Understanding “The Gospel”: Why Authorship Claims Matter Dramatically – Part 1
Now there are at least two major types of people who do take seriously what is said in the New Testament (NT), which I’m summarizing here as “the Gospel.” Here are the two types, for our purposes in this very brief summary of NT understanding as it relates to who wrote the books…
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The Treasures of Darkness
Great Spirit, Source of Love and Life,
Help us bring an end to strife;
Fill all our hearts with peace and grace,
May we enhance the human race.
Joerg Rieger on Empire and Christianity
Indeed the Jesus Movement began as a resistance movement to the empire. While Christianity began as a counterpoint and an alternative to Empire, with Constantine it became wedded to the empire and shaped by empire with the purpose of unifying the realm.
read moreUniversity withdraws theologian’s invitation after pressure from financial contributors
The University of San Diego has canceled a visiting fellowship for a British theologian less than two weeks before her scheduled arrival at the university because of pressure from financial contributors, according to a letter from the …
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It’s Hallowe’en 2012! How Will We Dress Jesus Up This Year?!
Many people still find a lot of value in being followers of Jesus. I am currently on a journey to discover anew who or what I think Jesus was. But he will not again be the person that makes me acceptable to God or who saves me from a doomed eternity. There are oh so many other intriguing options than for me having to throw myself at the feet of a man who we know so verifiably little about.
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All Saints Day: A Progressive Call to Remember
Stories of generosity and justice, about prophetic preaching and speaking truth to power.
read moreReport | Catholic Attitudes on Gay and Lesbian Issues: A Comprehensive Portrait from Recent Research
Catholics are more supportive of legal recognitions of same-sex relationships than members of any other Christian tradition and Americans overall. Nearly three-quarters of Catholics favor either allowing gay and lesbian people to marry (43%) or allowing them to …
read moreFilmmaker asks whether hell is real, and who goes there
(RNS) It’s something that has haunted Kevin Miller ever since he became a Christian at age 9 at summer camp: hell. Now 41, Miller says he has no idea what happens to people after death. But …
read moreBreakaway group offers more progressive form of Catholicism
FAIRFAX, Va. (RNS) About 30 people are gathered in a dark, makeshift sanctuary at St. Anthony of Padua Church as the sun dips into the horizon. The service follows the familiar pattern of a Catholic Mass, but something is …
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Marriage Equality As Christian Sacrament
Sermon by Rev. Rich Lang with University Temple United Methodist Church in Seattle on “Marriage Equality As Christian Sacrament” rooted in Matthew 16: 5-19 recorded October 14, 2012.
read moreFifty years on, Catholics still debate the meaning of Vatican II
When Pope John XXIII called the Second Vatican Council half a century ago, he said he wanted to “open the windows” of his almost 2,000-year Church to the rapid changes in the modern world. Within a few …
read moreCatholic bishops rebuke Biden over contraception mandate claims
WASHINGTON (RNS) In a rare public rebuke, Catholic bishops chided Vice President Joe Biden for saying during Thursday’s vice-presidential debate that Catholic hospitals and institutions will not be forced to provide contraception coverage to employees. Without mentioning …
read moreReligious leaders respond to the rise of the “Nones”
As we noted yesterday, the number of Americans who have no religious affiliation has hit an all-time high, according to a new study by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. One in five adults does not belong …
read moreCatholic theologian preaches revolution to end church’s ‘authoritarian’ rule
Hans Küng urges confrontation from the grassroots to unseat pope and force radical reform at Vatican
One of the world’s most prominent Catholic theologians has called for a revolution from below to unseat the pope and force radical reform at the Vatican. Hans Küng is appealing to priests and churchgoers to confront the Catholic …
read moreNumber of Protestant Americans Is in Steep Decline, Study Finds
For the first time since researchers began tracking the religious identity of Americans, fewer than half said they were Protestants, a steep decline from 40 years ago when Protestant churches claimed the loyalty of more than two-thirds …
read moreNon-Catholics less likely to credit Columbus with discovery of America
Is there no end to the things that divide people by religious categories? Here’s a stat for your Columbus Day (Observed) edition: Eighty-seven percent of Roman Catholics credit Christopher Columbus with discovering America, according to a 2010 …
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Emerging Christianity: Growing into Spiritual Adulthood
Hosted by Kathy Kirk
Rarely is the Bible perceived as a tool of transformational change; yet it is. As humanity moves deeper into a time of conscious awakening, traditional Bible interpretations become stepping stones illuminating paths of greater understanding. The special guest for this program is Bishop John Shelby Spong.
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Progressive Christianity Isn’t Progressive Politics!
Yes, I’m a progressive Christian, but I’m not a Democrat. I happen to be registered as an Independent/Unaffiliated, and I’ve met quite a few people who are fellow progressive Christians but who are registered Republicans and/or are conservative politically. Just because someone’s equally okay with referring to God as “She,” “Father,” “Mother,” “Om,” “the Ground of All Being,” or “Allah” — or just because they believe that there’s no need to convert their Buddhist neighbors — doesn’t mean that they’ll be voting for Obama in November.
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