Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

Living and learning in harmony with creation and with one another. Sophia is a community of inclusion, of freedom, of safety, of belonging.

Christianity, at its core, is about love of neighbor. But really, what does that mean? In our increasingly divisive country, that can feel challenging, if not downright impossible.

Nowadays, the most obvious current flashpoints are the Israeli/Palestinian and Russia/Ukrainian conflicts. Turf wars by either dreams of empire, or religiously inspired claims of a so-called “promised land,” are nothing new. Just peruse the history books or biblical scriptures.

This year it is most important to learn from the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The crisis the country is facing is summed up well in the title of his last book, “Where do we go from here:  chaos or community?” I suggest that communities of faith and goodwill plan two types of events for that day, one educational and the other worshipful.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

Living the teachings of Jesus is an important focus of all progressive Christians. The teachings of Jesus are beautiful... The problem is there is no practical advice in the New Testament on how to attain them. The teachings of Jesus come with no how-to suggestions.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

Inclusivity has always been a core value in progressive Christianity.  We're reminded, for example, of Jesus' practice of open table commensality.  Radically inclusive, this was a core practice of Jesus' ministry.  At his table, everyone was welcome.  As Christians, therefore, we are encouraged to do the same.  It is in this way, as we lift up the common good, that the new covenant in Jesus is served.  

There is nothing we can do to stop the expansion of the universe or escape the fate of black holes. But there is much we can do to end the rampant evil that rears its ugly head at this moment in our history, and that includes fighting back against the illegal and the immoral.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

I seriously doubt that the great majority of Americans want to treat immigrants and refugees with the callous disregard currently aimed at them by the Trump administration. 

Churches should make a plan NOW as to how to respond to ICE at the church.

The history of Christianity and its weaponization against the queer community

The Theology of Jesus—Not Constantine’s Nor The Theologians Who Created Dogma and Doctrine Throughout Christian History

As I read more in Christian theology, I’ve been surprised to learn that while many organizations don’t have an official position on other creatures in the afterlife, quite a few notable figures have argued animals go to heaven.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

I grew up loving this country.  It is not because of our vibrant economy or large and powerful military.  It also is not because of our spacious skies, amber waves of grain, majestic mountains, or fruited plains. I have had love and pride in this country for its values. What are these American values? They are values of our Declaration of Independence with the assertion that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Satire is one of the most potent forms of non-violent protest. Its unique strength lies in its ability to enable those with limited power to voice dissent and spotlight problematic issues in an engaging, humorous, and effective manner, all while remaining relatively non-threatening to those in power.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.

The more I learn about the Bible, the more I understand it as a messy text. The Bible was written by many different people at many different times. As a result, it’s filled with conflicting ideologies and values.

In the ongoing drumbeat of this "era of Trump," as Christians and as "we the people," we need to remind ourselves--again and again--how "we're all in this life together."  Always, there is more that unites us than divides us.  Trump has a lot invested in us not believing this.

The news is bad here in Washington, DC — from the traumatizing executive order two days ago to the plane crash and pretty much everything in between. Like me, you might be feeling the sadness and stress of the day. And so, I’m sharing about my walk along the Potomac and a poem from this morning. I hope you’ll take a few minutes and listen.

It seems beyond doubt that the tech billionaires are motivated by greed and that the rest of the MAGA club is motivated by racism. They swear at each other, insult each other, and vow to fight to the finish. But it’s all a distraction, whether they know it or not.

It’s a well-known fact that Christianity is slowly dying in the West. While there are many factors contributing to this decline, the most significant one is biblical belief. More and more people are finding the beliefs outlined in the Bible unbelievable. As a result, the time has come to have a conversation on what a post-biblical Christian faith might look like. This book begins that conversation.

We must acknowledge the bold persistence of Donald Trump that won over nearly 50% of American voters in 2024, despite concerns about his lack of humanity or character and his disrespect for the constitution and the rule of law. The big questions for those of us on the losing side are about how to move forward.

his video sets out to debunk ideas linking what is "Natural" with puritanical admonitions of morality. Being "natural" or somehow like animals does not equate with clean or moral living. The video draws on historical Christian examples and what we know as scientific facts to make the case.

Perception is not a one-way street, wherein all the information comes from the outside and informs a blank slate brain. We come to everything with memories, expectations and hopes, and these predispositions encourage us to pick and choose, to pay attention to, and to neglect certain sensory information.

Transformation ought to be an essential part of Christianity, but all too often, it isn't.  ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb Lines discusses how we must embrace change to experience true transformation.