Amy K. Butler Takes On New Challenges at New York City’s Riverside Church

The Wall Street Journal ^ | April 3, 2015 | Melanie Grayce West

[Gamecock]

Riverside, a liberal Protestant church known for its history of social-justice advocacy, has hosted world leaders such as Nelson Mandela,Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu and Bill Clinton.

“I know that this church is begging for new life,” said Dr. Butler, 45 years old. “That process of resurrection involves some dying. This is what we believe in our Christian tradition.”

One-on-one, Dr. Butler is witty and self-deprecating, and her sermons tend to be about 10 minutes shorter than those of her predecessors, congregants say.

[Gamecock]

So a divorced female gets a pulpit in a liberal church...

[Gamecock]

What is the so what of this? This was the pulpit of liberal "minister" Herry Emerson Fosdick, who's impact still resonates the American church scene today.

Harry Emerson Fosdick and the Emerging Theology of Early Liberalism

[Gamecock]

Ping

[longtermmemmory]

This just confirms the WSJ news department is just a liberal or more so than the NYT.

This is just another “multiple choice menu” feel good, no standards government sanctioned hedonism church.

[ealgeone]

what could possibly go wrong?

[detective]

This is not a church. It is devoid of spiritual values.

It is a leftist operations center with a $150 million endowment, 600 churchgoers and a communist agenda.

The endowment mentioned, (there may be others) is probably Rockefeller money but it is doubtful any of the family attend.

It is a place that only exists so that people can spend the endowment.

[Mrs. Don-o]

She has a $15 million annual budget, and usually only has 600 in the pews? Each of the 600 would have to give approx. $23,000 a year to keep it going.

Good thing she has a huge trust fund to dip into.

Wow.

[wbarmy]

If each of the 600 REALLY tithed, she could probably get real close to that amount.

But no real Tithers would ever attend that church.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Very true ---- that occurred to me.

But as a rule, liberals give very little of their own money.

But not to worry, there are plenty of foundations that would love to chip in: a million here, a million there....

[wastoute]

How can a social justice pastor give a sermon at all. What makes what she has to say worth more than the janitor?

[Dr. Thorne]

1 Timothy 2:12

[Loyalist]

An ASA of 600 would be relatively healthy for a liberal Protestant congregation in Manhattan.

The story is probably much the same throughout the liberal congregations there: low ASA but huge endowments the clergy will still be burning through to finance their pet causes even after the last congregant dies or quits.

Nice work if you can get it: piles of money to spend on pet projects with little accountability to anyone, short hours and no heavy lifting.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Very true.

[fungoking]

This isn't a church, it is a wing of the dim party that has carry in dinners.

Just write “Ichabod” above the door and be done with it.

[the_Watchman]

Nice work if you can get it: piles of money to spend on pet projects with little accountability to anyone, short hours and no heavy lifting.

I think the opposite. The congregants there have the same problems as everyone else, but the clergy has nothing substantial to offer them hope other than empty platitudes. The "lifting" must be oppressive.

Paul was sustained in his faith. These folks must have trouble sleeping at night.

[ken5050]

"HANDS UP! DON'T SHOOT!"

[Gamecock]

the clergy has nothing substantial to offer them hope other than empty platitudes

Joel Osteen to the courtesy phone.

[RnMomof7]

Leaders say the church plugged along with temporary pastors, operating in a kind of maintenance-mode. Plans to rebrand the church

Seems that is what they have already done ...maybe they should try preaching Christ crucified

[sphinx]

How can a social justice pastor give a sermon at all. What makes what she has to say worth more than the janitor?

A divorced mom who doesn't have custody of the kids, and/or moved away from them while they finish high school? I think I'd be more inclined to listen to the janitor.