United Methodists worried about declining church membership may be overlooking a more subtle renewal that’s underway, writes the Rev. Dwight H. Judy in his new book, A Quiet Pentecost: Inviting [...]
Read More...Bishop’s book draws on faith, leadership theory, martial arts
May 2, 2013 Posted by 1 Comment
Greater Northwest Area Bishop Grant Hagiya earned a third-degree black belt in karate, as well as a master of divinity and a doctorate in organizational leadership. His new book Spiritual Kaizen: How to Become a Better Church Leader (Abingdon Press) draws on this varied background. Bishop Hagiya answered questions by email from managing editor Sam Hodges. Here’s an edited version of the exchange. Can you sum up, in a sentence each, how your faith, leadership training and martial arts experience are guiding you as you serve the UMC in a [...]
Read More...Q&A: U.S. still religious, but not a ‘Christian nation’
April 16, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
Jon Meacham, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and contributing editor to Time magazine, recently delivered the Bolin Family 2013 Public Life/Personal Faith lecture at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. Mr. Meacham lectured on “American Gospel: God, the Founding Fathers, and the Making of a Nation,” also the title of his bestselling 2007 book. More recently, he wrote Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power (2012). Mr. Meacham spoke by phone with staff writer Mary Jacobs; here are edited excerpts. Given some of the recent controversies in the news—such as whether [...]
Read More...Q&A: Bringing a sports legend to life on the big screen
April 11, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
The new movie 42 focuses on the years when baseball great Jackie Robinson (1919-1972) joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African American player in the modern era of Major League Baseball. The cast includes newcomer Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers general manager who signed him onto the team. (Both men were Methodists, a fact mentioned briefly in the film.) After a preview screening in Los Angeles, the two stars and writer-director Brian Helgeland spoke to a group of journalists from across [...]
Read More...Q&A: Finding a way into Methodism, and the clergy
April 8, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
Editor’s note: Throughout March, designated Women’s History Month by Congress, United Methodist News Service offered Q&As with notable women in the UMC. Here’s one with Roslyn Lee, a licensed local [...]
Read More...Q&A: Don’t underestimate ‘mainline’ influence
March 22, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
Robert P. Jones is the CEO of Public Religion Research Institute in Washington, D.C., a nonpartisan nonprofit that focuses on the intersection of religion, values and public life. Dr. Jones, who earned an M.Div. from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. in religion from UMC-affiliated Emory University, writes “Figuring Faith” for the On Faith blog network of the Washington Post. He is the author of two books, Progressive & Religious: How Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Buddhist Leaders Are Moving Beyond the Culture Wars and Transforming American Public Life and [...]
Read More...Q&A: UMPH head provides update on closings
March 15, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
The United Methodist Publishing House’s decision to close all 57 Cokesbury stores last fall made big news beyond Methodism. Some stores have closed already, and the rest will be shuttered by April 26. Reporter managing editor Sam Hodges asked Neil Alexander, UMPH president and publisher, for an update. Mr. Alexander answered questions by email. Were you surprised at the amount and nature of reaction to the announcement of the Cokesbury closings? We’ve heard from a broad range of folks—some asking questions for clarification, others expressing their regrets, a few with [...]
Read More...Q&A: Women as social gospel practitioners
March 8, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
History has largely ignored the work of churchwomen, according to the Rev. Ellen Blue, and she’s written a book in hopes of beginning to change that. A professor of the history of Christianity and United Methodist studies at Phillips Theological Seminary in Oklahoma, she is the author of St. Mark’s and the Social Gospel: Methodist Women and Civil Rights in New Orleans, 1895-1965 (University of Tennessee Press, 2011). Dr. Blue, an ordained United Methodist elder in the Louisiana Conference, answered questions via email from staff writer Mary Jacobs. This is [...]
Read More...Q&A: New miniseries brings Bible stories to life
March 1, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
She captured America’s heart every week as the divine messenger on Touched by an Angel. He is the creative genius behind Survivor, The Apprentice and The Voice. Together, Roma Downey [...]
Read More...Q&A: New miniseries re-enacts Bible stories
February 28, 2013 Posted by Leave a Comment
She captured America’s heart every week as the divine messenger with the lilting and soothing Irish accent on Touched by an Angel. He is the creative genius behind Survivor, The Apprentice and The Voice. Together, Roma Downey and Mark Burnett are one of Hollywood’s most uniquely equipped married power couples. Beginning March 3, you will be able to catch their latest ambitious venture on the History Channel. The Bible is a five-part docudrama produced by Ms. Downey and Mr. Burnett after a four-month location shoot in Morocco. Steve Beard, editor [...]
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