Toward 2015: A Church Odyssey

by Roger J. White and Richard Kew

Book Overview

Richard Kew, the director of the Russian Ministry Network, and Roger White, the Episcopal Bishop of Milwaukee, chart the course that churches must take in order to achieve the goal of a strong,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1561011363
• ISBN13: 9781561011360
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Cowley Publications
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Looking at the future imperfect form...

Richard Kew, a missions specialist with the Episcopal church, and Roger White, bishop of Milwaukee, wrote this text nearly ten years ago, looking at what the Episcopal church might be like in the early part of the twenty-first century. One of their primary concerns, reiterated in various forms throughout their text, is one of growth and decline - like many of the mainline churches (they actually use the term 'oldline' church, here), the Episcopal church is suffering from both a numerically declining and graying congregation. While there is nothing wrong with the average age of congregations rising (indeed, given the general statistical trends in American population, this would be expected), it is somewhat alarming to the mainline churches that fewer younger people seem to join the church, either as laypersons or as ministers.Given my status as a seminary student and teacher, perhaps the most important chapter to me, apart from their analysis of general trends in the churches for the coming decade, was the chapter on re-engineering of theological education. Many of their criticisms and observations struck home, but perhaps the most telling sentence for me is this - they acknowledge that the church is in many respects unwelcoming toward those who have a call to ministry, and as a result, these people end up becoming talented leaders in other traditions. I must raise my hand here, as I am one of them. I disagree with their general analysis of the church looking for self-selected leaders for ministry - my experience was precisely the opposite, being told in effect, 'who do you think you are, thinking you could be a priest!' However, there was certainly no welcome to me, or a host of other people, who might have ended up serving the church well, in ordained or other capacities, but as a result of the uncaring attitude of the hierarchy (which was, essentially, don't let the door hit you on the way out), I, along with many others, now serve in other ministries under other auspices. I would love to see a chapter on reconciliation, on how the church-national can reach out to these persons the church-local rejected, often for needless and senseless reasons. As I have told many persons, clergy and lay alike, I would give most anything to rejoin the Episcopal church, but cannot sacrifice my integrity, and that seems to be what is required; I was heartened to see that there are many people in the same position, judging from Kew and White's text.One of the criticisms I have of this text is that it is very mission and evangelism oriented, but spends too little time talking about what it is that is being disseminated. Their criticism of seminary being somewhat impractical and too concentrated on topics such as systematic theology at the expense of evangelism and practical ministry are founded in some truth, but there is also the truth that the marketing aspects of evangelism should never take precedence over the message. What does the Episcopal church