Progressive Christianity

Short description: Postmodern theological approach

Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta (Georgia), affiliated with the Progressive National Baptist Convention

Progressive Christianity represents a range of related perspectives in contemporary Christian theology and practice. It is a postmodern theological approach, which developed out of the liberal Christianity of the modern era,[1] although progressive Christians would claim that ideas relating Christianity to social justice are at the heart of the Christian message and stem from biblical themes.

Integrating and moving beyond the Enlightenment concerns of liberalism, Progressive Christianity is a postliberal theological movement.

Progressive Christianity, as described by its adherents, is characterized by a willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity, a strong emphasis on social justice and care for the poor and the oppressed, and environmental stewardship of the earth. Progressive Christians have a deep belief in the centrality of the instruction to "love one another" (John 15:17) within the teachings of Jesus Christ.[2] It is an ecumenical movement present in various Christian denominations. It is particularly influential in mainline Protestantism, with some influence among liberal and Post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism (especially those influenced by movements such as liberation theology), and American evangelicalism, particularly the emerging Church and exvangelical movements, and the evangelical left.

Template:Historical Christian theology

## Contents

* 1 History
* 1.1 Origins
* 1.2 Contemporary movement
* 2 Beliefs
* 2.1 Environmental ministries
* 3 Criticism
* 4 Major festivals and conferences
* 5 See also
* 6 References

## History

### Origins

Template:Progressivism sidebar The term "progressive Christianity" was first coined by German-American Lutheran pastor and scholar, Rev. John H. W. Stuckenberg. "I favor a progressive Christianity based on the living teachings of Christ and his Apostles. I am opposed to the stagnation created by religious dogmatism and traditionalism, and wish none of my possessions to be used in the interest of this stagnation." (last will and testament, June 6, 1898)[3]

A priority of justice and care for the down-trodden are a recurrent theme in the Hebrew prophetic tradition inherited by Christianity.[4] This has been reflected in many later Christian traditions of service and ministry, and more recently in the United States of America through Christian involvement in political trends such as the Progressive Movement and the Social Gospel.[5]

### Contemporary movement

In 1961, a group of pastors from the National Baptist Convention, USA wishing to become more involved with civil rights founded the Progressive National Baptist Convention. [6]

The Sojourners magazine was founded in 1971 by the Sojourners Community and was the first progressive magazine.[7]

The Center for Progressive Christianity was founded in 1996 by Episcopal priest James Rowe Adams in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the aim of bringing together progressive Christian organizations and churches.[8]

In 2007, the Red-Letter Christians movement was founded by Baptist pastor Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne in order to offer Christian resources about various social issues, such as a blog, a podcast, and conferences.[9][10]

In the UK, the Progressive Christianity Britain network was founded in 2003 and has adopted eight non-credal points which reflect the nature of a Christian life explored from a progressive standpoint.[11] The network holds group meetings in many locations around the country.[12]

According to Archbishop Wynn Wagner of the former North American Old Catholic Church, inclusiveness and acceptance is the basic posture of progressive Christianity.[13] The dominance of evangelicalism in the US, particularly in its more socially conservative forms, challenged many people in mainline churches.[14] This has enabled many Christians who are uncomfortable with conservative evangelicalism to identify themselves explicitly as "progressive Christians".

## Beliefs

Pride flag banner hung over the entrance to the Church of the Pilgrims in Washington, D.C.

Progressive Christianity is the post-modern influenced evolution of historic mainline liberal Protestant Christianity and it is an heir to the Social Gospel movement. It draws from process theology, liberation theology, feminist theology, womanist theology, affirming theology, and eco-theology as well. [15]Progressive Christianity focuses on promoting values such as compassion, justice, mercy, and tolerance, often through political activism. Though prominent, the movement is by no means the only significant movement of progressive thought among Christians. It draws influence from multiple theological streams, including evangelicalism, liberal Christianity, neo-orthodoxy, pragmatism, postmodern theology, and liberation theology. The concerns of feminism are also a major influence on the movement, as expressed in feminist and womanist theologies.[16][17][18] Although progressive Christianity and liberal Christianity are often used synonymously, the two movements are distinct, despite much overlap.[19] While there is some philosophical overlap, progressive Christianity is not synonymous with progressive politics.[1]

The term was first coined by German-American, Lutheran pastor and scholar, Rev. John H. W. Stuckenberg. "I favor a progressive Christianity based on the living teachings of Christ and his Apostles. I am opposed to the stagnation created by religious dogmatism and traditionalism, and wish none of my possessions to be used in the interest of this stagnation." (last will and testament, June 6, 1898)[20] The term was later embraced by retired Episcopal priest Rev. Jim Adams who founded The Center for Progressive Christianity in 1996—which has since become ProgressiveChristianity.Org.[21][circular reference] That organization has promoted "The 8 Points of Progressive Christianity",[22] and has since established the 5 Core Values of Progressive Christianity[23] other variations include The Phoenix Confessions.[24]

### Environmental ministries

Central to this recovery of awe in the cosmos is the epic of evolution, the 14-billion-year history of the universe. Scientists (Edward O. Wilson, Brian Swimme, Eric Chaisson, Ursula Goodenough and others) initiated this story which has been perpetuated with a religion component by some liberal theologians (Gordon D. Kaufman, Jerome A. Stone, Michael Dowd, etc.).[25][26]

Evolutionary evangelist and progressive minister Michael Dowd uses the term Epic of Evolution or Great Story to help construct his viewpoint of evolution theology. His position is that science and religious faith are not mutually exclusive (a form of religious naturalism).[27] He preaches that the epic of cosmic, biological, and human evolution, revealed by science, is a basis for an inspiring and meaningful view of our place in the universe and a new approach to religion. Evolution is viewed as a religious spiritual process that is not meaningless blind chance.[28]

## Criticism

Geoff Thompson argues that progressive Christianity, as represented by Gretta Vosper and John Shelby Spong, "often over-reaches its arguments".[29] In particular, he concludes that "[i]t is very difficult to see how what [Vosper] proposes needs any church or even the minimalist, idiosyncratic definition of Christianity which she offers".[29]Template:Weight

## Major festivals and conferences

* The Greenbelt Festival
* The Wild Goose Festival
* Christianity21 conferences
* The Lion & the Lamb Festival
* The Embrace Festival

## See also

* Catholic Worker Movement
* Christian anarchism
* Christian existentialism
* Christian feminism
* Christian humanism
* Christian left
* Christian socialism
* Christian Universalism
* Christian views on poverty and wealth
* Christianity and homosexuality
* Christianity and politics
* Egalitarianism
* Emerging church
* Engaged Spirituality
* Evangelical left
* Free Christians (Britain)
* Fundamentalist–Modernist controversy
* Historical-critical method
* LGBT-affirming Christian denominations
* Living the Questions, curriculum resources for progressive Christians
* Mainline Protestant
* Modernism (Roman Catholicism)
* National Union for Social Justice
* Patheos
* Peace churches
* Political theology
* Postmillennialism
* Postmodern Christianity
* Progressives Adventism
* Progressive Baptists
* The Progressive Christian, magazine published from 1823 to 2011
* Red Letter Christians
* Religious pluralism
* Rerum novarum
* Secular humanism
* Secular religion
* Social justice and injustice
* Queer theology
* Unitarianism
* Unitarian Universalism
* Women's ordination

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wolsey, Roger (10 February 2012). "Progressive Christianity Isn't Progressive Politics". The Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-roger-wolsey/progressive-christianity-isnt-progressive-politics_b_1897381.html.
2. ↑ "Soul Play: What Is Progressive Christianity Exactly?". The Flip Side. University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. http://www.flipsidepress.org/content/soul-play:-what-progressive-christianity-exactly?.
3. ↑ "Feast of John H. W. Stuckenberg (May 28)". 9 December 2017. https://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/feast-of-john-h-w-stuckenberg-may-28/.
4. ↑ Ess, Charles. "Prophetic, Wisdom, and Apocalyptic Traditions in Judaism and Christianity". Drury University. http://www.drury.edu/ess/alpha/prophet.html.
5. ↑ Boulton, Wayne G., Thomas D. Kennedy and Allen Verhey (1994). From Christ to the World: Introductory Readings in Christian Ethics. Grand Rapids MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 134–136. ISBN 0-8028-0640-6. https://books.google.com/books?id=JstVXOH75LwC.
6. ↑ Randall Herbert Balmer, Encyclopedia of Evangelicalism: Revised and expanded edition, Baylor University Press, USA, 2004, p. 560
7. ↑ Gasaway, Brantley W. (2014). Progressive Evangelicals and the Pursuit of Social Justice. USA: University of North Carolina Press. p. 14.
8. ↑ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1870
9. ↑ Tabor, Nick (January 6, 2020). "Can this preacher's progressive version of evangelical Christianity catch on with a new generation?". Washington Post (USA). https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2020/01/06/can-this-preachers-progressive-version-evangelical-christianity-catch-with-new-generation/.
10. ↑ Dawson, Rosie (January 4, 2019). "Red Letter Christians gear up for UK launch". Religion News. USA. https://religionnews.com/2019/01/04/red-letter-christians-gear-up-for-uk-launch/.
11. ↑ Progressive Christian Network Britain, Homepage, accessed 19 January 2024
12. ↑ PCN Britain, Groups and Churches, accessed 16 January 2024
13. ↑ Wagner III, Wynn (2009). A Pilgrim's Guide to the Old Catholic Church. Mystic Ways. ISBN 978-1-4499-9279-8.
14. ↑ "Sojourners Declines LGBT 'Welcome' Ad". Christianity Today. 9 May 2011. http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctpolitics/2011/05/sojourners_decl.html.
15. ↑ George Thomas Kurian, Mark A. Lamport, Encyclopedia of Christianity in the United States, Volume 5, Rowman & Littlefield, USA, 2016, p. 1870
16. ↑ Cobb, John, Jr., ed. Progressive Christians Speak: A Different Voice on Faith and Politics, Progressive Christians Uniting, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. p. 72. ISBN 9780664225896
17. ↑ Flunder, Yvette, Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion, Pilgrim Press, 2005. ISBN 9780829816389
18. ↑ Heyward, Carter, Saving Jesus From Those Who Are Right: Rethinking what it means to be Christian, Fortress Press, 1999. ISBN 9780800629663
19. ↑ Hal Taussig (May–June 2006). "Grassroots Progressive Christianity A Quiet Revolution". http://www.sdc.unitingchurch.org.au/WestarProgressiveArticle.pdf.
20. ↑ "Feast of John H. W. Stuckenberg (May 28)". 9 December 2017. https://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/feast-of-john-h-w-stuckenberg-may-28/.
21. ↑ "Progressive Christianity (Organization)". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Christianity_(organization).
22. ↑ "Original Eight Points of Progressive Christianity - 1997". https://progressivechristianity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Past-versions-of-Core-Values.pdf.
23. ↑ "The Core Values of Progressive Christianity". https://progressivechristianity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/The-Core-Values-of-Progressive-Christianity-Poster.pdf.
24. ↑ "The Phoenix Affirmations Full Version". https://progressivechristianity.org/resource/the-phoenix-affirmations-full-version/.
25. ↑ * Edward O. Wilson, On Human Nature, Harvard University Press,1979,ISBN 0-674-01638-6

* The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era: A Celebration of the Unfolding of the Cosmos; Brian Swimme, Harper, 1992 (1994, ISBN 0-06-250835-0)
* Ursula Goodenough - Sacred Depths of Nature, Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (15 June 2000), ISBN 0-19-513629-2
* Eric Chaisson - Epic of Evolution, Columbia University Press (2 March 2007), ISBN 0-231-13561-0
26. ↑ * Jerome A. Stone - Religious Naturalism Today: The Rebirth of a Forgotten Alternative, State U. of New York Press (Dec 2008), ISBN 0-7914-7537-9

* Michael Dowd (June 2008). Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World. Council Oak Books. ISBN 978-1-57178-210-6. https://archive.org/details/thankgodforevolu0000dowd/mode/2up.
* Gordon Kaufman - In the Beginning….Creativity, Augsburg Fortress Publishers (July 2004), ISBN 0-8006-6093-5
27. ↑ "Evolution Theology: Religion 2.0 - Thank God For Evolution". thankgodforevolution.com. http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1128.
28. ↑ "The Book - Thank God For Evolution". thankgodforevolution.com. http://thankgodforevolution.com/book.
29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Geoff Thompson (February 2011). "Progressive Christianity: Testing Its Arguments". Uniting Theology and Church (5). http://trinity.qld.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/UTC_Essay05.pdf.

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