Daily Prayers:
- A. Book of Common Prayer
- A. Book of Common Prayer 2
- A. Divine Hours
- A. Evening Prayer (Anglican)
- A. Morning Prayer (Anglican)
- Celtic Prayer
- Creeds of Christendom
- Eastern Orthodox Prayers
- Lectionary
- Liturgy of the Hours
- Missio Dei
Emerging Movement:
- Andrew Jones
- Andrew Perriman
- Anthony Stiff
- Art Boulet
- Bob Robinson
- Br. Maynard
- Dan Kimball
- David Fitch
- Dogwood Abbey
- Ecclesia Network
- Emerging Women
- Eugene Cho
- Henrik Holmgaard
- Jamie Arpin-Ricci
- Jazz Theologian
- John Frye
- John Lagrou
- Jonny Baker
- JR Briggs
- Leonard Hjamarlson
- LeRon Shults
- Lukas McKnight
- Peggy Brown
- Sivin Kit
- Stephen Shields
- Steve McCoy
- Steve Taylor
- Tamara Buchan
- The Practicing Church
- Tim Miekley
- Todd Hiestand
- Tom Smith (RSA)
- Tony Jones
Other sites I frequent:
- Allan Bevere
- Andy Rowell
- Attie Nel
- Barna
- Brad Boydston
- Chris Ridgeway
- CC Blogs
- Don Johnson
- Ed Gilbreath
- Erika Haub (Carney)
- Faith Blogging
- Falsani
- Fr. Rob
- Hummers
- iMonk
- James McGrath
- Jim Martin
- John Stackhouse
- JR Woodward
- Karen Spears Zacharias
- Laura Barringer
- LaVonne Neff
- LeaderFOCUS
- LL Barkat
- Luke/Annika
- Mark Galli
- Mark Roberts
- Michael Kruse
- Nexus
- Owen Youngman
- Ted Gossard
- Tom Wright
Recommended Online Readings:
Scholarly Books I’ve written:
- Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
- Hist Jesus Anthology
- Interpreting the Synoptic Gospels
- Introducing NT Interpretation
- Jesus and His Death
- Jesus in Memory (ed.)
- New Vision for Israel
- Synoptics: Biblio
- The Face of New Testament Studies
- Who Do They Say I Am?
Scholarship Online:
- Apollos
- Books & Culture
- ChristianityToday
- CS Lewis
- EAC
- Early Xian Writings
- Euaggelion
- Gospels
- Jesus and His Death Blog
- Karl Barth Online
- Mark Goodacre’s Weblog
- Online Journals Access
- Online Pseudepigraph
- Pete Enns
- Prime Time Jesus
- Theopedia
- ThinkTank
Stuff online:
- 5 Streams
- Big Muddy
- Catalyst Scripture
- Catching the Wave
- DaVinci Code
- Forgiveness
- Future or Fad?
- Gospel of Judas
- High Calling
- Interview on Emerging
- Interview with LL Barkat
- IVCF Eikons
- IVCF Gospel
- John Bunyan
- Keys of the Kingdom
- Lake Emerging
- Mary in CT
- Missional in Seattle
- Missional Matrix
- Nativity Story
- Never Alone
- New Perspective
- Pepperdine Interview
- Professor as Scholar
- Recl Mind Mary 1
- Robust Gospel
- Social Justice
- Trojan Horse 2
- WiredParish Mary Interview
- Word/World NPP















posted January 8, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Wow…I’m not sure what to think about this…
posted January 8, 2009 at 4:44 pm
I read this article a few days ago and found it really interesting. Certainly, parish closings are a reality in many Catholic dioceses, particularly as the Catholic Church is facing a number of financial problems.
I think there is a more interesting discussion going on here then what is made explicit and that is the controversy over Catholic identity. A number of Catholics would say that a parish that has no priest, and has had statues, altar cloths, the tabernacle, etc, removed is no longer really a parish. Without the sacraments, for most of the Catholic tradition, a church is no longer a church.
Obviously, there is different thinking about that among many of the people involved in movements to keep these churches open and certainly their emphasis on community, prayer and the like is very familiar to those of us who come out of the Protestant tradition.
posted January 8, 2009 at 4:48 pm
Mary, I thought the same thing: a strong, local church identity was visible in some of the comments.
posted January 8, 2009 at 4:51 pm
Big deal!
We have had sleep-ins at our church every Sunday AM since I arrived over 7 years ago!
Who says those pews are uncomfortable?
I enjoy seeing my people resting in the Lord.
posted January 8, 2009 at 5:02 pm
It’s neat that the church here is still staying together and has found community, but I would hope that they wouldn’t be so much attached to the building as they are the community. Really I’m sure they could find another building or space to at least rent out for a while for large gatherings, but the building is not really necessary. But that is my protestant upbringing’s ignorance speaking out, I’m sure many people are trying to hold to the Catholic tradition.
Anyway if the money from selling this facility could be put to use somewhere else that is important as well while the church managed to find a new place I think that they should probably respect their leaders. Hopefully they can try and raise money to be able to afford a priest and the things necessary to keep with the Catholic tradition if they wish to do so. And if they seriously disagree with the Archdiocese then they should pull out a little Matthew 18, respectfully and lovingly cause the last thing we need as one holy catholic church is more disunity. It makes me sad that these parishes are having to be closed down, but it’s cool to see people toughing it out.
This sort of reminds me of the Shane Claiborne story, but without the homeless people.
posted January 9, 2009 at 9:27 am
Homeless Drew,
My sense is that the Archdiocese is not just moving the church to a new location and selling the building, but actually closing it entirely. Or merging it into other RC churches in the area. Hence I think it’s not the building they’re concerned with as much as the specific community. And if they’re willing to do all this, it’s clearly a living church.
I am entirely in favor of the people keeping their church open. But then again, I’m radically Protestant in ecclesiology (I like a lot of Catholic teaching on other matters), so the lack of official priest and statues and stuff doesn’t bother me at all.