Revdarth.com

I’ve seen other “memes” running around out there and found this one to be quite interesting, esp considering my current profession. Bruce Reyes-Chow started this one up with his initial post on the topic. (Bruce incidentally is a potential candidate for PCUSA moderator for the next 2 years). Anyway, three ground rules on five questions

1. In about 25 words each, answer the following five questions;
2. Tag five Presbyterian bloggers and send them a note to let them know they were tagged;
3. Be sure to link or send a trackback to this post;

Here’s the five questions and my thoughts on each.

1. What is your earliest memory of being distinctly Presbyterian?
   Its pretty easy to recollect for me. I grew up ELCA and in college became involved with a college ministry of First Presbyterian Church in Boulder, CO. After some issues with the new senior pastor at the church I grew up in, I transferred my membership to FPC during my sophomore year in college (16 years ago). So I guess I can drive now as a Presbyterian!!!
2. On what issue/question should the PCUSA spend LESS energy and time?
   While the underlying issues are important, we need to spend less time, energy, and money on issues of sexuality. As long as I can remember within my time in the PCUSA, we have been fighting over these issues. It has drained resources and energy from other needs.
3. On what issue/question should the PCUSA spend MORE energy and time?
   Evangelism and sharing our faith. We have been navel (or other areas of the body) gazing for so many years that we rarely look outwards in any kind of coherent way.
4. If you could have the PCUSA focus on one passage of Scripture for an entire year, what would it be?
   Acts 15:22-35. This is a weird one to go to, but to me it is a great picture of how the church can come to a focus on sharing the faith in the midst of disagreement. It doesn’t present a picture of a new law coming down from the mountain, but instead the words, “It has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us…” regarding the controversy over whether Gentiles needed to follow the Jewish Law. This letter went to Paul and Barnabus, it lifted the spirits of the Gentiles in Antioch, and then the passage closes with how Paul and Barnabus, with many others, taught and proclaimed the Word of the Lord.
5. If the PCUSA were an animal, what would it be and why?
   What comes to mind right now is the pushmi-pullyu from Dr Doolittle. Like the this strange critter, the pushmi-pullyu has two heads that seem to want to go to very different directions. Its also not the most attractive looking creature. And finally, like the fictional pushmi-pullyu, the PCUSA will become extinct if it continues down the roads that it has been doing the last several decades.

And now to tagging others…I’ll just tag two for now. Doug and Jeff.