Cynthia B. Astle
The Mysteries of Death
The death of her beloved mother-in-law, Evelyn Grebe, resurrects the age-old questions about the deepest mysteries of life and death, writes Cynthia B. Astle. more
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We're Overlooking Our Most Compelling Covenant
United Methodism's current debates over who has broken or kept "the covenant" ignore the most compelling covenant of all -- our baptismal vows, writes Cynthia B. Astle. more
Phyllis and the Pope: Loving the Unlovable
The convergence of Pope Francis' U.S. visit with the death of religion expert Phyllis Tickle underscores something significant for fractious United Methodists, namely Jesus' call to love the unlovable, writes Cynthia B. Astle. more
UMC's Welcome to Catholic LGBT Group Proves 'Equally Blessed'
Arch Street United Methodist Church in Philadelphia showed brotherly love for a Catholic group devoted to LGBT inclusion when the group was refused entry to a Catholic event visited by Pope Francis. more
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Here's What I Have to Say About Baltimore
The eruption of violence in Baltimore in the wake of the police custody death of Freddie Gray prompts a response from UM Insight coordinator Cynthia B. Astle. more
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Indiana's RFRA and the UMC: A Moral Imperative
The furor over Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration – seen by critics as granting businesses license to discriminate against LGBTQ people – reflects The United Methodist Church's own dilemma over its anti-LGBTQ stances. more
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Emotional First Aid for United Methodism
A TED talk by psychologist Guy Winch awakens Insight coordinator Cynthia B. Astle to the United Methodist Church's need for "emotional first aid." more
Western Wildfires, Eastern Flooding Threaten United States
With 127 wildfires burning in the West and flash floods continuing to threaten the East in the United States, United Methodists are urged to continue supporting the church's efforts at disaster relief and recovery. more
Complaint Against Jeff Sessions Dismissed as 'Political, not Personal'
Alabama-West Florida Conference leaders determined that the complaints brought against the U.S. attorney general referred to actions related to the performance of his public service, not personal behaviors. more
Could Challenging Our Assumptions Be the Answer for UMC Unity?
A talk by the Rev. Adam Hamilton on interpreting the Bible offers a way to keep the United Methodist Church together: dropping our assumptions about scripture and one another. more
Once More, with Feelings
Panelists at the July 16-18 Uniting Methodists' conference in Dallas spoke with deep emotion about being accepted by the church and about their devotion to seeing the church stay together. more
Uniting Methodists Pray, Strategize
Combining revival with strategy, Uniting Methodists lay out their plan to promote acceptance of the 'One Church' unity model at the 2019 General Conference. more
Detained Teen-Agers Prayers Lifted Up by UMC Sponsoring Worship Team Visits
Sponsor of teams to bring worship to detained immigrant teen-agers, Highland Park UMC in Dallas translates the youths' prayer requests into English and posts them for intercession by its members. more
North Texas Interfaith Group Provides Worship for Detained Youths
An interfaith team from North Texas brought joy and hope to youths at a U.S. immigration detention camp near El Paso. more
Uniting the Two Long Divided, Evangelism and Social Justice
Proponents of the "Traditional" Way Forward model argue that the UMC should forego social justice for "pure evangelism," while progressives see the two as inextricably linked yet they often don't follow through on the linkage. more
The House Doesn't Always Win
The machinations of United Methodist "powers that be" give a feeling that the playing field for the 2019 General Conference is being rigged for a certain outcome. more
San Antonio UMC Hosts National Gun Safety Event
La Trinidad United Methodist Church in San Antonio, Texas, has become a gathering place where people can discuss and work on community issues such as gun safety. more
The Great Temptation of Shunning Our Adversaries
An uncomfortable spiritual discernment leads Cynthia B. Astle to question whether retributive actions are ethically correct for American Christians in the face of today's widespread injustices. more
Former First Lady, Other UMs Ramp Up Resistance to Separating Immigrant Families
United Methodists, including former first lady Laura Bush, have increased their opposition to the Trump Administration's policy of separation immigrant children from their families. more
When Will We Stop Abuse of Immigrant Children?
The forced separation of immigrant children from their parents by the U.S. Border Patrol is state-sponsored child abuse that United Methodists should be working to stop immediately. more
New York Conference Elects LGBTQ People for Half its 2019 Delegation
An ad hoc group had hoped to elect an entire delegation of LGBTQ clergy and laity, but the composition of the New York delegation fulfills the goal of a 2017 conference resolution to elect more LGBTQ delegates. more
New York Conference Aims for All-LGBTQI Delegation for 2019
Members of the New York Annual Conference will vote June 9 on delegates to the special 2019 General Conference on United Methodist unity. more
The Stakes Are Higher in 2019 than We Thought
Two eminent United Methodist jurists warn that the church is facing a constitutional crisis as its leadership has violated church law in the Way Forward process and other events. more
Judicial Council Allows Alternative Proposals for 2019 General Conference
In what is widely seen as a blow to the Commission on A Way Forward process, the Judicial Council rejects the Council of Bishops' argument that the 2019 General Conference is limited to hearing only its Way Forward proposal. more
Talkin' Southern to the Church
Sometimes, Cynthia B. Astle's Southern heritage just wins out when it comes to considering events in religion news. more
About Those General Conference Registration Fees ...
A decision to charge $200-per-person registration fees for the 2019 General Conference is already having the opposite effect of what the General Conference Commission intended. more
Join the Witness to Jesus Happening Beyond the UMC
Two parallel campaigns – one interfaith and one Christian – debuted this week as ways for Christians to join in public witness to Jesus and his teachings in America. more