In Leading from the Center, sociologist William Weston provides an enlightening look at the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the tensions that exist between key groups in the denomination. Weston defines the key groups as conservatives, liberals, and loyalists and structures his view of the denomination around the third group. Defining “loyalists” as the largest and those who have no wish to see the denomination split apart, Weston argues that while conservatives may consider splitting the church over doctrinal issues and liberals may consider splitting the church over social issues, the loyalists want to work for peace and unity in an effort to hold the church together. His in-depth analysis examines the “left” and “right” sides of the church and their competition to win the loyalist center to their respective sides. Meticulously researched but engaging and insightful, Leading from the Center is a concise sketch of the denomination that is often surprising and always revealing.
William J. Weston is John M. and Louise Van Winkle Professor of Sociology at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky. He is an elder in the Presbyterian Church and has published several books, including Presbyterian Pluralism: Competition in a Protestant House .
