Amid weeks of global preoccupation with the personal, social, economic, and political impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the plight of the Palestinian people bears a growing, striking resemblance to George Floyd’s plea, “I can’t breathe.” Ever since 1967, the knee of Israel’s military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza has been increasingly and relentlessly pressing down on the Palestinians’ neck.
The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the Committee on Theological Education (COTE) have released statements on last year’s merger between San Francisco Theological Seminary (SFTS) and the University of Redlands (UR). Both say the merger, which occurred on July 1, 2019, has raised questions about how the institutions relate to the vision, goals, and mission of the PC(USA).
The deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd have caused an uproar across the nation and in countries around the world against the oppression and injustice suffered by black Americans as a result of centuries of systemic racism. Floyd, an unarmed black man, was killed May 25 by a Minneapolis police officer who held his knee on Floyd’s neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds.
Don’t rush to re-open your church sanctuary for face-to-face gatherings. That’s the word from the Reverend Dr. J. Herbert Nelson, II, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). As local, state, and federal governments continue their work to re-open businesses and allow for houses of worship to hold services once again, Nelson believes caution is still the best action to take.
Social media is an engaging tool for talented extroverts like the Rev. Josh Kerr, who you can see making viral dance moves on TikTok or advising, “Don’t burp in your mask. Trust me,” on Facebook. Kerr, 37, amuses, educates and inspires people of all ages — even those who seek pastoral care and discernment. However, what is not fit for a stage, says Kerr, is worship.
“Racial Justice Resources,” what is for now a one-page list of resources to help bring about racial justice in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the wider world, is now available. Click here to view what’s currently offered. The list of resources will grow as more resources are developed.
The Rev. Jimmie Hawkins was talking with a former educator who was concerned about what was happening on her local school board.
More Light Presbyterians held an extraordinary online worship service Sunday, the first Sunday in Pride Month. About 250 worshipers from Alaska to Virginia participated.
On the surface, things seemed calm. Professors came and left every two weeks, teaching courses to adult South Sudanese students on various aspects of peacebuilding. The students sang together during morning devotions, laughed while acting out dramas in class, and played boisterous volleyball matches before dinner. The staff enjoyed the liveliness of a campus brimming with activity. Yet underneath, we were all aware of the country’s instability. At any time, a spark might fly, igniting a rapidly spreading flame of violence.
“We were planning a warm welcome,” said the Rev. Dr. Jackie Taylor, general presbyter of the Presbytery of Baltimore, describing the embrace that commissioners and other attendees of the 224th General Assembly would have received had COVID-19 not put plans for an in-person assembly on ice.
But ever since the decision was made to hold the first online assembly in the long history of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and its forebears, “the Committee on Local Arrangements and I have been getting excited to be the first presbytery to host an online General Assembly.”