Service and Gathering Planning

“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.

...we are once again in troubling times. Religious nationalism has taken on new forms, and the tech billionaire Peter Thiel has been using the biblical image of the Antichrist to sanctify techno-feudalism and justify his support for authoritarian regimes.

As part of the systematic theology of love I’m writing, I address providence. And part of a chapter on providence explores God’s relation with creation. Below is an excerpt of that chapter, and it explains panentheism and theoenpanism.

I recalled that brief passage from the canonical gospel of about a wandering 1st-century Galilean peasant sage named Jesus. When one sojourner proclaims he’ll follow him wherever he goes, Jesus replies, “Foxes have dens, and the birds of the sky have nests, but the son of Adam has nowhere to rest his head.” I would humbly suggest the simple point being made in the sage’s reply was not simply an appeal to help the homeless who hungered for only one passing meal. But rather to envision another, greater worldly feast and place of our own making that everyone might call “home.”

Much of what’s best in religion is stuff that wells up from the people, rather than coming from the top down, declared by pastors and priests and popes.  (The Christian gospels were not composed by religious professionals!)  We have Thanksgiving because we need it, not because the Bible told us we should.  It bubbles up from the collective transpersonal unconscious realm of humanity.  It is good religion – largely because it doesn’t belong to any one religion!

Waging war, in order to “secure what is ours,” might aptly describe the cyclical story that comprises human history. Empires rise and fall, come and go. The repetitive cycle of human history we’re still experiencing on a daily basis perpetuates the same plotline, consisting of “turf wars” and “land grabbing,” resulting in tragic conflicts of retaliatory violence.

Now, I’m not the most religious guy in the world... I believe the true message of the Bible is still highly relevant and calls on each of us to deeply examine how we live, how we respond to others, and to rise to a higher level of goodness.

Time once was when the Golden Rule was the generally accepted standard of right and wrong, good and bad, religious and atheist in America. There are plenty today who announce that the Rule applies only to white male Americans. They call themselves “Christian”, but that’s a lie. Just ask Jesus.

The story, known as the Yakṣa Prashna, is often read as a lesson in duty and moral order. Yet a closer reading unsettles that simplicity: a figure from the margins—a crane, not a king—holds power accountable. The crane reverses the expected order of power and knowledge, showing that wisdom does not belong solely to those at the center but often emerges from those who are rendered peripheral.

Like it or not, the artificial intelligence revolution is here. As with the other three great transformations in history, the agricultural, industrial, and digital revolutions, artificial intelligence will fundamentally change modern life. The role of the church in the AI revolution will be to create a vision that demands the AI revolution be used for the good of the human community, for bringing in the kingdom of God.

This is a day that we set aside every year to honor the many people— primarily trans women of color— who are murdered because of transphobia. This is a day that is hard to grapple with, and from the perspective of the planning of religious services, this is a very tough one to plan and to manage.

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: How Do Progressive Christians Pray?

Many ready-to-retire American workers are under the impression that all the money that they have paid into the Social Security Fund all their working lives is sitting in an account somewhere, collecting interest, and just waiting to be drawn upon. Not so.

Do you deflect fears of death by raising complex theological or philosophical questions? (As the Sadducees did with Jesus.) Do you want to believe the worst and run to the hills to hide as the apocalypse unfolds?

A Federal Reserve official recently said the quiet part out loud: the divide between the rich and the poor in this country has gotten so big that the whole economy might be in trouble. And I just… I don’t know how to break it to the folks at the Fed… but most of us didn’t need a press conference to figure that out. We live in it.

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with board member Rev. Larry J. Morris III: Can Therapy and Faith Co-Exist?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Darrell Goodwin Q: Did Jesus Have To Die On The Cross?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: What Does Solidarity Mean Across Religions and Justice Movements?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: Why Do Progressive Christians Care About Social Justice?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with board member Rev. Larry J. Morris III: How Do I Pray If I Don't Believe God Is Up There?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: How Do We Address Trauma, Mental Health, and Spiritual Crisis?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: Where Is God During Times Of Division?

Unfortunately, my problems with the institutional church are not limited to personal experiences. Like many clergypersons, I’m a serious student of church history. And that story, from the beginning to today, is filled with one massive failure after another, far more than I can review in this article.

Deconstruction costs something. You lose certainty. Sometimes you lose community. Occasionally, you lose your sense of belonging altogether. 

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Darrell Goodwin Q: Are We Required To Love Unconditionally?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: How Do We Engage With Science, Technology, and AI From A Progressive Christian Perspective?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with board member Rev. Larry J. Morris III: What If My Family Rejects Me For My Faith Or My Identity?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: What Role Do Doubt and Unknowing Play In A Faithful Life?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: Is God Queer?

The Supreme Court is poised to totally gut the Voting Rights Act of 1965, an act that attempted to rectify 100 years of brutality, segregation, and discrimination against the southern Black population.

This is a free website to help students, teachers and the general public to intelligently and meaningfully understand and engage the Bible in a non-literal manner.

Progressive Christian campus ministries are rescuing diversity and inclusion programs that are being eliminated at colleges and universities around the country.

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Darrell Goodwin Q: Where Is Joy In The Midst Of Grief?

Two poems have dominated my life. 

For nearly half a century, Terence E. Fretheim taught Old Testament theology at Luther Seminary, shaping generations of pastors, teachers, and scholars with a vision of God that broke decisively with both classical theism and conventional liberal Protestantism.

The Liturgy for Peace, Justice and Reconciliation was celebrated at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Brookings, OR.  His life and writings were explored in a radio interview of its compiler.

Milo’s Currents is a faith-based animated series with a new episode released every week, filled with joy, warmth, and wit. Whether you're a wide-eyed child or a grown-up looking for a spiritual boost, these underwater jam sessions will leave your heart lighter, your soul lifted, and your spirit swimming in the right direction.

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: What Does Faithfulness Look Like In These Polarized Political Times?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Pastor Marshela Salgado: Q: What Would Jesus Say About Immigration Today?

Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with board member Rev. Larry J. Morris III: Is Coming Out A Sin?

Postmodern theologian, educator, and author Rev. Dr. Mathew Fox has issued a public invitation to Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel for a debate on the meaning of the Antichrist for this American moment.

I’m deeply humbled to share that I’ve been named to @outmagazine ’s 2025 OUT100 List — recognizing some of the most impactful LGBTQ+ leaders and changemakers in the country.

Deconstruction” has become one of the most talked-about theological buzzwords of our time. It is essential work as many of us carry the baggage of the theology we inherited growing up.