms on earth. Just as trees grow deep roots even in the most impossible places, human beings also have
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It seems like everyone’s got something to say about marriage. For a while, I thought it was just me. Having just tied the knot myself 2 months ago, marriage has been a recurring topic in recent conversations. “So how’s married life?” “What does your husband do?” “Are you all planning
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