Category: American Christianity
Posted by: an okie gardener
Tenured faculty members have passed a No Confidence resolution on President Richard Roberts. Story.
Oral Roberts University is significant in American Christianity because it an attempt to fuse pentecostalism with the institutional structure of a liberal arts university (as opposed to small Bible Colleges) and a modern medical center.
Pentecostalism has tended to favor personalities over structures and established procedures. It seems like Richard Roberts inherited the presidency because he was Oral's son. In this case, leadership change suffered from the pentecostal prediliction toward personalities and away from structural procedures.
Oral Roberts University is significant in American Christianity because it an attempt to fuse pentecostalism with the institutional structure of a liberal arts university (as opposed to small Bible Colleges) and a modern medical center.
Pentecostalism has tended to favor personalities over structures and established procedures. It seems like Richard Roberts inherited the presidency because he was Oral's son. In this case, leadership change suffered from the pentecostal prediliction toward personalities and away from structural procedures.
Category: American Christianity
Posted by: an okie gardener
When Senator Grassley thinks he smells something rotten, there probably is a problem. Grassley is not motivated by any anti-religious bias, and has not been a grand-standing publicity seeker. He currently is leading an investigation into the finances of several televangelists.
Story on Joyce Meyers from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I think my favorite detail is the marble-topped commode.
This story depends on the work of the Post-Dispatch, but also carries the list of other evangelists being investigated. These are
Creflo and Taffi Dollar of College Park, Ga., whose "Changing Your World" broadcasts are seen in 150 countries, owns two Rolls-Royces, private jets, a mansion in Atlanta and a $2.5 million apartment in Manhattan.
-Benny Hinn of Grapevine, Texas, whose daily television program, "This is Your Day!" is seen in more than 100 countries.
-Eddie Long of Lithonia, Ga., who preaches anti-gay themes and says God blesses people financially as well as spiritually.
-Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Newark, Texas. He is a practitioner of the Word of Faith movement which believes that faith will reward people spiritually and financially.
-Randy and Paula White of Tampa, Fla., who founded the Without Walls International Church, and listed as their possessions a $1.9 million jet and $3.5 million condominium in New York. In August, they announced their divorce.
Some days I despair of American Protestantism. One problem, while Protestants traditionally have criticized Roman Catholicism as "man-centered" because of the primacy of the pope, they have been quick to elevate leaders into celebrity status with no oversight. Look at the newspaper ads this Saturday for churches in your community. Notice that the pictures of the pastor appear in the Protestant ads, not the Roman Catholic, or Orthodox.
Story on Joyce Meyers from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. I think my favorite detail is the marble-topped commode.
This story depends on the work of the Post-Dispatch, but also carries the list of other evangelists being investigated. These are
Creflo and Taffi Dollar of College Park, Ga., whose "Changing Your World" broadcasts are seen in 150 countries, owns two Rolls-Royces, private jets, a mansion in Atlanta and a $2.5 million apartment in Manhattan.
-Benny Hinn of Grapevine, Texas, whose daily television program, "This is Your Day!" is seen in more than 100 countries.
-Eddie Long of Lithonia, Ga., who preaches anti-gay themes and says God blesses people financially as well as spiritually.
-Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Newark, Texas. He is a practitioner of the Word of Faith movement which believes that faith will reward people spiritually and financially.
-Randy and Paula White of Tampa, Fla., who founded the Without Walls International Church, and listed as their possessions a $1.9 million jet and $3.5 million condominium in New York. In August, they announced their divorce.
Some days I despair of American Protestantism. One problem, while Protestants traditionally have criticized Roman Catholicism as "man-centered" because of the primacy of the pope, they have been quick to elevate leaders into celebrity status with no oversight. Look at the newspaper ads this Saturday for churches in your community. Notice that the pictures of the pastor appear in the Protestant ads, not the Roman Catholic, or Orthodox.
03/11: Danger for the Pastors
Category: American Christianity
Posted by: an okie gardener
According to information compiled by insurers of pastors, things have changed for the worse.
Clergy experience over 90 percent more stress-related disorders than other people of a similar age. Stress and stress-related illnesses are primary factors for the deterioration of health in the clergy population. Thirty years ago the clergy profession ranked as one of the healthiest in the U.S. Today the reverse is true; clergy are experiencing some of the worst health trends in the nation.
In a related development, compared to past generations, clergy today are leaving their jobs in significant numbers, even those in mid-life.
As regular readers know, I am a member of the clergy--an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America. I pastor a small, primarily Native American, congregation and teach college courses to help support our family. So I take this news personally.
But, my point is not to whine. Instead, I have two things to say. First, if you are a Christian, pray for your pastor(s) and think about how you can be supportive. Second, I wonder what this information says about modern American culture, both within and without congregations. Future posts to follow.
Clergy experience over 90 percent more stress-related disorders than other people of a similar age. Stress and stress-related illnesses are primary factors for the deterioration of health in the clergy population. Thirty years ago the clergy profession ranked as one of the healthiest in the U.S. Today the reverse is true; clergy are experiencing some of the worst health trends in the nation.
In a related development, compared to past generations, clergy today are leaving their jobs in significant numbers, even those in mid-life.
As regular readers know, I am a member of the clergy--an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Reformed Church in America. I pastor a small, primarily Native American, congregation and teach college courses to help support our family. So I take this news personally.
But, my point is not to whine. Instead, I have two things to say. First, if you are a Christian, pray for your pastor(s) and think about how you can be supportive. Second, I wonder what this information says about modern American culture, both within and without congregations. Future posts to follow.
01/11: Discussing Evangelicalism
Read this article combining interviews with six evangelical thinkers if you consider yourself an evangelical, are curious about evangelicals, or have never thought about evangelicalism. From Touchstone.
