Many of us are introduced to Jesus at a young age, and the version of him we initially encounter is quite often an incomplete version of the historical figure. Over time, many have begun to question those curated snapshots of the Nazarene and have rediscovered Jesus as a man, a mystic, a wisdom teacher, and a blueprint for how to be a better human being, among other things.
Why “What’s Fair Is Fair” is a Dead-end Destination
We live in a world of what I sometimes describe as disproportionate parity, where the ancient version of justice (lex talionis) that’s still widely practiced today provides justification for an excessive retaliatory response.
Part Three
Friends of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Brookings, Oregon Update: Good and Bad News in Two-pronged City Attack on Oregon Church’s Ministries to Poor
Christian Nationalism presents an existential threat to both Christ’s church and American democracy. Now is the time — before it is too late — to reckon with all the places its pernicious influence arises. On full display in recent elections, Christian Nationalism also exists in sanctuaries where an American flag has been displayed for decades, when we pledge allegiance to one nation “Under God” or when the U.S. is called a Christian nation.
In A Journey Called Hope, author Rick Rouse shares the stories of immigrants from around the world to America — their successes, hopes, challenges, and dreams. He explores how we can share our planet with the understanding that it is a matter of human dignity for all people to have a safe place to call home. In sharing these inspiring stories and hope-filled futures, Rouse assures us the United States is still a nation of promise made richer by its diversity.
Abandoning Vengeance and Embracing True Justice
Once an Assistant Attorney General in Tennessee, Preston Shipp found his convictions challenged after teaching criminal justice courses to inmates from the Tennessee Prison for Women. He resigned from prosecuting and continued teaching.
Abundant Lives: A Progressive Christian Ethic of Flourishing invites sociologically informed engagement in human well-being based on Jesus’ command to love God, our neighbors, ourselves, and our enemies.
Christian nationalism that had led to the first world war, was now leading to the second. Almost all of the 60 million Germans in 1933 were Christians. The country was suffering in the aftermath of WWI, and it was ready for a new “Leader” who would restore the economy and national pride.
From The Collective with Rick Gregory
Watch Episode 20 of The Awakened Collective with Rick Gregory as he interviews Special Guest Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines, author of The Great Digital Commission.
For Cynde Soto
In a space where all can be themselves without fear— embracing disability as a natural part of life, understanding we all have the same human needs,
Drinking Pure Light is an invitation to love and be loved more deeply. The inspirational poems are a waterfall of grace, a cascade of revelation, a ray of intimacy breaking through the cloud of fatigue with the good news: you are not alone.
Sermon: Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Presbyterian Church of the Covenant
A Women’s History Month Essay
When, as an ex-Christian, I became curious about progressive Christianity several years ago, I was thrillingly surprised by what I saw in a church in my town.
All atonement theories get it wrong by substituting beliefs about Jesus for the way (his virtues, values, and practices) of Jesus that he taught us by word and deed.
Will there come a day when all human behavior can be understood as clearly as natural disasters? Will these behaviors still be considered evil?
For the first time in my life, I decided it was time to find out firsthand what the mega-church experience was all about. That’s mega, not maga. I half expected that the two might have merged into one, but was pleasantly surprised that politics was not mentioned at all.
The selling of the Bible so recklessly attempts to stain and overshadow the Gospel. It seeks to imagine and promote an unholy alliance that is antithetical to my faith.
So, how did Christianity become so mean? Although many factors contribute to mean Christianity, the primary culprit is that large numbers of American Christians, both Republicans and Democrats, care more about partisan politics and culture wars than they care about following the example and teachings of Jesus.
Part Two
Friends of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church, Brookings, Oregon Update: Good and Bad News in Two-pronged City Attack on Oregon Church’s Ministries to Poor
Science and Religion should never be in conflict, as Dr. James, a Ph.D. scientist and Christian mystic, carefully demonstrates. He employs many personal experiences in the science realm and in the Christian realm to show how the two are wonderfully complementary—as long as each remains in their respective places.
When he preached, he spontaneously broke into rhyme. Not just with his own words, but with the souls of his congregation, with the hearts of the people in the community he served.
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: What Do You Have to Believe to be a Progressive Christian?
Join Mark and Caleb for this live recording as they enjoy a themed drink (or two) and bring their high-octane progressive Christian perspectives of the multiple Oscar award winning movie, "Poor Things."
Jesus was not crucified for telling people to love God and our neighbors. He was killed for challenging the authorities of that time. He challenged the Jewish authorities, and he challenged the Roman authorities.
The fact is that civil-minded folk outnumber the forces on the other side. There are just more of us than there are of them. The problem is that we have not recognized the current existential threat. We slide along the path we are on, pretending as though next year will be the same as this year. It will not.
Thomas Jay Oord and Tripp Fuller offer an open and relational vision of God. This vision makes sense, fits our experience, and is livable. The open and relational view aligns with our deep intuitions about love and freedom.
The central focus of Jesus’ message was to announce the imminent coming of the kingdom of God. This is what he was sent to do. (Luke 4: 43-44) This kingdom would be on earth for the people of Israel. (Matthew 10: 5-8) Although Jesus gives few details on how this kingdom would operate.
For context to the comments to follow, it is suggested one read Matthew 13. Verses 1-8 are deemed to likely be attributable to the historical Jesus; while verses 18-23 are an interpretation and application by Matthew’s early church community.
(Moving from “Ought” to “How To”)
So what about loving our enemies? What do we normally feel, what do others who have modeled destructive behavior and attitudes expect us to feel and what can we possibly feel? Why should we choose not to feel what virtually everyone expects us to feel?
A Study of His Biblical Masterpiece as an Act of Rebellion
It is widely known among biblical scholars that The Book of Job is an outlier among other biblical books in that it provides overt criticism of established Ancient Hebrew beliefs and doctrines.
When the intellectual history of the 20th century is written, a few achievements will tower overall. Einstein’s theory of general relativity will be one; the laws of quantum mechanics will be another. The Big Bang Theory of the origin of the universe will be a third.
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Pastor Marshela Salgado: Q: What Happened to Jesus Between His Death & the Resurrection?
We face several world crises that could kill us all and end the human story. We also endure the immediate rise of a fascistic religious nationalism spearheaded by Donald Trump, which wants to destroy our American democracy.
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: What is Maundy Thursday?
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Dr. Mark Sandlin Q: Did the resurrection really happen?
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Member Rev. Darrell Goodwin Q: What is Sin?
2000 years ago, a murder was committed, and we know the victim well. But who really killed Jesus? The Church has given us one answer, but is that the only explanation?
Today’s “Ask a Progressive Christian” with ProgressiveChristianity.org Co-Executive Director Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines: Why are there different versions of the Bible?
Year A - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year B - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year C - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Years A, B, C - Set 2
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year A - Set 2
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year B - Set 2
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year C - Set 2
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT HIGH SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year A - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT MIDDLE SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Yr B - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT MIDDLE SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Year C - Set 1
The lectionary-based TEENTEXT MIDDLE SCHOOL resource helps older youth connect the text on the page with events in their daily lives. These resources guide students into the text, and through a series of open-ended, text-related questions, they begin to see the Bible as a vital, dynamic relevant resource--one that can inform them throughout their lives.
Service and Gathering PlanningProgressiveChristianity.org2023-11-17T00:32:43+00:00
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