The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) will be considering a report in June from the Peace Unity and Purity (PUP) Taskforce that has been years in the making. The report contains several important and controversial recommendations. In anticipation of the meeting and to foster some dialog about larger issues in the church, I invite you to join me in a book discussion on my blog starting May 2, 2006. I will begin a series of eight posts by doing a chapter-by-chapter summary (Intro and seven chapters) of Leading from the Center: Strengthening the Pillars of the Church by Dr. William J. "Beau" Weston. (a.k.a "Gruntled," as in the Gruntled Center.) This book is an extension of an earlier book, Presbyterian Pluralism: Competition in a Protestant House. Dr. Weston is an Associate Professor of Sociology at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky.
I don't know if the task force read this book published in 2003, but the PUP report mirrors much of the thinking. You can read Beau's post A Church of Millions Will Never Be Pure from last December if you want some insight into his thinking. The book is less than 120 pages. I expect to cover the introduction and the first three chapters in one week and finish the last four chapters the next week. I have contacted Beau, and even though he will be running right up to finals at that time, he will also check in on the conversation.
I hope you will join me in what I think should be a very good discussion.
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