Blink and you’ll miss this incredible moment of unity.
CHR Comment: The agreement was approved by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the liberal/progressive branch of Lutherans in America. The agreement may prepare the way toward greater cooperation between the two church bodies but significant barriers to full fellowship exist, such as the ordination of women and of actively homosexual clergy.
Source: U.S. Lutherans Approve Historic Agreement With Catholic Church
(RNS) The new plan comes as mainline Protestant seminaries take steps to weather financial storms caused by an average drop in enrollments of nearly 24 percent since 2005.
CHR Comment: The seminaries were overstaffed, running deficits, and had a diminishing number of students. A joint committee quickly made the decision to restructure. Both institutions were seminaries of the ELCA which has suffered loss of membership in recent years due to changing teachings on human sexuality and other issues.
Source: Two Lutheran seminaries to close and reopen as new school – Religion News Service
The article begins by describing the appauling sharp decline in Sunday School, including 40% decline in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. It goes on to give some history of the Sunday School movement.
Has the sun set on Sunday school?.
church history review 