“Gaudete!” is a Latin imperative meaning “rejoice!” In Western liturgical churches, it is the first word in the introit for the Third Sunday of Advent, setting a new tone—and the rosy pink candles in Advent wreaths—for a season known for sober penitence and royal expectation, as symbolized by regal blues and purples.

Christianity is stuck; we are not moving forward, we are not improving. Unlike most other areas of our lives, we struggle to advance in what is arguably the most important sphere of our existence. I contend that our religion must evolve; it must be updated to align with our current understanding of the universe.

Long ago, Jesus of Nazareth realized that each of us has a light within—a portion of God’s holy light. Thus, divine nature and human nature are intertwined, creating an unbreakable bond.

Wherever you are in that journey, if you’re searching for something real, spacious, and rooted in Love rather than fear, then you deserve a clear picture of what progressive Christianity is—not the stereotypes, not the headlines, just the heart of it.

The phrase “artificial intelligence, “ AI for short, has conjured up images of mystery for me, floating amidst figments of the imagination. A bit of elementary research, however, reveals that the basic element behind the mystery is simple repetition.

To claim that Christianity is the only way to God and that 71 percent of the world’s non-Christian population is “lost” without any hope in this life (or the next) is intolerable theological arrogance. Surely the life-giving God of the universe is not a petty and jealous tribal deity who spitefully rejects the vast majority of humanity.