Current Events Discussion Group - November

“Separation of Church and State”
November 20th @ 7:00pm, Riverfalls Campus

Mission Statement:

The Current Events Discussion Group (CEDG) exists to explore and evaluate contemporary social, political and cultural issues so that each member may discern and apply their personal faith convictions within their daily lives.

The opinions and views expressed at the CEDG reflect those of the person who gave them and not New Life Church.

The CEDG will be meeting will be the third Thursday of the month at least for November and December to avoid the holidays.

Discussion Questions:

1. How did the concept of “separation of church and state” evolve in America and why?
2. Does “separation” demand that governing officials ignore their religious convictions to make decisions affecting public policy (i.e., how secular must/can a secular state be)?
3. How does the current level of “separation” degrade or benefit Christian/religious goals? Does this warrant a change in current practices?
4. Is the gospel a spiritual message, a political message or both? How should this understanding shape the way Christians (and/or the church) interact with the state?

Contact Information:

For more information on CEDG procedures and for an Information Packet addressing this month’s topic contact Tiffani Howard: 503.223.6357 or tiffani@howardink.com

Required Preparation

1. Scripture Reading: Romans 13:1-7 and Mark 12:13-17
2. Read the following articles:
   America’s Two Foundings by Mark Noll
   Separation of Church and State in the United States by Wikipedia
3. Pick and answer one of the Discussion Questions from the list above. Be prepared to give a 4-5 minute defense/presentation of your answer (i.e., less than one page written).
4. Consult at least two additional media sources dealing with the question you've chosen. These sources must reflect two varying/opposing answers to the question and they must be from reputable, evangelical sources.
5. If you do not complete the required preparation before the CEDG meeting then you may only participate in the discussion/questioning portion of the meeting.

Upcoming Monthly Topics:

Creation Meets Evolution • Is America a “Christian Nation”? • Evangelical Environmentalism • Christianity and the Israeli State • Old Testament Wars vs. Modern Wars