“Clips of a young, fiery preacher in the 1940s give a sense of what made Graham so successful — dazzling good looks, flawless timing, the conviction evident behind those burning blue eyes, a believable humility.”
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Jason Byassee, director of the Center for Theology, Writing & Media at Duke Divinity School, comments in the Aug. 25, 2009, issue of The Christian Century on a visit to the Billy Graham Library.
“We’re going to be living in tension and ambiguity for a longer time, partly because the culture has shifted.”
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David Steinmetz, Amos Reagan Kearns distinguished professor of the history of Christianity, emeritus, quoted by The Associated Press on Aug. 22, 2009, about the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America’s decision
to allow gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.
“The whole question of the way we train ministers is under negotiation.”
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Curtis Freeman, research professor of theology and director, Baptist House of Studies, quoted by the Associated Baptist Press on July 27, 2009, on changes in how congregations discover and train their ministers.
“In a world where curiosity rules, unmasking curiosity as a destructive and offensive device . . . amounts to nothing less than a . . . radical critique of superficiality and constant distraction.”
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Paul J. Griffiths, Warren professor of Catholic theology, quoted on the vice of curiosity in “Does Curiosity Kill More Than the Cat?” in the Sept. 14, 2009, online edition of The New York Times
“There is a vast difference in the organizational culture of a church with 200 to 300 members and that of a congregation of 2,000. The scale of management and organizational leadership shifts significantly, and there is little aid offered to help pastors transition.”
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Kenneth Carder, Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams professor of the practice of Christian ministry, quoted in the July 14, 2009, issue of Christianity Today about the challenges of matching pastors with the right churches.
