Conservative Christians and Creationism

For many a conservative Christian, the road ahead is frightening and painful. For me, a life-long Christian and a Presbyterian pastor for 40 years, it's sad beyond description how the conservative churches in this country have failed. Rather than equipping their members to live well in the world - being the salt of the earth - they have vilified the world, creating one enemy after the other, offering, not enlightenment for their congregations, but shelter from the world - Plato's cave comes to mind. In recent years, home-schooling has provided an additional haven for them and their children.

Yet they learned an important lesson from liberals - social activism, and one of their pieces: take charge of school boards.

It's terribly important that liberals pay attention. Our track record on civil rights reminds me that organization is critical, and perhaps we've got to go to work and be sure that we have the right people on our school boards. We can write and talk all we want, but if we're not represented on our school boards, our voice is meaningless.

Hopefully, Mr. Harris and what is happening in Texas will energize liberals around the nation to take a close look at their school boards, and, if needed, throw some hats into the ring and seek election.

To read more about Mr. Harris and Connecticut, check out Michael Zimmerman's fine article in Huffington Post.

Conservative Church Decline?

40 years ago, Americans began leaving mainline churches, either to go nowhere, or to affiliate with a newer version of the big box church. But the newer version is now experiencing high levels of chaos, heresy trials and uncertainty, as large numbers of children reared in conservative churches are raising hard questions (especially about homophobia), and many of them are opting out. Some are finding new life in mainline churches with their focus on justice. Others are experimenting with house churches and "emergent" kinds of communities. Everything is up in the air, but one thing is clear: we're shifting from an age of belief (creeds and dogmas) to an age of experience and service. The revealing studies done by Willow Creek a few years back and the Barna Institute document this. The pride of the conservative churches is coming back to haunt them, as is did with the mainline churches 40 years ago. Pride goeth before the fall; it always does. Thanks be to God!