News

Quotation Marks

Recent comments from Oprah Winfrey, Jim Wallis, and others that have stirred the pot.

“We promise to make Wednesday a day of esteem for our Lord.”Peter Bagley, pastor of United Protestant Church in Morgan Park, Minnesota, on moving Sunday morning worship to Wednesday nights during the summer, when attendance is about half that of winter. Source: Duluth News Tribune

“People often ask me what is the secret to the success of this show …. I non-jokingly say, ‘My team and Jesus,’ because nothing but the hand of God has made this possible for me.”Oprah Winfrey, on the last day of her eponymous show’s 25-year run. Source: The Oprah Winfrey Show

“[T]hese debates have not been at the core of our calling … [so] we chose not to become involved in the controversy that such a major ad campaign could entail.”Jim Wallis, explaining why Sojourners rejected an ad from the gay rights group Believe Out Loud. The decision was severely criticized by many on the Left. Source: Sojourners

“To the extent that the alleged statements yet convey any defamatory meaning, it is a pronouncement of the moral judgment of a pastor upon the conduct of a church member.”Judge Jack M. Battaglia of New York, dismissing a defamation lawsuit brought by a woman against her pastor. The pastor had called the woman a “whore” for renting a room to his daughter and a married man with whom she was living. Source: Religion Clause

Copyright © 2011 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Related Elsewhere:

Earlier Quotation Marks columns are available from June 2011, May 2011, April 2011, March 2011, February 2011, January 2011, December 2010, November 2010, October 2010, September 2010, August 2010, July 2010, June 2010, May 2010, April 2010, March 2010, February 2010, January 2010, December 2009, November 2009, October 2009, September 2009, August 2009, July 2009, June 2009, May 2009, April 2009, and earlier issues of Christianity Today

See Christianity Today‘s news section and liveblog for more news updates.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

Refocusing on the Family

Sarah Pulliam Bailey

My Top 5 Books On Heaven

Paul Enns

Jesus: Democratic King

John Witte Jr.

Joy in the Midst of Terror

Interview by Joe Carter

Back to the Garden

Tony Carnes

City Parish: An Australian Builds NYC Networks

Mark Moring

The Power and the Glamour

The Paul We Think We Know

Timothy Gombis

News

Youth Movement: Finns Seek Renewal

Ruth Moon

Review

Picturing Paradise: A Review of 'Heaven in the American Imagination'

Bill Walker

Dying Decisions: Should Relatives Intervene?

Dennis Sullivan, Rob Moll, and Robert Orr

A Second-Coming Christian

Harry Potter Is Here to Stay

John Granger

News

A Liberating Woman: A Reflection on the Founder of Christians for Biblical Equality

Elaine Storkey

Review

Common Grace and Amazing Grace: A Review of David Brooks's 'The Social Animal'

Books to Note

Trevin Wax

India's Grassroots Revival

Tim Stafford

News

Syria's Christians Back Assad

Dale Gavlak in Amman, Jordan, and Beirut, Lebanon, and Timothy C. Morgan

Readers Write

Excerpt

God Behaving Badly

David T. Lamb

Q & A: Bishop Kallistos Ware on the Fullness and the Center

News

Go Figure

News

Ministerial Murkiness: Biggest Religion Case in 20 Years?

Ken Walker

A Change of Focus

Family Talk, Family Business

Sarah Pulliam Bailey

News

Christian President Retains Office, Pastor Kidnapped in Mexico, & Other News

News

Passages

YouVersion's Volunteer Army

News

Should Marital Infidelity Disqualify a Candidate from Office?

Compiled by Ruth Moon

News

Multi-Site Churches Go Interstate

Bob Smietana

News

Renewal Groups Strategize after the PC(USA) Drops Celibacy Clause for Gay Clergy

Bobby Ross Jr.

Editorial

Harold Camping Is (Sort of) Right

A Christianity Today Editorial

View issue

Our Latest

Public Theology Project

Why Christians Ignore What the Bible Says About Immigrants

Believers can disagree on migration policies—but the Word of God should shape how we minister to vulnerable people.

Review

Apologetics Can Be a Balm—or Bludgeon

Daryn Henry

A new history of American apologetics from Daniel K. Williams offers careful detail, worthwhile lessons, and an ambitious, sprawling, rollicking narrative.

Hold the Phone?

Anna Mares

Faced with encouragement to lessen technology use, younger Christians with far-flung families wonder how to stay connected.

Norman Podhoretz Leaves a Legacy of Political Principle

Michael Cosper

The Jewish intellectual upheld the Judeo-Christian tradition.

The Russell Moore Show

Joseph Loconte on the War for Middle-Earth

What if the most decisive battles in our time aren’t fought with ballots or bombs—but with the imagination?

News

A House of Worship Without a Home

One year after the Palisades and Eaton fires, congregations meditate on what it means to be a church without a building.

‘The Image of God Was Always In My Mother’

Kate Lucky

Responses to our Sept-Oct issue.

Disintegration is the Church’s Greatest Threat

A note from Mission Advancement about the Big Tent Initiative and One Kingdom Campaign.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube