Faith
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Thinking the Faith, Praying the Faith, Living the Faith is written by the PC(USA) Office of Theology and Worship.
Thinking, praying, and living the faith is at the core of ministry in the Office of Theology and Worship. In the following videos, learn more about what thinking, praying, and living the faith means to the leadership of the Office of Theology and Worship. Discover why it matters and what difference it makes in our lives, work, and worship.
Charles Wiley
Barry Ensign-George
David Gambrell
Christine Hong
Karen Russell
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What Does It Mean to Be a Denomination?
One of the questions we in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) keep bumping into - though usually we don't recognize it - is, "What does it mean to be a denomination?" We are a denomination, there can be no doubt about that. But what is that? We haven't had much to say on that score, and what we do say (in, for example, our Form of Government) is muted and doesn't shed much light on the subject. I'd like to see us do better. So, as a step in the direction of better, I offer an exploration of "What Does It Mean to Be a Denomination?"
Here's the beginning of this exploration. If you're intrigued by the beginning, there's a link to follow to read the rest:
"The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a denomination in the church. This is a good and faithful calling. Our forebearers were moved by the Holy Spirit in fashioning this denomination. They built a set of institutions and structures to support a distinctive way of living out the Christian faith, a particular presbyterian form of Christian living.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is one among other denominations. Those others were formed around other distinctive ways of living the Christian life (like us). We affirm that at least some of those other ways of living out the Christian faith are as faithful as ours.
Unfortunately, for decades we have not been able plainly and forthrightly to name the fact that we are a denomination in the church. We’ve been unable to make good sense of what it means to be a denomination.
Denominations find themselves forced to use the term, “denomination,” but have rarely offered any theological reflection on what such a thing is and what place it might have in the church. Unable to offer an account of what “denomination” is, we are unable to offer an account of what we are. It should come as no surprise that we find ourselves drifting apart: after all, why were we together as a separate group in the first place? . . . read more"
- Posted at 12:04 a.m.
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