This week I joined Robert Nicholson and Dominique Hoffman of the Philos Project on their weekly podcast The Deep Map to discuss division in the United Methodist Church and the challenges Protestantism faces in an age of radical secularism.
Listen below or download the podcast on iTunes here.
Comment by David on December 9, 2023 at 7:24 am
Interesting discussion.
Comment by Gary Bebop on December 9, 2023 at 5:09 pm
Masterful in scope and detail. This is what a “nutshell” presentation should encompass. Mark’s facts about the ongoing, relentless scissoring of Protestantism were astonishing. Are these shreds a sign of disobedience, or purgation leading to repentance, healing, and evangelism?
Comment by David Mu on December 10, 2023 at 11:28 am
The ‘Future for Protestantism’ – merely a further progression of division and endless claims of having ‘the truth’ along with never-ending fighting for some form of control.
Comment by David Gingrich on December 12, 2023 at 7:56 am
David Mu’s description of Protestantism is fair and challenges me. But then I see that it would also be a fair description of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and every man-made organization ever.
Comment by David Mu on December 12, 2023 at 8:57 am
@David Gingrich
I agree, and that gets to the heart of the matter – Christianity (as we know it) is the type made official by the Roman Empire. There isn’t anything here, but man-make going on with getting a ‘piece of the action’ for itself.
But – no one is going to write hymns about it.
It is just that the Protestant made a factory for division that far out-did the other branches of this religion. None are clear of this.
Comment by John N Kenyon on December 12, 2023 at 1:45 pm
Interesting, yes. Promotion back to Wally, not Ward Cleaver. The “global” Anglican Church (see GAFCON) faces the same challenge as the “global” Methodist Church. Will the African Anglican Church (part of the population center of worldwide Christianity) continue to be ruled out of Canterbury? No. Will worldwide Anglicans outside of Africa agree to be ruled out of Africa? Unplug Anglican and plug in Methodist. How many neocolonial issues will frustrate the ascendency of Africans to the top leadership of a “global” Church? Ask Mark about a 4th century diphthong. He believes it central to
true Christianity.