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Spiritual but not religious Americans finding new ways to pursue meaning

By Morgan Shipley Michigan State University THE CONVERSATION According to a recent Pew Center report, American Christianity remains in a nearly three-decade decline. Responding as “none” or “unaffiliated” on religious surveys, people increasingly identify as humanists, atheists, agnostics, or simply spiritual. If current trends continue, by 2070 Christianity may no longer be the dominant expression of American religion. As a scholar who studies alternative spirituality and new religious movements in the United States, I believe the reality of America’s diverse religious ...

A slow-motion schism

United Methodists have for generations been a mainstay of the American religious landscape — one of the most geographically widespread of the major Protestant denominations, their steeples visible on urban streets, in county seats and along country roads, their ethos marked by a firm yet ...

Identity can be found in Christ

Identity is defined as a noun. A noun is a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things (common noun), or to name a particular one of these (proper noun). Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines identity as a noun: Sameness, as distinguished from similitude and diversity. We speak of the identity of goods found, the identity of persons, or of personal identity. The fact of being who or what a person or thing is. “he knows the identity of the bank robbers” for example. It is often observed of a young person or teenager, “They are having ...

The word ‘so’ and God’s love for us

For God so loved the world — John 3:16 In our first article we considered the God of John 3:16. We said that He was the great “I AM” of Exodus 3:14. He was also the Creator God of Genesis, and the God of Moses, Abraham, Daniel, Nicodemus, and the woman at the well. In this article, we want to move on to the next few words in our text, “so loved the world.” The word “so” has the meaning of, “marking degree of intensity, so greatly.” Sometimes we tell our grand-children, “I love you so much;” that means I love you a lot. These two words are describing the ...

The rescuing power of the Gospel

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. — 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Who will inherit the Kingdom of God? According to Scripture, those who have repented of their sin (Acts ...

Religion briefs

Editor’s note: To submit a nonprofit announcement to The Sentinel’s Religion section, contact Tom Laub at (717) 248-6741 or by email at living@lewistownsentinel.com. Items also may be faxed to (717) 248-3481 or sent to The Sentinel, 352 Sixth St., Lewistown, PA 17044. Items must be received by Tuesday for publication in the Saturday edition. Submissions will be published as space allows. The editor reserves the right to edit all submissions. ••• UMC to host Bible study LEWISTOWN — First Bakers United Methodist Church will host a Bible study every Wednesday at 7 p.m. ...