Dallas
What some would call the most prominent bishop within the United Methodist Church announced he is leaving the denomination to join up with the new splintering organization, the Global Methodist Church. He is Scott Jones, who retired as a UMC bishop at the end of 2022 and became a GMC bishop at the beginning of 2023. He comes from a very prominent UMC family; his brother was dean at Duke Divinity School and is now president of Belmont University. During his tenure as bishop in Texas, more than half of UMC churches in Texas voted to leave the denomination.
Lexington
The Asbury Revival continues to gather people, albeit at a new location, and stir up commentary. The University moved the religious event off their campus for operational and security reasons; it found a home, perhaps temporarily, in the 23,000+ seat Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington, a few miles north of Wilmore. People continue to speak and write commentary about the event. The latest includes a video from the Dominican House of Prayer asserting the Evangelical revival was an answer to the prayers of Catholic people and an essay from Public Orthodoxy promoting Orthodox hospitality to “a time of genuine renewal” inspired by the Asbury revival.
New York
King’s College in New York City becomes the latest of a series of prominent Evangelical schools to face closure. Interim president Matthew Parks announced the school needed $2.5 just to finish this spring semester. Students are already being advised to seek transfer to finish their education. Other schools struggling with the financial crisis include Trinity University in Chicago, Fuller Seminary in southern California, and Gordon Conwell Seminary in Massachusetts. Although not in the category of Evangelical schools, liberal arts college Birmingham Southern also is struggling to survive.
Hollywood
Lionsgate released its new film “Jesus Revolution” over the weekend, grossing more than $15 million in ticket sales. The movie is based on a book by the same name and tells the story of the beginnings of the Jesus Movement in the late 1960s in southern California. Kelsey Grammar plays the lead role of pastor Chuck Smith of Calvary Chapel. Audiences have been favorable, but critics are split in their judgment. The music is popular, but the story line of main hippy character Lonnie Frisbee is under-developed, especially his gay identity and activity.
Washington DC
Public Religion Research Institute released the summary of their findings about public support for abortion. Two thirds of Americans continue to support a right to abortion in all or most circumstances. Even a majority of Republicans share this commitment. Among religious groups, only Latter Day Saints, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hispanic Protestants, and White Evangelicals fail to support abortion in most or all circumstances. They found that attitudes have not shifted since the Supreme Court ruling last June.
