When will candidates learn that the cover-up is always worse than the deed itself? Buried in the middle of Mitt Romney’s religious mea culpa was a twist of logic that would take a knotssmith (like me) to untangle. He asserts that there are some questions about faith that a candidate should answer. Then he carefully chooses the one question that allows him to sound the most like an evangelical Christian. “What do I believe about Jesus Christ? I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the savior of mankind.”

Regarding Heaven and Hell; Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for? – Robert Browning. An evangelical pastor of a mega-church, Rob Bell, creates a stir when he writes a little book, suggesting when it comes to a place called heaven, there’s room for everyone. What the hell?

The Pope’s War offers a provocative look at three decades of corruption in the Catholic Church, focusing on Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI.

TCPC President, Fred Plumer, shares his thougths and honors James R. Adams, the founder of TCPC. James passed away on September 13, 2011.

We have much to be excited about here at ProgressiveChristianity.org- new staff, new projects, new website, new liturgy. Here is a summer’s end update from the President.

Soul Searching
In 1907, a physician name Duncan MacDougall from Haverhill, Massachusetts, set out to not only prove the existence of the human soul, but that it had a physical presence and substance, much like the heart and lungs, flesh, bone and blood.  With the use of a large scale he recorded the weight of terminally ill patients at the moment of death, and discerned a drop of ¾ of an ounce.  He deduced the fleeting soul not only existed, but left the body for who knows where, weighing a mere 21 grams.
The human heart has always longed to believe little ‘ol me is made up of something more than the dust of the earth, to which all mortal flesh returns.  It has been part of the stuff of religious thinking since the beginning of human thought.  For all its persuasive power to drive human beings to believe what cannot be known, and behave in the most radically extreme ways sometimes, the promise of an afterlife and immortality often remains void of much critical examination.
This commentary build on the earlier article, “Moving Heaven and Hell,” which can be found in the Center’s Library.

I would like to share a little story. It is a story that has been told before but does not get told often enough. I am not certain that it happened this way but I know that it is true.

<p style="text-align: center;"><img title="Mundorff-artist" src="../images/photo/graphics/goodness cropped 3.jpg" alt="Mundorff- artist" width="450" height="207" /></p>
<p class="h3"><strong>Visit our store to see our packages and for more information our on our children's curriculum. <a href="https://www396.ssldomain.com/tcpc/store/Results.cfm?category=21">Click HERE.</a></strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="h3">Summer Sale 20% off from June 21st-July 31st!</span></strong></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><span class="h1">Endorsements</span></p>
<p class="h3"><strong>"The great need in the Christian church is for a Sunday school curriculum for children that does not equate faith with having a pre-modern mind.&nbsp; The Center for Progressive Christianity has produced just that.&nbsp; Teachers can now teach children in Sunday school without crossing their fingers.&nbsp; </strong><strong>I endorse it wholeheartedly."&nbsp; </strong><strong>~John Shelby Spong (Author, Jesus for the Non-Religious)</strong></p>
<p><strong><span class="h3">"At last, Sunday School lessons for which no apology is necessary." ~James R. Adams, Author of <em>So You Think You're Not Religious </em>and <em>From Literal to Literacy.</em></span></strong></p>
<p class="h3">&ldquo;In contrast to the fear-based approach of both the evangelical and mainline curricula, <strong><em>A Joyful Path</em></strong> lives up to its name and nurtures the kind of carefree, faith filled attitude that we find so evident in the&nbsp;teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. &nbsp;&nbsp;Using a theme driven curriculum rather than a lectionary based curriculum, the designers of <strong><em>A Joyful Path</em></strong> have based their lesson plans on a set of spiritual values rather than an arbitrary list of&nbsp;bible stories&nbsp;that have no coherent message.&nbsp; The central idea for each lesson is expressed as an affirmation and a verse from the Bible.&nbsp; Each lesson illustrates the main learning with a story, gleaning from the Bible, biographies, legends of saints, and folktales from a variety of cultures.&nbsp; The illustrations are beautiful and inclusive in their depiction of race and socio-economic differences.&nbsp; Evangelical <em>Discipleland</em> offers to build obedient children. <em>Seasons of the Spirit</em> offers to create informed children. But only <strong><em>A Joyful Path</em></strong><em> </em>offers children the opportunity to learn the core values of following the way of Jesus as they grow into an understanding of what that means at each stage of their lives.&nbsp; It is fun, interactive, hope-filled, and encourages children to see themselves as interconnected to all, preparing them for a life time of compassion and love for others. It is a &ldquo;breath of fresh air&rdquo; ~Rev. Madison Shockley</p>
<p><span class="h3">"I enjoy the curricullum especially because it is scripturally based and uses the spiritual essence of scripture not the literal which is easy for young minds and hearts to comprehend. I am especially impressed with how it teaches children deep respect for all faiths and all of God's creations including our precious mother earth. <strong>It is also easily adapted to all types of learning styles and a variety of age ranges and can easily be facilitated by teachers with alot of or very little classroom experience.</strong>" Rev. Lauri Gist, </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"><span class="h3">Senior Minister, Unity of Citrus County</span></span></p>
<p class="h3">"We have used the material for an entire year and now we're starting over again!&nbsp; It's so easy to teach Sunday School with such detailed and thoughtful lessons.&nbsp; As the <strong>Christian Education representative</strong> for our church, I love having Sunday School material that the teachers can use effectively.&nbsp; As a Sunday School <strong>teacher</strong>, I love that it provides the teacher with ample space for reflection.&nbsp; You are really able to think and embody the lesson prior to teaching it.&nbsp; As a <strong>parent</strong>, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the progressive/joyful/inclusive/nature-inspired/loving message that my children are hearing in Sunday School.&nbsp; <strong>There is no other material out there that compares – I've looked!</strong>&nbsp; Thank you for your dedication to our children.&nbsp; It is so important to me that they learn a new message – one that is filled with the ideas found in A Joyful Path." ~Tara Flannery, Plymouth United Church, Spring TX</p>
<p><span class="h2">Testimonials and Quotes</span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Yes, we have enjoyed using the curriculum with its God Centeredness and Wisdom Images!&nbsp; It matches our worship and lived theology as community!&rdquo; ~Tippecanoe Presbyterian Church</p>
<p>"Some feedback about how "A Joyful Path" has been working thus far at the Eliot Church in Year one- great!&nbsp; The activities have been experiential, holistic, centering, diverse, and age-appropriate.&nbsp; The stories are great, and the activities deep and meaningful to our children.&nbsp; What a gift to finally have a curriculum for youth that finally resonates fully with the adults teaching it!&nbsp; Thanks so much for your hard work in making this curriculum available." ~Matt</p>
<p>"We love "A Joyful Path" and have had a wonderful first year using your curriculum in our Children's Ministry program.&nbsp; Thank you for providing this excellent resource!" ~Lynn, Director of Worship &amp; Music, Holy Wisdom Monastery</p>
<p>"The Curriculum is wonderful- we at the Pitt St Uniting Church here in Sydney, Australia- are proud to use it. Best of all to you and your dear dedicated team- for 2011 and beyond- we look forward to more of the marvelous teaching material over the next while." ~Isobel</p>
<p>"I direct Children's Ministries&nbsp; at Lord of the Mountains in Silverthorne, Co.&nbsp;I and 7 other teachers are all raving about your year 1 of this series." ~Darlene</p>
<p>"I&rsquo;ve got my church using your children&rsquo;s curriculum and I hear it&rsquo;s going really well. I love it, personally. And we also love the ButterflyFish albums we found through your <br /> website." ~Shannon</p>
<p>"We are using the new children's curriculum this fall and my teachers are thrilled. They love the affirmations, stories and activities but most of all the theology." ~Sue, Christian Ed Director in NE</p>
<p>"Many thanks for your wonderful children's curriculum. I'm in the process of reviewing it for the St Francis College – Roscoe Library, in Brisbane, Australia. I'm thoroughly enjoying the experience and wanted to know more of what you do! Cheers." ~Fiona&nbsp;</p>
<p>"We started using this at our Quaker Meeting this year and love it. It's beautiful, engaging, and healthy. I'm so grateful and hopeful for more to come in the future." ~Sheila</p>
<p>"Just heard from folks in my church using your new Sunday School curriculum.&nbsp; They love it!&nbsp; Not only is the theology great, but it is structured to make it easy for volunteers to use it.&nbsp; Congrats!"&nbsp; ~Tom</p>
<p>"I am really excited about the Sunday school curriculum that we just got. I must be, as it woke me up at 6am on my day to sleep in! I woke up thinking about the affirmations. I'd like to see us share these with the rest of our community. That way the adults in our community can… think about the affirmation, maybe meditate or journal about it…" ~Tory</p>
<p>"Hello Deshna, I've been teaching children for many, many years.&nbsp; My teaching style is open, loving, flexible – a combination of many influences, Rudolf Steiner, Bev Bos, Miss Frizzle.&nbsp; I rarely find faith curriculum that is not condescending, stifling and controlled.&nbsp; I generally create my own lessons/activities, taking bits and pieces from various places.&nbsp; Joyful Path is different…&nbsp; loving, smart, uplifting, inspiring.&nbsp; Thank you! ~Love and light, Jodie,&nbsp; Minister to Children and Families"</p>
<p>"I had a terrible experience in church on the first Sunday in Advent, and it threw me into a tailspin about "what and how am I teaching my kids about faith?"&nbsp; As a progressive christian, I was stumped about how to *translate* the 8 points and Elnes' 13 Affirmations into something to tell kids.&nbsp; I wondered if there was anything out there and googling "progressive" "christian" children" "teach" (or something like that) I found news of TCPC's Children's Curriculum project.&nbsp; Hallelujah!&nbsp; Thanks so much.&nbsp; Is it available for individuals?&nbsp; I will suggest it to our church, as well.&nbsp; Thanks, S. Borrett"</p>
<p>"I teach children at Bryant Memorial Uniting Church in Busselton Western Australia (250kms south of Perth on the coast)&nbsp; I am really looking forward to this curriculum.&nbsp; I have been struggling to develop ideas of my own with a group of primary school aged children who come from mainly very at risk backgrounds.&nbsp; So, I am waiting with a great deal of anticipation for this new curriculum." ~M. Hodge (Community Minister – retired)</p>
<p>"I am thrilled you are developing a progressive Christian curriculum for our kids.&nbsp; I am currently chairing our Family Live Ministry and a program like the one you are developing would be awesome! Any information about what you are doing would be very welcome.&nbsp; Sincerely,&nbsp; A. Colby"</p>
<p>"Please keep me updated on the creation and availability of the inclusive children's curriculum that you are producing.&nbsp; I am often lamenting that there is not enough resources out there to teach our children and youth a more progressive and open form of Christianity.&nbsp; Why wait until we're adults?&nbsp; Thanks so much!" ~B. Steiner</p>

In this article, Fred Plumer asks the question: with the dwindling numbers in the churches, is there a future for the church?

As the Church dwindles within the American psyche and society becomes deeply aware of global responsibility, it is high time the Church change.

<p><a href="point1_study.cfm">1</a> | <a href="point2_study.cfm">2</a> | <a href="point3_study.cfm">3</a> | <a href="point4_study.cfm">4</a> | <a href="point5_study.cfm">5</a> | <a href="point6_study.cfm">6</a> | <a href="point7_study.cfm">7</a> | <a href="point8_study.cfm">8</a> | <a href="8points.cfm">Back to Index</a> <br /><strong><br /></strong></p>
<p>Please note: this is from the 2003 8 Points version not our current 2011 version.</p>
<p>We will be updating this study guide soon!</p>
<p><strong>By calling ourselves progressive,we mean that we are Christians whorecognize that being followers of Jesus is costly, and entails selfless love, conscientious resistance to evil, and renunciation of privilege.<br /></strong></p>
<hr />
<p>Whenever people widen their circle of concern, they will find demands on their resources and risks to their status.&nbsp; Followers of Jesus cannot expect to be any more successful or popular than Jesus was.&nbsp; Like the first of Jesus&rsquo;s disciples, we must learn to give up the hope of being favored or special.</p>
<p>In one story (Mark 10:35-45), two of&nbsp; Jesus&rsquo;s disciples, James and John, come to ask a favor. &ldquo;Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.&rdquo;&nbsp; Most people also look to find some place where they can be special.&nbsp; To have a special place helps to overcome the fear of being nobody and the fear of having no power.&nbsp; Christian groups claiming special access to God have overcome their fear of being nobody and of being powerless, but they frequently have produced a negative reaction in those from whom they wanted to separate themselves – even though the gospel story had warned them that they would evoke hostility.</p>
<div>As soon as the other ten disciples heard about the request made by James and John, &ldquo;they began to be angry.&rdquo; After Jesus heard the request of James and John and after he saw the anger in the others, he changed the course of the conversation.&nbsp; He did not tell James and John that they were wrong or bad for wanting to have a special status.&nbsp; According to Mark, Jesus said, &ldquo;Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all.&rdquo;&nbsp; Jesus understood the fear that drove his disciples to want special status.&nbsp; Jesus also understood that redirected fear can become a form of spiritual energy that can be transformed into loving concern for other people. There is a special bond that occurs when we put ourselves at risk on behalf of another.</div>
<p>Genuine concern for other people includes resisting any forces that would drain them of energy, deny them sustenance, rob them of dignity, or destroy their hope.&nbsp; Progressive Christians believe that the resistance to evil in society, rather than the enhancement of our social position, has always been both an obligation and an opportunity for those who follow Jesus. It is an obligation because it is a way to test our commitment to the path; it is an opportunity because when one puts themselves at risk on behalf of another simply because of one&rsquo;s compassion, it can be one of the most direct paths to an experience of the Realm of God or that absolute sense of connectedness.</p>
<p>There is caveat here that is important. Jesus gave us a wonderful story about the Good Samaritan who literally put his life at risk to save his arch enemy, the Jew. The Samaritan merchant suddenly found himself in a difficult situation. He knew that if he did not act this man would die. He also knew that were most likely robbers in the area and the safest thing would be to get out of that area. But he did the humane or even the holy thing and stopped and helped the wounded Jew. He took him where he could get help and paid for it at some significant expense. But then he apparently continued on his way to Jericho to do his work. He did not wait for rewards or praise nor did go back out into the desert and look for more victims to &ldquo;save.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Some people have misinterpreted the teachings of Jesus to presume that we are supposed to fix all of the injustices, all of the wrongs, using all of our energy and resources to save the world at the expense of our health, our families, and our financial resources. The universe will always provide plenty of opportunities to make a stand; to help another; to put ourselves at risk when it can make a difference and when it counts; even to literally put our life on the line. But we must remind ourselves that the teaching is to love another as we love ourselves. We can not love others more than we love ourselves and loving others can never be a substitute for love of self.</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>1. What does the word &ldquo;disciple&rdquo; mean for you today?&nbsp; In what ways do you think it could be &ldquo;costly?&rdquo;</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>2.&nbsp; How far would you be willing to go?&nbsp; What changes would you be willing to make?&nbsp; What risks would you be willing to take?</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>3. How might we transform our negative fears into positive energy?&nbsp; How could we help others to do the same?&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>4. What privilege are you willing to recognize and renounce for the betterment of all?</p>
<p><!–[if !supportLists]–></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;">5. </strong><span style="font-weight: bold;">What do we mean by evil today?&nbsp; In what ways do you think you can resist evil in our world, in your life?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></div>
<p><a href="8points.cfm"> </a></p>

<p><a href="point1_study.cfm">1</a> | <a href="point2_study.cfm">2</a> | <a href="point3_study.cfm">3</a> | <a href="point4_study.cfm">4</a> | <a href="point5_study.cfm">5</a> | <a href="point6_study.cfm">6</a> | <a href="point7_study.cfm">7</a> | <a href="point8_study.cfm">8</a> | <a href="8points.cfm">Back to Index</a><br /><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>Please note: this is from the 2003 8 Points version not our current 2011 version.</p>
<p>We will be updating this study guide soon!</p>
<p><strong>By calling ourselves progressive,we mean that we are Christians who find more grace in the search for meaning than in absolute certainty, in the questions than in the answers</strong>.<br /><br /></p>
<hr />
<p>Theologian, Gordon Kaufman, of Harvard University argues in his book, <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">In Face of Mystery</span></strong> that people of faith must give up (repent) our claims to knowledge and certainty. He writes &ldquo;If we try to overcome and control the mystery within which we live-through, for example our supposed religious knowledge and practices-we sin against God, for with this stance we are in fact trying to make ourselves the ultimate disposers of our lives and destiny<em>&rdquo;</em> (pg 57).</p>
<p>We live in turbulent times and historians and sociologists have demonstrated that turbulent times often foster fervent religious expressions. We humans naturally hunger for absolutes. We crave the final answers. We want to believe that someday we will understand everything. We search for the ultimate explanation. Certainty feels comforting in uncomfortable times. And yet most of us know that there are few certainties in life beyond the knowledge of our death. So where is our &ldquo;faith&rdquo; in all of this? For one thing the word <em>faith</em> assumes an unknown. The word assumes that there is a mystery. We can choose to ignore the mysteries that confront us or we can create our own realities.</p>
<p>I.I. Mitroff and W. Bennis, two sociologists wrote a book in 1989 called <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Unreality Industry.</span> They suggest that the <em>&ldquo;</em>fundamental dialectic of our times is between reality and unreality, especially now that we have power to influence and create both.<em>&rdquo;</em> The reason we are creating &ldquo;substitute realities&rdquo; they argue, is that the world has become so complex that &ldquo;no one person or institution can fully understand or control it.&rdquo;</p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><em>&ldquo;If humans cannot control the realities with which they are faced, then they will invent unrealities over which they can maintain the illusion of control.&rdquo;</em></div>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>The question is, they write, do we have the courage to face directly and honestly the complex realities we are capable of creating and discovering or will we turn away from reality and invest our energy increasingly in the denial of reality?</p>
<p>In the Christian tradition, all too often the word faith has been used to explain away something that no longer makes sense. For example, &ldquo;If the earth is only six thousand years old, how could there have been dinosaurs?&rdquo; Answer: &ldquo;We must have faith.&rdquo; One challenge that modern Christians have is that the word <em>faith</em> is often confused with the word <em>belief</em>. Probably no one explains the difference better than Zen philosopher, the late Alan Watts;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Belief&hellip;is the insistence that the truth is what one would &lsquo;lief&rsquo; or (will or) wish to be&hellip;Faith is an unreserved opening of the mind to the truth, whatever it may turn out to be. Faith has no preconceptions; it is a plunge into the unknown. Belief clings, but faith let&rsquo;s go&hellip;faith is the essential virtue of science, and likewise of any religion that is not self-deception.&rdquo;</p>
<p>It may give comfort to some to assume that with &ldquo;correct&rdquo; reading of their Bible they can find the ultimate answers. But modern scholarship has demonstrated that our beloved scriptures are culturally and socially bound to an era. We now &ldquo;know&rdquo; that the earth is not flat and that it is wrong to own another human being, for example even though our scripture might suggest something different. But the scriptures have provided a powerful tool for humanity throughout their long history when they have been used to provide the ultimate questions. It can be easily argued that the human struggle with those questions, especially those about our treatment of others, has had an incredibly positive influence on the human condition throughout history.&nbsp;</p>
<p>According to the gospels, Jesus rarely gave a straight answer to a straight question.&nbsp; Instead he responded with another question or told a puzzling story.&nbsp; At the risk of disappointing his questioners, Jesus put them in a position of having to think for themselves.&nbsp; Rather than offer his disciples answers to life&rsquo;s most perplexing problems, Jesus introduced them to deeper and deeper levels of ambiguity.&nbsp; Matthew&rsquo;s collection of Jesus&rsquo;s aphorisms, known as the Sermon on the Mount, shows how Jesus confronted his disciples with contradictions.&nbsp; He told them that nothing in the law could be changed, not the tiniest letter or the stroke of a letter.&nbsp; Nevertheless, he also taught them to question some of the most basic principles of the law, such as the rules concerning murder, adultery, retribution, alms giving, and prayer.&nbsp; Jesus would not provide absolute answers because answers, by providing false confidence and security, become barriers to an awareness of God.&nbsp; Answers become substitutes for God.&nbsp; The task Jesus bequeathed to the church was providing a context in which those who would follow him can find the courage to pursue their questions.</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>1.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <!–[endif]–>What makes the search for meaning and purpose in today&rsquo;s world an important undertaking?</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>2.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <!–[endif]–>In what ways does &ldquo;absolute certainty&rdquo; keep us separated from God and our neighbors?</p>
<p style="font-weight: bold; margin-left: 40px;"><!–[if !supportLists]–>3.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <!–[endif]–>Do you believe it takes more faith to live in ambiguity or more faith to believe in a dogmatic faith?&nbsp; Why?</p>
<p><!–[if !supportLists]–></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><strong style="font-weight: bold;"><em>4.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </em></strong><span style="font-weight: bold;">How might the words of these two scholars Mitroff and Bennis apply to religions of our day?</span></div>
<p><!–[endif]–></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><em><br />&ldquo;If humans cannot control the realities with which they are faced, then they will invent unrealities over which they can maintain the illusion of control.&rdquo;</em></div>

<p><a href="point1_study.cfm">1</a> | <a href="point2_study.cfm">2</a> | <a href="point3_study.cfm">3</a> | <a href="point4_study.cfm">4</a> | <a href="point5_study.cfm">5</a> | <a href="point6_study.cfm">6</a> | <a href="point7_study.cfm">7</a> | <a href="point8_study.cfm">8</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>| <a href="8points.cfm">Back to Index</a><a href="8points.cfm"></a><a href="8points.cfm"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a></p>
<p>Please note: this is from the 2003 8 Points version not our current 2011 version.</p>
<p>We will be updating this study guide soon!</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: bold;">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. </span><br /><br /></p>
<hr />
<p>Many New Testament scholars have argued that we can learn more about the Jesus of the scriptures from the things that he does rather than from the words that he speaks. The Jesus we meet in the gospels is a man of action; he heals; he forgives; he demonstrates compassion; he takes a stand against injustices; he shares; he weeps; he loves unconditionally. He then tells his disciples and interested followers to go and do likewise. Maybe that is why the writers of all three synoptic gospels wrote that Jesus believed that the most important commandment is to &ldquo;love God with all of your heart, soul and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself.&rdquo; <br /><br />According to the writer of Luke&rsquo;s gospel, Jesus then tells a story that suggests that &ldquo;our neighbor&rdquo; is anyone who might need our help. Nowhere in these important passages do we find Jesus suggesting that before we extend ourselves on behalf of another or before we love our neighbor, that we should first expound a theology, or a belief system. Nor does it appear that there was ever a &ldquo;litmus test&rdquo; that Jesus used before he befriended someone or helped him or her. Progressive Christians believe that our actions of love are more important than the expression of our beliefs. <br /><br />According to the synoptic Gospels when someone asked Jesus, &ldquo;How do I find the Kingdom of God&rdquo; or what we might call the Realm of God today, Jesus almost always suggested that they take some action. Interestingly according to synoptic Gospels, he never suggested that the questioner must first acquire some &ldquo;right&rdquo; or correct belief. Thus the &ldquo;rich man&rdquo; was told to follow the code and if that was not enough than he would have to give up his wealth. The lawyer it was instructed to love his neighbor as he loved himself. The priests were told to give up their hypocrisy. The reality is that it is much easier to debate theology, Christology, creeds or to memorize scripture than it is to follow the teachings of the Compassionate one. For most of us, this would require a significant change in our behavior. <br /><br />Because progressive Christians do not demand that new members change to mirror the existing core beliefs of the membership of a church, some people have accused them of having no moral standards. Their accusers, however, may be confusing cultural norms with morality. By putting behavior ahead of belief in a hierarchy of values, progressive Christians are insisting that followers of Jesus are bound to treat their fellow human beings with kindness and respect. The first disciples of Jesus were convinced that the standard of behavior he expected of his followers was love for their neighbors. Genuine love is acting in a manner that enhances another&rsquo;s well being, even at a cost to oneself. The changes that are required in people who want to follow Jesus would include giving up greed, coercion, exploitation, and oppression as behavioral norms both in the church and in society.<br /><br /></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">1. What problems might arise in a church community that has no dogmatic beliefs?</span><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. How do we deal with our differences in a healthy and positive way?</span><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. What are some of the ways we can demonstrate our understanding of the &ldquo;great commandment&rdquo; when it comes to loving our neighbor?</span><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Create a list of Christian values that you think are reflections of your faith today.</span><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><br style="font-weight: bold;" /><span style="font-weight: bold;">5. Do you believe that you behave as a follower of Jesus most of the time; some of the time; or now and then?</span><a href="8points.cfm"><br /></a></div>

<p><a href="point1_study.cfm">1</a> | <a href="point2_study.cfm">2</a> | <a href="point3_study.cfm">3</a> | <a href="point4_study.cfm">4</a> | <a href="point5_study.cfm">5</a> | <a href="point6_study.cfm">6</a> | <a href="point7_study.cfm">7</a> | <a href="point8_study.cfm">8</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>| <a href="8points.cfm">Back to Index</a></p>
<p>Please note: this is from the 2003 8 Points version not our current 2011 version.</p>
<p>We will be updating this study guide soon!</p>
<p><span style="font-weight: bold;">By calling ourselves progressive, we mean that we are Christians who have found an approach to God through the life and teachings of Jesus.</span><br /><br /></p>
<hr />
<p>No &ldquo;Point&rdquo; drew more input or fostered more discussion, more debates and on occasion, more emotions, than the revision of this first &ldquo;Point.&rdquo; It was clear from our emails and general feedback from church groups that had worked with the original study guide, that many people were uncomfortable with the word &ldquo;gate&rdquo; in the first published version. However, trying to find the appropriate replacement proved to be challenging. There were several &ldquo;suggestions&rdquo; and many who felt strongly about their particular suggestion. And since this new version has been published we continue to have input from individuals and groups in churches who have wrestled with the challenge of finding the right or &ldquo;correct&rdquo; words from their perspective. <br /><br />Clearly some have argued that the words, &ldquo;an approach,&rdquo; do not indicate a strong enough &ldquo;commitment&rdquo; or &ldquo;discipleship&rdquo; to be a serious faith journey. Others desired more biblical language. They would have preferred language like &ldquo;found a path&rdquo; or &ldquo;found way,&rdquo; often citing biblical passages to support those preference. One respondent claimed that the word was so &ldquo;weak&rdquo; that we must no longer be Christians. <br /><br />Others have expressed an appreciation for the openness of the word &ldquo;approach,&rdquo; pointing out that it makes no judgment on other religious experiences. Some noted that the word &ldquo;approach&rdquo; implies a cautious beginning as all spiritual journeys should begin. And one person wrote, &ldquo;How else could we move toward God but by cautious approach as Moses approached the burning bush?&rdquo; <br /><br /></p>
<ol style="margin-left: 40px;">
<li>&nbsp; <ol>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">How does language &ldquo;an approach to God&rdquo; fit your spiritual needs?<br /><br /></li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;">What language would you have used for you own spiritual journey?<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">&nbsp;</span></li>
<li style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Do you feel as the life and teachings of Jesus have brought you closer to an experience of God? How so?</span></li>
</ol></li>
</ol>
<p><br />Although not everyone may notice at first, one of the most unique things about this first &ldquo;Point&rdquo; is not what is in it but what is left out. What is not included in this statement is the doctrinal &ldquo;savior&rdquo; language codified in the fourth century creeds. For centuries Christians have been taught that Jesus was a sacrifice of God (the Lamb of God) and through this profound sacrifice and saving act, the world was given the opportunity to be reconciled once again with God. According to St. Paul, we humans find redemption for our &ldquo;fallen&rdquo; state only by accepting Jesus as our sacrificial savior. <br /><br /></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, as you really are unleavened. For our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed.</span> (1Cor. 5:7) <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">…since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.</span> (Romans 3:23-26)</div>
<p><br />But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. <br /><br /></p>
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. </span>(Romans 5:8-9)</div>
<p><br />The absence of salvation language does not preclude one from seeing Jesus Christ as one&rsquo;s &ldquo;savior.&rdquo; For some it may require reinterpreting what one means by &ldquo;savior&rdquo;. Certainly there is a good possibility that Jesus&rsquo;s disciples would have felt that he was a &ldquo;messiah,&rdquo; in the Davidic tradition, for he risked his life on behalf of his people. Today, if someone believed that the spirit of Christ, or even Jesus&rsquo;s way led them out of a troubled life, an addiction, a wilderness of some kind, it certainly is understandable that they may chose to call Jesus, or a Christ Spirit, their &ldquo;savior.&rdquo; Many of us have had such an experience with a special teacher, friend, or even a stranger in our times of despair. We may have taken the words of Jesus&rsquo; teaching of God&rsquo;s open forgiveness seriously, at some low point in our lives, and spiritually experienced that forgiveness in a deep, even life changing way. This is quite different, however, from assuming that to be a Christian one must believe that God made an intentional sacrifice of God&rsquo;s only begotten son as a cosmic saving act for all humanity. And it is different from assuming that it is only through one&rsquo;s belief in the &ldquo;truth&rdquo; of this sacrifice that one can call oneself a Christian. <br /><br />Rather than assuming that Jesus is a sacrificial savior, or &ldquo;The Savior,&rdquo; this first statement suggests that one can be a Christian by considering oneself a follower of Jesus&rsquo; teachings and using his life, as we know it, as a model. It can also be implied that for those Christians Jesus and Jesus&rsquo; teaching provide a way to experience, relate to or approach that Energy, that Force or that Presence we choose to call God. <br /><br />It is not the intended function of this Study Guide to make a scholarly or theological argument for a shift away from ancient sacrificial language. There is a plethora of scholarship available today to support this perspective if one is interested. TCPC can provide you with a reading list. However by deleting the traditional sacrificial/savior language, or by reinterpreting it, we open the possibilities for another explanation of Jesus&rsquo;s life and death. And maybe more importantly, such a shift provides an opportunity for each of us to reinterpret the meaning for our own lives. <br /><br />In this shift the doctrinal &ldquo;Jesus the Lord of the world&rdquo; becomes Jesus the teacher, the master or the rabbi that he was in his time. Rather than treating Jesus as the unreachable perfect God that is so hard to relate to for most people, we can think of Jesus as the enlightened teacher who asks only to be followed. By taking his teachings seriously we are given the opportunity to change and see and hear what we did not see before. This form of Christianity does not assume an ontological &ldquo;fallen nature&rdquo; of humanity, as Paul did out of his own life experience. Quite to the contrary it assumes that by taking responsibility for our thoughts, our action and our motives, by learning and changing our actions when they have caused harm to others or to ourselves, we humans can grow, evolve and transform.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>How does the absence of salvation language help or detract from your spiritual path?<br /><br /></strong></li>
<li><strong>How does the Jesus of history or his teachings affect your understanding of God?<br /><br /></strong></li>
<li><strong>How might our understanding of who and what we are, as human beings, change if we remove the need for the sacrifice of Jesus as the Pascal Lamb, our redeemer?<br /></strong><span><br /></span></li>
<li><span><strong>What is the difference between savior, hero, master, teacher, or prophet for you?</strong></span></li>
</ol></blockquote>

I must admit that resurrection, then and now, remains a mystery – it can’t be defined in terms of literal flesh and bones or explained away as metaphor; nor is it helpful to speak of the pre-resurrection and post-resurrection Jesus.  Jesus is a whole person reality, resurrection as rebirth and healing power characterized his teaching, healing, and hospitality

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<p>Click on the bottom right hand corner- on the words: You Tube.&nbsp; Practice Compassion- Narayan Krishnan, a companion to the forgotten</p>
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<p>The Power of Words- change your words, change the world.&nbsp;</p>
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<p>Beautiful music video: "The Words of God"…Human wrote the Bible, God wrote the sky.</p>
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<p>Our new progressive <a href="https://www396.ssldomain.com/tcpc/template/page.cfm?page_id=114">Christian spiritual curriculum</a> for young hearts and minds.&nbsp; A Joyful Path, is Year 1 of our Inner Wisdom Series</p>
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<p><a href="https://www396.ssldomain.com/tcpc/global/ltq.cfm">Living the Questions</a> on an Introduction to Progressive Christianity</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p class="h3"><strong>Past video Links:</strong></p>
<p class="h3"><span class="normal">By: Ryan McKenzie.&nbsp; "This is an attempt at a self portrait for my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/zS1-TDaYc6o">Worship, Theology, and Art Touchstone </a>course at Fuller Seminary. It attempts to ask questions based off of how we seek to portray ourselves, where identity can be found, and how the idea of the self is deeply intertwined and interpreted by the world around us.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p class="normal"><strong><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/VztXQi01Ymg">CBS INTERVIEW&nbsp;with the Rev. Dr. Paul Tellstrom</a> 9-8-10 re: burning the Koran</strong></p>
<p class="normal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Mo-HQeVD9Gs">Al Tirah! Fear Not!&nbsp; </a>This year, fear, cynicism, and religious discrimination have bled into the country&rsquo;s political and cultural fabric. We all feel despair when hateful rhetoric and actions target Muslims, immigrants, gays, and political leaders trying to rebuild our economy and create change. When the heroes of biblical times despaired, God would speak to them. &ldquo;<strong>Al Tirah! Fear Not!</strong>&rdquo; God commanded. Good advice then, good advice now.</p>
<p class="normal">CNN's Nadia Bilchik joins members of the Temple Of Understanding to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/10cDebvl5hk">discuss their role in environmental education.</a></p>
<p class="normal">It Gets Better (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/NeKI8biAglU">Broadway Sings for the Trevor Project</a>) In Response to the tragic suicides among LGBT youth, young stars of Broadway have come together in song.</p>
<p class="normal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GGAgtq_rQc">Tim Gunn</a> speaks regarding Gay Teen Suicide</p>
<p class="normal"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Vu2JeZn1Uw0">Kathy Griffin</a> on the recent string of Gay teen suicides</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GorqroigqM"> The Story of Stuff.</a>&nbsp; Once again Annie Leonard has created a video to give us the full story behind our consumer purchases. This time her focus is not just on consumerism in general, like her revealing mini-documentary<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/9GorqroigqM"> The Story of Stuff,</a> but specifically on an industry that brings in over $1 billion in profit each year.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/k7X7sZzSXYs">HOW TO BE ALONE by Tanya Davis</a><br />If you are at first lonely, be patient. If you've not been alone much, or if when you were, you weren't okay with it, then just wait. You'll find it's fine to be alone once you're embracing it…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/ehu3wy4WkHs">Music video by Michael Franti &amp; Spearhead</a> performing Say Hey (I Love You).&nbsp; Michael Franti is a profectic voice in music and a social activists for human rights and social change and equality.</p>
<p><strong><span class="h3">Listen </span></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/player_launch.pl?s=rn/spiritofthings&amp;d=rn/spiritofthings/audio&amp;r=sot-2010-05-16.ram&amp;w=sot-2010-05-16.asx&amp;t=16%20May%202010&amp;p=1"><img style="float: left;" title="Fred Plumer" src="../images/photo/leadership/Fred Pic 4 extra sm.jpg" alt="Fred" width="109" height="102" /><strong>ABC Radio Interview of TCPC President, Fred Plumer on "The Experience of God"</strong></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/stories/s2907905.htm"><br /> </a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/sundaynights/stories/s2907905.htm"><strong><img style="float: left;" title="Deshna Ubeda" src="../images/photo/people/deshna.jpg" alt="Deshna" width="125" height="83" />ABC Radio Interview of Deshna Ubeda, Associate Director and Children's Curriculum Project Manager on our Progressive Christian Children's Curriculum</strong></a></p>

Is there a Hell after this life? Does God send non-believers to burn for all eternity in Hell?

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<p class="h2"><img style="float: left; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px;" title="Bishop Spong" src="../images/photo/people/john_shelby_spong.jpg" alt="Bishop Spong" width="145" height="100" /><strong>ProgressiveChristianity.org is the new publisher for the Bishop Spong Website and subscription essay newsletter- <em>A New Christianity for A New World</em></strong></p>
<p class="h2">Take a minute to <a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/">visit the new website</a> today and consider <a href="https://johnshelbyspong.com/sign-up/">signing up </a>for Bishop Spong's weekly insightful essays on religion and the news. They are delivered to your email inbox once a week. that means you get 48 original and current essays for only $29.95 per year. <a href="https://johnshelbyspong.com/sign-up/">subscribe here</a></p>
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<p><strong><span class="h1">Information on this change</span></strong></p>
<p>In Januray 2011, ProgressiveChristianity.org took over the management and publishing of the Bishop Spong Newsletter- A New Christianity for a New World.</p>
<p>First, I want to let you know how proud we are to have this opportunity to become the publishers for the John Shelby Spong newsletter. We have been working on this important project for over six months and we hope you find our service and final product beyond your highest expectations. As you might assume we have had our share of challenges, rebuilding a new website, moving material from one platform to a different one, and transferring data for thousands of subscribers from one secured site to another. However, we believe that we hired the best technical developers to do this job and the folks at Everyday Health, the former publishers, have been extremely helpful. So far, this transfer has gone as smoothly as could be expected and we are hopeful that your experience of this change is seamless as well. We are very excited about the future in our new partnership with Bishop Spong.</p>
<p>ProgressiveChristianty.org (formerly The Center for Progressive Christianity, or TCPC) was started in the early 1990&rsquo;s and was officially incorporated as a 501-3c in 1994. You might find it interesting to know that Bishop Spong participated in several of those early conversations with our founder, Jim Rowe Adams. Since that time Bishop Spong has been an advisor, a keynote speaker and generous supporter for TCPC. It was therefore a natural progression for us assume the responsibility of publishing what we believe is one of the most important voices for a new Christianity for a new world. Bishop Spong has been an inspiration for hundreds of thousands of people evolving in their faith and we are honored to be working with him.</p>
<p>Over that last sixteen years, TCPC has been providing resources for individuals and churches that are interested in a new Christianity in the form of articles, books, book reviews, speakers, liturgy and curriculum. We have published six books in partnership with two other publishers. For the last six years we have published a monthly newsletter featuring a variety of contemporary writers, introducing new books, and music. This past year we changed our name to progressivechristianity.org to better reflect our global mission and vision. We now have over 13,000 subscribers.&nbsp;</p>
<p>So I hope you can see why we think this is a good fit and why we are excited about this incredible opportunity. Our mission has always been to create a format that fosters spiritual networking and resources for an evolving faith. We believe that our partnership with Bishop Spong will help us fulfill that mission. We hope you agree. We look forward to hearing back from you.</p>
<h1>About Bishop Spong</h1>
<p>John Shelby Spong, whose books have sold more than a million copies, was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark for 24 years before his retirement in 2001. His admirers acclaim him as a teaching bishop who makes contemporary theology accessible to the ordinary layperson &mdash; he&rsquo;s considered the champion of an inclusive faith by many, both inside and outside the Christian church. In one of his recent books,<em>The Sins of Scripture: Exposing the Bible&rsquo;s Texts of Hate to Discover the God of Love</em>(San Francisco: HarperOne, 2005), this visionary thinker seeks to introduce readers to a proper way to engage the holy book of the Judeo-Christian tradition.</p>
<p>A committed Christian who has spent a lifetime studying the Bible and whose life has been deeply shaped by it, Bishop Spong says he was not interested in Bible bashing. &ldquo;I come to this interpretive task not as an enemy of Christianity,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;I am not even a disillusioned former Christian, as some of my scholar-friends identify themselves. I am a believer who knows and loves the Bible deeply. But I also recognize that parts of it have been used to undergird prejudices and to mask violence.&rdquo;</p>
<p>A visiting lecturer at Harvard and at universities and churches worldwide, Bishop Spong delivers more than 200 public lectures each year to standing-room-only crowds. His bestselling books include&nbsp;<em>Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism, A New Christianity for a New World, Why Christianity Must Change or Die</em>, and&nbsp;<em>Here I Stand</em>.</p>
<p>Bishop Spong&rsquo;s extensive media appearances include a profile segment on&nbsp;<em>60 Minutes</em>as well as appearances on&nbsp;<em>Good Morning America, Fox News Live, Politically Incorrect, Larry King Live, The O&rsquo;Reilly Factor,</em> William F. Buckley&rsquo;s&nbsp;<em>Firing Line,</em> and&nbsp;<em>Extra.</em> Bishop Spong and his wife, Christine Mary Spong, have five children and six grandchildren. They live in New Jersey.</p>
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<p>For those seeking to experience Christianity in a new and vibrant way, <a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/about-bishop-spong/">Bishop John Shelby Spong</a> offers fresh spiritual ideas. Over the past four decades, he has become one of the definitive voices for progressive Christianity. As a member of Bishop Spong&rsquo;s online community, you&rsquo;ll receive insightful weekly essays, access to all of the essay archives, access to the TCPC Message Boards that will connect you with other believers in exile, and answers to your questions from Bishop Spong himself!</p>
<p><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/calendar/">Meet Bishop Spong</a></p>
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<h1>The Latest Essays and Q &amp; A:</h1>
<h3><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/04/14/exploring-the-story-of-the-cross-part-vi-the-enigma-called-judas/">14 April 2011: Exploring the Story of the Cross, Part VI The Enigma Called Judas</a></h3>
<p>The anti-hero of the Christian story in general and of the crucifixion story in particular is one who is known as Judas Iscariot. Scorn and ridicule have been heaped on this figure over the centuries of Christian history. Much anti-Semitism has flowed from the depiction of this character. No one anywhere names his or her &hellip;</p>
<p><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/04/14/exploring-the-story-of-the-cross-part-vi-the-enigma-called-judas/">Read More&hellip;</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/04/07/examining-the-story-of-the-cross-part-v-barabbas-%e2%80%93-another-interpretive-figure/">7 April 2011: Examining the Story of the Cross, Part V; Barabbas &ndash; Another Interpretive Figure</a></h3>
<p>In Mark&rsquo;s original story of the Passion of Jesus, he introduces for the first time in any written Christian record the figure of Barabbas.&nbsp; In this story we are told two things:&nbsp; First, it was a Roman custom to release a prisoner at the feast of the Passover, one whose freedom the people desired.&nbsp; Second, &hellip;</p>
<p><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/04/07/examining-the-story-of-the-cross-part-v-barabbas-%e2%80%93-another-interpretive-figure/">Read More&hellip;</a></p>
<h3><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/03/30/my-friend-richard-lester-shimpfky-1940-2011/">30 March 2011: My Friend: Richard Lester Shimpfky 1940-2011</a></h3>
<p>Recently, I preached at the funeral of one who had been a close friend for more than 40 years.&nbsp; His name was Richard Shimpfky.&nbsp; Let me tell you something of his story. I first met Richard when he was a senior at the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, where he was described by Clifford Stanley, &hellip;</p>
<p><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/2011/03/30/my-friend-richard-lester-shimpfky-1940-2011/">Read More&hellip;</a></p>
<p><a href="http://johnshelbyspong.com/essay-archives/">Visit Essay Archive</a></p>
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This service was created by Gretta Vosper from the Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity
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    “First of all, I wish to thank you with all my heart. Through your site, we were able to find a perfect match for our posting for Senior Pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Rockford, …

In times of political and economic, cultural and ecological crisis, Jensen asks us to evaluate the risks we are willing to take to work for social justice and ecological sustainability. He discusses his personal experiences and view points of recent political events and presidential actions. Urging us to listen to our own hearts, he calls us speak our truth to defend against evils of established systems, and practice a balance of passion and humility in order to cope and promote positive change.

This coming weekend will be marked by a 25th anniversary gathering and celebration for the important scholarly enterprise known as the Jesus Seminar. A good time to ask what difference it makes when the Jesus of history turns out to be considerably more interesting than the myth-encrusted Christ created by the church over the centuries. Or does it make any difference at all?

This month I write with a sad and heavy heart. Five young men have died due to suicide. The common thread between them is that they were young, Gay and experiencing harsh harassment and devastating discrimination from their peers. Current statistics inform us that 9 out of 10 Gay/Lesbian/Bi-Sexual and Transgendered Young People experience such dehumanizing and demoralizing treatment every day. We are informed, also, that they are 30% more likely to commit suicide than their peers.

By: Bethany Moreton To Serve God and Wal-Mart is one account of the anointing of free enterprise, the unlikely legitimation of neoliberal economics through evangelical religion. It tells this story through the twinned biographies of the world’s largest company and the ideological apparatus it nurtured. It is not intended to blur the harsh picture of 21st-century political economy offered by a Naomi Klein or a David Harvey; their facts speak for themselves. Rather, it is meant to populate that picture with three-dimensional historical actors who support a purportedly irrational worldview. This move reveals the triumph of that vision as even more clearly the outcome of human effort and corporate resources, not of historical inevitability

Author Schaeffer (Keeping Faith) adopts a feisty tone in this essay about evangelical Christianity and aggressive atheism. In the first half of the book, he rebuts justifications from both sides, taking aim at the ideas of such celebrity atheists as Richard Dawkins as well as religious leaders like Rick Warren. Schaeffer asks each side to allow for an evolving religion in which allegory takes precedence over literalism. In the second half, he gives space for his own memories, recalling moments that led him to a middle path of “hopeful uncertainty.”

With some wonderful exceptions, I regular hear words like- Redeemer, Lord, Savior and sin, sprinkled throughout the service in everything from the call to worship to the benediction. I often wonder what the people in the pews are thinking when they hear me preach and then stand up and recite something that is completely contrary to the sermon they just told me was wonderful.

By: Gary Wiburn.  Last week I spoke of our defining identity here at First Presbyterian as being four things:  a Christ-Centered faith, a place of Creative Celebration, of Compassionate Caring, and Inclusive Community.  These are some of the primary ways in which we understand ourselves as a Center for Progressive Christianity, which means nothing less than trying to embrace the essential teachings of Jesus.

  The first of three presentations during the launch of the Lay Forum, a progressive lay movement within the Queensland Synod of the Uniting Church in Australia   our hills are not silent but shout tall Our …