MAJOR ARTICLES (Copies of this issue are $7.50, which includees S & H. E-mail the Administrative VP or the Editor. The entire issue is available in over 60 seminary libraries which subscribe to the journal.) If readers want to contact the authors of articles, please communicate with the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Robert Cornwall, drbobcornwall@msn.com or the Academy's Administrative VP, Rev. Dr. Paul Binder, pjbinder2@juno.com. An annual subscription to the journal is $30.00, and may be obtained through Dr. Binder. Identification of authors and reviewers as APC (member of the Academy) and FAPC (Fellow of the Academy).
Clergy Misconduct - Prevention, Reduction, or Futility, by Rev. Dr. Paul J. Binder, APC. Yes, a provocative title and an article whose genesis began with a day-long workshop entitled "Clergy Boundaries," by the FaithTrust Institute. Though clergy sexual misconduct in one's professional life is the usual context, FaithTrust casts this as only one of four forms, the others being sexual misconduct in personal life and non-sexual conduct in personal and in professional life. Sexual misconduct may be the where the public is most aware. The article raises the question of "Is there a line which one steps over, or is there a blurred boundary?" It also looks at 1) the immense "costs" to the Body of Christ of any form of misconduct, especially and often affecting congregations for many years and subsequent pastorates, and 2) the probability and possibility of successful therapy and God's Grace so as to return the pastor to any form of ordained ministry. The article also lists further resources for the prevention of misconduct. To be noted that the Academy of Parish Clergy is uniquely positioned for colleague groups to function in support of its group participants. The author is Administrative VP of the Academy of Parish Clergy, a part-time Assistant Pastor in a United Methodist congregation and holds United Church of Christ credentials.
Qoheleth Goes to the Movies, by Jeffrey Shimizu. The author illustrates, in this well-footnoted article, how a pastor can leverage movies to deliver and reinforce issues which confront the congregation and for others who raise questions about God.. He uses Ecclesiasties, one of the more difficult books of the Bible, on the nature of God, and one of the more complex theological questions as an example. "I believe Ecclesiastes has a great deal to offer a congregation if the preacher or teacher will invest the time necessary to connect the difficult passages to contemporary issues." Movies can be used as vehicles that provide a framework for people to examine and give voice to their beliefs. The author is Associate Pastor and Licensed Minister at Marietta (GA) First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). He is also a student at Columbia Theological Seminary.
An Interview with a Deafened Preacher, II, by Lawton W. Posey, FAPC. This article/interview is a continuation of a conversation between Lawton Pposey and himself that deals with deafness and surgery to correct it, a conversation begun in the Summer 2009 issue (Vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 12-13, 11). Though the author writes about his deafness and how that affected his ministry over the years, this article is about his cochlear implant and his recuperation. To hear again, though a learning process and an adjustment in quality and tone are post-operative, the article might be helpful to any pastor going through a disability. The author is a retired Presbytereian pastor living in Charleston, WV.
The Church as God's Presence in the World, by Carol Richardson. Beginning with three major New Testament metaphors ("the Word of God," "the body of Christ," and "the Kingdom of God") the author develops an overarching theme for the church and the New Testament. She joins them and develops a holistic model for the church. "The church itself is meant not only to usher peole into God's presence, but even more fully, the church is meant to be God's presence in people's lives." The author expands on her theme in a way which would be quite understandable as used in worship (sermon, prayers, hymns), classes, banners, newsletter articles, and more. The author is a Disciples of Christ minister living in Kalamazoo, MI, and currently serving as Program Director fo the Northside Ministerial Alliance of Kalamazoo, MI.
BOOK REVIEWS, highly abbreviated from the journal, Sharing the Practice. (Copies of any issue are $7.50, which includes S & H. E-mail the Administrative VP or the Editor. The entire issue is available in over 60 seminary libraries which subscribe to the journal.)
PREACHING FROM MEMORY TO HOPE, by Thomas G. Long, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2009, 152 pp. Chapters one, two and five are from the author's Lyman Beecher Lecture series at Yale Divinity School of 2006. Chapters three and four address what Long calls the modern return to Gnosticism, and the impact of Marcus Borg to this movement. Here Long asserts clearly that he is not on a "heresy hunt" when he states that Borg, Robert Funk, James Shelby Spong, Elaine Pagels, Matthew Fox, Bart D. Ehrman, Karen Armstrong and others write from a "gnostic impulse." He has difficulty with this impluse's rejection of the gospel claim of the incarnation and the resurrection and to envision them instead as spiritual and mental illuminations. His challenges: 1) humanity is saved by gnosis; 2) a focus on the spiritual self- the divine spark within; 3) an antipathy toward incarnation and embodiment; and 4) an emphasis on present spiritual reality rather than eschatological hope. He concludes this section of his book by offering some guidelines for preaching to neo-gnostics. The book's last chapter/lecture forcuses on eschatology, a "much neglected area of preaching today in main line churches." The author is Bandy Professor of Preaching at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Reviewed by William Powell Tuck, FAPC, Intentional Interim Pastor, Mechanicville, VA.
ENCOUNTER AT THE COUNTER: What Congregations Can Learn About Hospitality from Business, by Alan Johnson, Cleveland: Pilgrim Press, 2009, 143 pp. How to welcome visitors is NOT the intent of this author. He looks at individual and congregational attitudes, and the spirituality of being present to others. It is about making a meaningful difference in the lives of others, as weel as one's own. This is a book for both pastors and laypeople who truly care about relating to people spiritually. A well-balanced approach. The author has merged 16 years as a trainer/consultant in evangelism for spirituall and membership growth, a parish pastor, and a parttime customer service staff person in a local bread company. Reviewed by Paul Binder, APC, Sarasota, FL.
JESUS INTERRUPTED: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (and Why We Don't Know About Them), by Bart D. Ehrman, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2009, 292 pp. This book is aimed at those who are willing to question scripture, especially through the use of historical criticism. As he teaches this subject to college students (he is Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina), he doesn't try to cause any student to "lose" his or her faith. A fun, easy, popular read, a book for parishioners just getting acquainted with historical criticism. Reviewed by R. E. Langford, FAPC, Charlestown, MD.
A PILGRIM IN A PILGRIM CHURCH: Memoirs of a Catholic Archbishop, by Rembert G. Weakland, OSB, Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2009, 429 pp. This autobiography covers his life from his early years in run-down Patton, PA, his education, on to his profession as a monk of the Benedictine Order, then under the reign of Pop Paul VI, and Weakland's appointment as Archbishop of Milwaukee, where he gave his abundant energy for a quarter century. At about his retirement, news surfaced that Weakland had, at one time, been involved in a sexual relationship with a man, and church funds were used to pay off and quiet his accuser. Weakland takes the direct route in dealing with his life, writing in an informal, simple and engaging style. Ever an advocate for a church operated by leaders in a collegiate relationship, he found the hopes of the post Vatican II era to be spoiled by the increasing centralization of the church by its Roman leaders in the Curia. He is familiar with controversial matters. Reviewed by Lawton W. Posey, FAPC, Charlestown, WV.
DAYS OF POWER AND GLORY: The Rise and Fall of a Charismatic Community, by Julia Duin, Baltimore: Crossland Press, 2009, 346 pp. On the surface this seems to be a straightforward accounting of the life of the Church of the Redeemer (Episcopal) in Houston, TX, and its charismatic and controversial Rector Graham Polkingham. The author is an insider, being part of the charismatic movement in the Episcopal Chrurch from its earlier days. Yet it is hardly a balanced presentation. While it is critical of some of the forms which the charismatic movement took over time, the book reflects the author's continuing interest in her understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit. Her prose is lively and she never disappoints. Reviewed by Lawton W. Posey, FAPC, Charlestown, WV.
TENDING TO THE HOLY: The Practice of the Presence of God in Ministry, by Bruce G. Epperly and Katherine Gould Epperly. Forward by Kent Ira Goff, APC, Herndon, VA: Alban Institute, 2009, 196 pp. Busy pastors often fail to attend to their physical, emotional, or spiritual life. They easily compartmentalize their ministries - assuming that some parts are spiritual (preaching and praying) and others aren't (administration). Picking up on the imagery of Brother Lawrence, Bruce and Kate Epperly focus on our call to "practice the presence of God" in all aspects of life and ministry, so that all parts are undertaken in prayer, whether this prayer is a breath prayer or hours spent in meditation. For those who are not by nature contemplative, who find it difficult not just to take time but to feel comfortable in prayer, this book is a godsend. Reviewed by Robert D. Cornwall, APC, Troy, MI.
THE WORSHIPING BODY: The Art of Leading Worship, by Kimberly Bracken Long, Louisville, WJK Press, 2009, 130 pp. The author, Assistant Professor of Worship at Columbia Theological Semminary, has taken the image of the church as the Body of Christ a way to re-envision worship leadership. It is organized around parts of the body - eyes and ears, mouth, hands, feet, and heart - and under each body part Long explores different aspects of worship, and the leadership that is given to that part. Thus, under eyes and ears, she focuses on attentiveness to God and to the community. At the close she comes to the heart - "the spirituality of the presider." Long suggests several practices which, ultimately by rooting the liturgy in prayer, letting go of control of worship to God, and leading with passion. Not melodrama, but worship "imbued with the deep conviction that every bit of worship matters." The issue is one of expectation, both on the part of the presider and the people gathered, that God is at work and the kingdom is coming and is already here in our midst. Reviewed by Robert D. Cornwall, APC, Troy, MI.
FEASTING ON THE WORD: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary, Year C, Vols. 1 & 2, by David L. Barleltt and Barbara Brown Taylor, General Editors, Louisville, WJK Press, 2009, 467 pp and 557 pp. Lectionary preachers have at their disposal a myriad of resources, online and in print. Why, then, this series (which will reach a total of 12 books, four for each year)? Each text is presented in four ways, offering a theological, a pastoral, an exegtical, and a homiletical perspective, with authors of each coming from a spectrum of Christianity broad and diverse. These volumes are rich are preaching by young or old, novices or experienced. Reviewed by Robert D. Cornwall, APC, Troy, MI.
LOST IN THE MMIDDLE? Claiming an Inclusive Faith for Christians Who Are Both Liberal and Evangelical, by Wesley J. Wildman and Stephen Chapin Garner, Herndon, VA, Alban Institute, 2009, 212 pp. and FOUND IN THE MIDDLE! Theology and Ethics for Christians Who are Both Liberal and Evangelical, by Wesley J. Wildman and Stephen Chapin Garner, Herndon, VA, Alban Institute, 2009, 185 pp. Wildman is a Methodist professor theology and ethics at Boston University and Garner is a United Church of Christ pastor serving in Norwell, MA. They write with the understanding that most Christians live in the middle and are both confused and increasingly uncomfortable with the rancor that comes from the very vocal poles of right and left. The first book seeks to lay out the territory of "liberal-evangelical" while the second offers a way forward. People, the authors posit, want something spiritually vibrant and yet intellectually stimulating faith tradition, a faith engaged in transforming the world even as it engages the world. Yet, where does the prophetic fit in in today's churches? These are not perfect books, but the authors seem to be on to something. Reviewed by Robert D. Cornwall, APC, Troy, MI.
THE APOSTOLIC CONGREGATION: Church Growth Reconceived for a New Generation, by George G. Hunter III, with Forward by Gary L. McIntosh, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2009, 141 pp. The author seeks to introduce church growth principles to a new generation, emphasizing that the chief business of the church is evangelism. Church growth principles, Hunter believes, offers the church the kind of analytical tools needed if the church is to be relevant in its message and its ministries. Is this book for mainline churches, or only the evangelical/conservative ones? Hunter makes brief reference to Martha Grace Reese, does not explore what Diana Butler Bass's book on vital mainline churches, writes only in passing of missional or emergent churches, and constantly refers to the "lost" to refer to non-churched people. In reading this book, keep in mind the author's more conservative/evangelical orientation. Reviewed by Robert D. Cornwall, APC, Troy, MI.