What is the church to make of the many new expressions of worship springing up across the nation and the world? A gathering of academic theologians, New Worshiping Community practitioners, and leaders from within Presbyterian councils met at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary to start the conversation. New Worshiping Communities documents those discussions and provides theological and biblical foundations to the 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The participants in this conversation have sought to put flesh on the bones of what a New Worshiping Community is, by defining it as: New Seeking to make and form new disciples of Jesus Christ Taking on varied forms of church for our changing culture Worshiping Gathered by the Spirit to meet Jesus Christ in Word and sacrament Sent by the Spirit to join Gods mission for the transformation of the world Community Practicing mutual care and accountability Developing sustainability in leadership and finances

Ashley Cocksworth presents Karl Barth as a theologian who not only produces a strong and vibrant theology of prayer, but also grounds theology itself in the practice of prayer. Prayer and theology are revealed to be integrally related in Barth's understanding of the dogmatic task. Cocksworth provides careful analysis of a range of key texts in Barth's thought in which the theme of prayer emerges with particular interest. He analyzes: Barth's writings on the Sabbath and uncovers an unexpected theology of contemplative prayer; the doctrine of creation of the Church Dogmatics and explores its prioritization of petitionary prayer; and the ethics of the doctrine of reconciliation in which a 'turn to invocation' is charted and the final 'resting place' of Barth's theology of prayer is found. Through the theme of prayer fundamental questions are asked about the relation of human agency to divine agency as conceived by Barth, and new insights are offered into his understandings of the nature and task of theology, pneumatology, sin, baptism, religion, and sanctification. The result is a rich engagement with Barth's theology of prayer, an advancement of scholarship on Karl Barth, and a constructive contribution to the theology of prayer.

This revealing read will give you an opportunity to learn from history. How do strong confessional churches that seem to be doing all the right things drift inexorably from the truth?. What is clear from Ian Hamilton's fascinating study is that it doesn't happen over night but it is a gradual erosion of theological and doctrinal standards. Nineteenth century Scotland was seen as a Christian nation composed of church-going people. Among its churches, Presbyterianism was strongest, and within Presbyterianism there were several large denominations. The future looked bright and optimism marked many of the church leaders and congregations. Yet the sad fact is that most of them were blind to the presence of the warning signs that ultimately caused the decline and not the continued growth of the church in Scotland. To understand how this happened Ian Hamilton looks at the changes that took place within one of these large Presbyterian denominations - the United Presbyterian Church - and analyses the roots, developments and consequences of these changes, particularly the departure from the doctrines summarised in the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is a salutary lesson to observe that the movements for church unions and increased evangelism of the nineteenth century were not signs of spiritual health; instead they were inadequate sticking plasters that hid dangerous spiritual disease. This book also includes discussion on the nature of subscription to the Confession at time of 1733 secession, the atonement controversy 1841-45, the Union controversy 1863-1873 and 1879 United Presbyterian Church Declaratory Act.

Reforming the Kirk is essential reading for anyone who cares about the future of the Church of Scotland or who wants to understand the deep challenges facing it in contemporary Scotland. The Church of Scotland has had a profound social and cultural influence on all aspects of Scottish life for over 450 years. Yet many feel that times now are harder for the Church than ever before - and that spirits are low. People are asking what has happened to the Church that they have loved, served and belonged to for so long and how the Church can have a strong, vibrant future. The Church's motto, semper reformanda, means 'always to be reformed,' but what kind of reformation is needed now to bring about the future for which so many so long? Doug Gay's analysis brings a rich blend of historical, theological and cultural understanding to bear on analysing patterns of decline within the context of a secularising Scotland and proposing bold and creative ways for the Kirk to respond. Based on the 2017 Chalmers Lectures.

Church officer training for the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in America. Materials also apply to any reformed denominations using elders, deacons, sessions, presbyteries, and synods.