"In this age of evangelical megachurches with 24/7 programming and “relevant Bible teaching” (which is usually conservative and literalistic), one wonders if there is a place for smaller, more progressive, mainline Protestant churches. Diana Butler Bass takes the reader on a tour of just such communities, ones that are rooted in ancient Christian practices that transform individuals, congregations, and the world itself. Words like change, journey, practice, pilgrim, and transformation permeate this book, which is the culminating piece of a three-year project that includes two other Alban Institute published books: The Practicing Congregation (2004) and From Nomads to Pilgrims (2006)."

This morning, on my way to Dulles Airport to catch a flight, I was listening to radio coverage of the Virginia Tech massacre. The reporter was talking about shooter Cho Seung Hui, analyzing his personality and background, and trying to understand what may have motivated the college student to murder 32 people and then commit suicide.

While most of the media has been consumed by Don Imus’ racial slur against the Rutgers women’s basketball team, I have been thinking about that other case: the case of the Duke lacrosse players. My friends will probably laugh, because, for the sake of full disclosure, I went to Duke. But more than familial loyalty has me contemplating the Duke lacrosse case. The contrasts between it and the Imus situation – contrasts that emerged when the two stories collided in last week’s media cycle – are worth exploring as revelatory about our culture.

In the early 90s, I lived in Santa Barbara, Calif., and attended a dynamic, renewing, spiritually vital liberal congregation, Trinity Episcopal Church. There, I was fortunate enough to meet the Rt. Rev. Daniel Corrigan, an aged Episcopal bishop who was also the first bishop to ordain women to the priesthood. Dan Corrigan was a unique breed: one of those mid-20th century liberal princes of the pulpit, a Protestant minister whose stirring preaching and passionate commitment to social justice pushed Christians to enact God's shalom toward the oppressed and the outcast. He was both pastor and prophet. Even at the end of his life, Dan Corrigan wore the Holy Spirit like a mantle around his shoulders, always ready to speak for God.

Join the journey of generous-spirited Christians creating the church for the 21st century. Come join us at Washington National Cathedral to reflect on the direction of the church. Share in creating a time of holy space in worship, music, meals and prayer. Explore key areas including worship, hospitality, discernment, tradition, justice, formation and beauty, drawn from Diana Butler Bass’ latest book Christianity for the Rest of Us.

Articles of Faith: Why do some congregations thrive, others languish?
AUTHOR DIANA Butler Bass was puzzled. For years she'd been reading reports on the decline of mainline Protestant churches. Yet as she moved about the country, teaching and doing research in her field of American religion, she kept bumping into vital, growing, lively mainline Protestant congregations. Such congregations weren't supposed to be there, but they were.

Grace Cathedral Forum: For decades the accepted wisdom has been that America's mainline Protestant churches have been in decline, eclipsed by evangelical mega-churches. Church and religion expert Diana Butler Bass wondered if this was true. Christianity for the Rest of Us is the result of her extensive, three-year study of centrist and progressive churches across the country. Her surprising findings reveal just the opposite -- that many of the churches are flourishing, and they are doing so without resorting to mimicking the mega-church, evangelical style.