Religious commentary on evangelical beliefs and church sermons

responsibility sermons of Reformed Judaism and the Unitarians as well as the 19" Century hymns and high |.Q. apologetics of some Presbyterian and Methodist clergy, are like near beer. Formally equivalent but without the rush and the delicious risk and promise of life long addiction. National opinion polls have found my preference for churchly fireworks in religious experience quite common. My Charismatic Christian sons are among the many with a preference for and loving labeling of these kinds of houses of worship as rock and roll churches. In a recent survey of Americans, 46% of respondents claim to be twice born, Evangelical Christians. Perhaps unfortunate with respect to their children’s academic and professional ambitions, 48% do not accept a Darwinian view of biology. Fifty million American readers are now buying books with plots taken from the Babylonian prophecies and anticipate the Rapture of Return with weekly, joyful, mini-rehearsals. They include praying in tongues as the Spirit moves them like Peter, John, James and the rest of the one hundred and twenty in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. Those of us with two or more available cable religious networks can, on any given Sunday morning, choose a smiling, kind, Proverbs quoting, rational Presbyterian liturgical stylist. In his seventies, standing tall with a full head of white hair and in a quietly resonant voice, he delivers a sermon about seven ways to avoid growing old. His list includes learning new things and continuing to work. His spiritual proposal was about personal faith, always leaning on the Lord. On another network, the three hundred pound, restlessly pacing preacher of the Cornerstone Assembly of God Church of San Antonio, Texas, stood in front of large maps of Iraq and the Middle East. He preached from Ezekiel about the refleshing of dry bones and a return of all Jews to Israel. He said that contributions to his church over the past year helped finance the return of 4000 Russian Jews to Israel. He reiterated the promise that, when the return was completed, there would be a massive Islamic attack on Jerusalem and “we will all rise up to Heaven” in an_ ecstatic disappearance. Jews, as long as they accepted Jesus as their Savior, were welcomed along on the ride. More then two thousand parishioners erupted into loud applause along with shouts of “praise Jesus.” 169 HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_013669