OK, my blog bud Ruth tagged me for this one. To put it mildly, I'm pretty disconnected from being Presbyterian these days, but given how deeply I've been steeped in the past, I'll play along. The start for this one came from Bruce Reyes-Chow.
What is your earliest memory of being distinctly Presbyterian?
All my early memories include being distinctly Presbyterian!! I wasn't Catholic -- didn't wear a uniform and go to a special school or have a priest who wore a collar or have to go to confession. I wasn't Southern Baptist -- didn't sing praise songs, go to revivals, or believe that everybody might be on the way to hell. I was invited to think about and question scripture as soon as I started learning it. In a small Midwestern town what else could I be? Gee, I must be Presbyterian! (And then there was church camp, Logos, singing in the children's choir, Synod School, serving on the Presbytery Youth Council, being a YAD at Synod, the first ever Youth Triennium -- yes, I did just turn 45 -- Montreat youth conferences, Montreat mission conferences, being a YAD at GA, being a seminary intern at GA, working for the Presbyterian headquarters when it still was in NYC -- yes, I did just turn 45 -- and all those SERMONS!!!)
On what issue/question should the PC(USA) spend LESS energy and time?
g/l/b/t ordination. Newsflash: gays are people in whom the holy spirit moves. get over it already.
On what issue/question should the PC(USA) spend MORE energy and time?
whether they embody the healing power of Jesus in everything they say and do. If not, why bother?
If you could have the PC(USA) focus on one passage of scripture for a entire year, what would it be?
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)
If the PC(USA) were an animal what would it be and why?
Ruth, I love you, sweetie, but I can't answer this one in polite company. Nothing good will come of it. (But your answer on this one was lovely.)
Extra Credit: Jesus shows up at General Assembly this year, what does he say to the Presbyterian Church (USA)?
"Umm ... excuse me. Is there some reason you're trying to save this denomination? Did you forget that whole thing in Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35 and Luke 9:24? Ya think if it was crucial enough to make it into all 3 synoptics you might wanna pay attention?" (Oh, I love to send Presbyterians scrambling for their Bibles).
OK, hope I don't sound too bitter. I don't know many Presby bloggers so if you are one, play along and if you aren't one but want to answer for your own brand of religion, play along that way.
5 comments:
Thanks for playing along -- having to stretch those old Presby muscles! I realize how much deeper your roots are than mine -- interesting to realize.
as you know, I'm NOT presbyterian, but I think that Lutherans have some of the same issues. so, it was interesting (we have a new sexuality statement out which: big surprise! pleases NO ONE)
and I like #3. you're right. If not, why bother?
thanks for visiting.
Thanks, Ruth and Diane.
Ruth, my roots are deep and thick. Which is mostly good, I think, but adds to the slowness of transformation into something else. I don't think of myself as Presbyterian any more, but I'm not anything else yet either. Weird.
Diane, sorry to hear about your new statement. So much time and energy we're all spending. sigh.
All that being a YAD-at-Synod stuff sounds suspiciously Hebrew. :)
Thanks for playing! There have been some wonderful responses even to such a silly game as a meme. Take care and I look forward to reading more in the future.
http://www.mod.reyes-chow.com/2008/03/i-presbtyerian.html
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