What is Progressive Christianity?
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who recognize the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God's realm, and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us. - The Eight Points of Progressive Christianity, The Center of Progressive Christianity
We strive to be an inclusive community, one that declares that we are not the whole thing. But, we are merely a part of the whole. We see ourselves as a community within the broader community of God. We want to point beyond ourselves, demonstrating God's inclusive, universal love for all.
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus. - The Eight Points of Progressive Christianity.
By studying the life and teachings of Jesus, we hope to find the way to go beyond the Golden Rule. Jesus demonstrated a way of loving without expecting anything in return. He talked about a place where love flows unconditionally. Living in this place - in the Presence- led Jesus to deeds of compassion, to stand up for justice, to speak truth to power, to challenge systems of violence, to identify with the oppressed, to speak the prophetic word. In his actions, his life and his teachings, Jesus changes the night to daylight and provides us a pathway toward Life.
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who...
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who know that the way we behave toward one another and toward other people is the fullest expression of what we believe.
- from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
We understand that we will have differences of opinion. But we encourage each other to express those differences with humility, tolerance and respect. Jesus preached to his community of followers as people who would have strong differences, as people who would constantly have to forgive each other. He held up a standard for how to deal with feelings of anger and with conflict. We hope to demonstrate by example how to reconcile division and resolve disputes.
We find more grace in the search for meaning than in absolute certainty, in the questions than in the answers. - from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
Faith is being able to live and act hopefully and confidently without all the answers, without resolution, in the face of our human limitations. And so, this is a community where you might be likely to discover more questions than answers. We take the Bible seriously but not literally. We acknowledge and honor the mystery.
We form ourselves into communities dedicated to equipping one another for the work we feel called to do: striving for peace and justice among all people, protecting and restoring the integrity of all God's creation and bringing hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers.
We recognize that being followers of Jesus is costly and entails selfless love, conscientious resistance to evil and renunciation of privilege. - from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
Progressive Christianity involves rolling up our sleeves and equipping each other to work and recognizing that following Jesus is costly. Jesus invites us to follow him and join in the unpopular and perilous struggle for justice and waging of peace.
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who recognize the faithfulness of other people who have other names for the way to God's realm, and acknowledge that their ways are true for them, as our ways are true for us. - The Eight Points of Progressive Christianity, The Center of Progressive Christianity
We strive to be an inclusive community, one that declares that we are not the whole thing. But, we are merely a part of the whole. We see ourselves as a community within the broader community of God. We want to point beyond ourselves, demonstrating God's inclusive, universal love for all.
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus. - The Eight Points of Progressive Christianity.
By studying the life and teachings of Jesus, we hope to find the way to go beyond the Golden Rule. Jesus demonstrated a way of loving without expecting anything in return. He talked about a place where love flows unconditionally. Living in this place - in the Presence- led Jesus to deeds of compassion, to stand up for justice, to speak truth to power, to challenge systems of violence, to identify with the oppressed, to speak the prophetic word. In his actions, his life and his teachings, Jesus changes the night to daylight and provides us a pathway toward Life.
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who...
- Understand the sharing of bread and wine in Jesus' name to be a representation of an ancient vision of God's feast for all peoples;
- Invite all people to participate in our community and worship life without insisting that they become like us in order to be acceptable. - from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who know that the way we behave toward one another and toward other people is the fullest expression of what we believe.
- from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
We understand that we will have differences of opinion. But we encourage each other to express those differences with humility, tolerance and respect. Jesus preached to his community of followers as people who would have strong differences, as people who would constantly have to forgive each other. He held up a standard for how to deal with feelings of anger and with conflict. We hope to demonstrate by example how to reconcile division and resolve disputes.
We find more grace in the search for meaning than in absolute certainty, in the questions than in the answers. - from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
Faith is being able to live and act hopefully and confidently without all the answers, without resolution, in the face of our human limitations. And so, this is a community where you might be likely to discover more questions than answers. We take the Bible seriously but not literally. We acknowledge and honor the mystery.
We form ourselves into communities dedicated to equipping one another for the work we feel called to do: striving for peace and justice among all people, protecting and restoring the integrity of all God's creation and bringing hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers.
We recognize that being followers of Jesus is costly and entails selfless love, conscientious resistance to evil and renunciation of privilege. - from "Eight Points of Progressive Christianity"
Progressive Christianity involves rolling up our sleeves and equipping each other to work and recognizing that following Jesus is costly. Jesus invites us to follow him and join in the unpopular and perilous struggle for justice and waging of peace.
