Sherry Chandler

What is the nature of a church?

BagNewsNotes has a follow-up on the nature of the events at Highview Baptist Church in Louisville this last Sunday:

When it comes to the culture war, these crusaders do a wonderful job massaging the message. In varying accounts of this program, I’ve seen it described primarily (by an all too malleable press) as a rally or a religious meeting. These terms are specifically reinforced to convey legitimacy and associations to sanctity. Except, this was not anything close to a service or a rally, it was a political infomercial.

From the news images and the news reports, you might also think it was held in a church. Technically, it was. But this edifice — the Highview Baptist mega-church in Louisville, Kentucky — is as much a broadcast facility as anything else — with walls, balcony, and ceiling filled with sophisticated lighting, sound and staging systems. In examining these houses of worship broadcast, what we are really witnessing — especially with productions like this — are studios reminiscent of churches filled with studio audiences reminiscent of parishioners.

Meanwhile, over at Have Coffee Will Write, Jeff Hess has this to say about Joe Phelps, Reba Cobb, and the Highland Baptist Church:

Forgive me as an outsider to their faith for commenting, but after reading the statements of Pastor Joe Phelps and Reba Cobb posted on the Highland Baptist Church website, I must say they, and their supporters, represent how, I’ve always understood, Christians are supposed to be.

I’m not sure how appropriate this may be, but I think the Christians who stood up this weekend to the actions of the Theocons deserve our support and thanks. I’m sending a modest check to Pastor Phelps’ congregation with a thank you note for doing the right thing.

You should take a look at Highland’s website. It provides a link to Joe Phelp’s statement , and to his editorial in the Courier Journal, “A Tale of Two Churches.” What I like most about Highland’s web page, though, is it’s slogan: “A thinking, feeling, healing community of faith.” Highview, on the other hand, aggressively flashes: “Exalting, Equipping, Evangelizing: Together we are growing strong.”

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(In)Justice Sunday

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