decline in the United Church of Canada recognized by secular press

[yeutter]

The Toronto Globe and Mail comments on the decline liberal christianity as manifested in the United Church of Canada. The collapse of the liberal church - The Globe and Mail

 

[JennyG]

The liberal so-called churches can't decline fast enough

 

[yeutter]

liberal churches are on the sideline

The liberal so-called churches can't decline fast enough

They used to be called the mainline protestant churches. I suggest we call them the sideline churches. Their fully secular secular brethren have even passed them by.

 

[Zach]

What is most perplexing to me about the collapse of liberal Christianity is that the liberal churches refuse to recognize that it is their complete abandonment of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that has caused their collapse. Rather than repent and believe in the gospel they continue down their regressive path of sin in the name of being "progressive".

To quote the article: "The church’s leaders are like the last of the Marxist-Leninists: still convinced they’re right despite the fact that the rest of the world has moved on."

 

[Quatchu]

Having been heavily involved in the UCC I don't know any church so liberal. I went to a congregation for 2 years and heard Jesus mentioned once.

 

[Peairtach]

What is most perplexing to me about the collapse of liberal Christianity is that the liberal churches refuse to recognize that it is their complete abandonment of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that has caused their collapse. Rather than repent and believe in the gospel they continue down their regressive path of sin in the name of being "progressive".

To quote the article: "The church’s leaders are like the last of the Marxist-Leninists: still convinced they’re right despite the fact that the rest of the world has moved on."

Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3, ESV)

 

[kappazei]

Having been heavily involved in the UCC I don't know any church so liberal. I went to a congregation for 2 years and heard Jesus mentioned once.

That is so tragic.

 

[ericfromcowtown]

I walk past a large, old, UCC building on my way to work every morning. Advertisements for blues bands, yoga sessions, poetry readings, etc... I guess they have to use, justify, and pay for that space somehow.

 

[JennyG]

There's a liberal church near here which always displays a rash of posters advertising this and that. Last summer the most prominent and eye-catching one of all said:
WE WILL ENTERTAIN YOU!!!
It was actually referring to some upcoming secular event, but it couldn't have been much more appropriate to the church it adorned.

 

[Gord]

The problem run's deep. A family friend who does not profess the saving faith and Grace of our Lord, was on the committee that selected his church's female pastor.

 

[J. Dean]

What is most perplexing to me about the collapse of liberal Christianity is that the liberal churches refuse to recognize that it is their complete abandonment of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that has caused their collapse. Rather than repent and believe in the gospel they continue down their regressive path of sin in the name of being "progressive".

To quote the article: "The church’s leaders are like the last of the Marxist-Leninists: still convinced they’re right despite the fact that the rest of the world has moved on."

Or what's worse is that they take their liberalism and start trying to slip it into the conservative churches.

 

[Somerset]

Saddens me that those leaving these churches don't join solidly reformed denominations - they usually end up churchless.

 

[jogri17]

Hey, given we're in Québec... that just means more space for new Conservative evangelical Church Plants to meet so no complaints here. I know a missionary in the suburbs of Montréal whose congregation made a deal with a UCC congregation... if they cut the price in half they would permit the UCC congregation to use it free of charge (all old people) for their bingo games, services, cooking events, etc. for a period of 5 years. And it worked out... the good evangelical baptists got a great building at a great price, the Gospel goes out, a liberal congregation got an official death sentence of 5 years, and got to make some old people happy.

 

[timmopussycat]

Hey, given we're in Québec... that just means more space for new Conservative evangelical Church Plants to meet so no complaints here. I know a missionary in the suburbs of Montréal whose congregation made a deal with a UCC congregation... if they cut the price in half they would permit the UCC congregation to use it free of charge (all old people) for their bingo games, services, cooking events, etc. for a period of 5 years. And it worked out... the good evangelical baptists got a great building at a great price, the Gospel goes out, a liberal congregation got an official death sentence of 5 years, and got to make some old people happy.

Nice!!!!

 

[Curt]

I suggest we call them the sideline churches.

I think I heard someone use the phrase "lameline" just recently.

 

[arapahoepark]

It doesn't surprise me. I mean, what atheist or liberal would go waste their time in a so called 'church', when they figure what is being taught they could figure out on their own with their own morality.

 

[jogri17]

Nice!!!!

Yeah I know, you'd think that God must like be like sovereign or something....

 

[kvanlaan]

I got this same article in an email from my brother and nodded sadly. There is one in Copetown, on my way to work, that is supported by one old lady in the congregation. She pays for Rev. Peggy and most of the running costs, from what I understand (though it is second-hand knowledge) and bewails the decline in the congregation.

 

[kappazei]

Here is an article on the same subject by Eric Metaxas, a regular contributor to Chuck Colson's 'Breakpoint'. Maybe it will provide another perspective for this thread.

A Mainline Collapse: The Twilight of Liberal Christianity?

Here is an excerpt..."What is new is that now some of these conservative churches are no longer growing. For instance, total membership in the Southern Baptist Convention has declined the past four years in a row. More ominously, the number of people baptized has declined eight of the last ten years to its lowest level since the 1950s...That's not the only reason theologically-conservative Christians should resist any temptation to gloat over the decline of the liberal mainline. As Ross Douthat writes, "the defining idea of liberal Christianity - that faith should spur social reform as well as personal conversion - has been an immensely positive force in our national life."
Earlier generations of liberal Christianity, according to Gary Dorrien at Union Theological Seminary, were led by men who had a "deep grounding in Bible study, family devotions, personal prayer and worship." Their calls for reform were made in the context of a belief in "a personal transcendent God . . . the divinity of Christ, the need of personal redemption and the importance of Christian missions."

Read more at A Mainline Collapse: The Twilight of Liberal Christianity?

 

[J. Dean]

Again, while it's good to see that liberal churches are falling apart, caution must be taken here. Because many times you'll have people from liberal churches come into conservative churches while not necessarily leaving their liberalism behind.

 

[kappazei]

many times you'll have people from liberal churches come into conservative churches while not necessarily leaving their liberalism behind.

We have someone from that background. She was initially applying for a paid position in our church but we had to reject her when she couldn't articulate the gospel. She's slowly turning around as she attends our church.

 

[J. Dean]

We have someone from that background. She was initially applying for a paid position in our church but we had to reject her when she couldn't articulate the gospel. She's slowly turning around as she attends our church.

That's very good to hear!