Joel Osteen is the pastor of Houston’s Lakewood Church, which may well be the largest congregation in the country. Even beyond his own congregation, he is well known for his postive message of the Gospel — a message that many call the Prosperity Gospel. Chris Lehmann review Osteen’s latest book, Become a Better You, and is not at all impressed.
There was a great deal of reaction to the results of the Iowa Caucus last Thursday. Among the more interesting comments, however, was by Diana Butler Bass, who notes that Barack Obama and Mike Huckabee come from the two very different “poles of Protestantism.”
In Gatineau, Quebec, the oldest Protestant church in the Ottawa Valley stands deconsecrated and empty since late 2006. The century-old stone building is the third church to stand on the site; previous ones had burned down in fires. Now, a businessman wants to buy the church building and convert it into a brewpub and entertainment site, but the remnants of St. Andrew’s congregation aren’t keen on the idea.
Five days after President Mwai Kibaki unexpectedly defeated Raila Odinga, ethnic violence continues to ravage the country and its attorney general has called for an independent verification of the vote tallies. Archbishop Desmond Tutu has gone to Kenya to help mediate the explosive situation, which has turned the generally stable nation on its ear.
One is a retired priest; the other is a retiree that became a priest. Two separate stories in two different regions of the country, yet both resonate the theme that we never need retire from faith.
More news is emerging about the backers of the Global Anglican Future meeting planned to be held prior to Lambeth 2008. As reported by The Lead December 29, Dr. Michael Poon, a respected voice of the Global Anglican South leadership, publicly questioned the organization, communication and purposes of the meeting. Now he has responded to a letter from a “leading primate” which rebuked Dr. Poon for asking the questions publicly.
The good news, to my mind, is that there are many Communion minded people who seek comprehensiveness and unity for true… They are not of one mind, but they are of one desire to remain in communion by virtue of baptism and a common identity as Anglicans.
Dr. Michael Poon has posted some hard questions for the organizers of the Global Anglican Future Conference at the Global South Anglican web site. He
In early December the convention of the Diocese of San Joaquin voted to leave The Episcopal Church and join the Province of the Southern Cone.
Christmas famously “comes but once a year.” In fact, however, it comes twice. The Christmas of the Nativity, the manger and Christ child, the wise