Progressive Christianity

Progressive Christianity represents a postmodern theological approach, which developed out of the liberal Christianity of the modern era, itself rooted in the Enlightenment's thinking.^[1] Progressive Christianity is a postliberal theological movement within Christianity that, in the words of Reverend Roger Wolsey, "seeks to reform the faith via the insights of post-modernism and a reclaiming of the truth beyond the verifiable historicity and factuality of the passages in the Bible by affirming the truths within the stories that may not have actually happened."^[1]

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]

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, progressive Christian reconstructionism, and liberation theology.^[3] The concerns of feminism are also a major influence on the movement, as expressed in feminist and womanist theologies.^[4][5][6] Although progressive Christianity and liberal Christianity are often used synonymously, the two movements are distinct, despite much overlap.^[7]

Origins

A priority of justice and care for the down-trodden are a recurrent theme in the Hebrew prophetic tradition inherited by Christianity.^[8] 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.^[9]

Throughout the 20th century, a strand of progressive or liberal Christian thought outlined the values of a 'good society'. It stresses fairness, justice, responsibility, and compassion, and condemns the forms of governance that wage unjust war, rely on corruption for continued power, deprive the poor of facilities, or exclude particular racial or sexual groups from fair participation in national liberties. It was influential in the US mainline churches, and reflected global trends in student activism. It contributed to the ecumenical movement, as represented internationally by the World Student Christian Federation and the World Council of Churches internationally, and at the national level through groups such as the National Council of Churches in the US and Australian Student Christian Movement.

Contemporary movement

The ascendancy of evangelicalism in the US, particularly in its more socially conservative forms, challenged many people in mainline churches. ^[10] This has enabled many Christians who are uncomfortable with conservative evangelicalism to identify themselves explicitly as "Progressive Christians".

Notable initiatives within the movement for progressive Christianity include the Center for Progressive Christianity (TCPC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, The Beatitudes Society,^[11] the campaigning organization CrossLeft, the technology working group Social Redemption and The Progressive Episcopal Church (TPEC).^{[citation needed]}

The Sojourners magazine was founded in 1971 by the Sojourners Community and was the first progressive magazine.^[12] In 2007, the Red-Letter Christians movement was founded by Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne to insist to Jesus' words by promoting biblical values such as peace, the fight against poverty, the defense of peace, building strong families, respecting human rights and welcoming foreigners.^{[13] [14]}

In the UK, the Progressive Christianity Britain network has adopted eight non-credal points which reflect the nature of a Christian life explored from a progressive standpoint.^[15] The network holds group meetings in many locations around the country.^[16]

Wolsey notes that progressive Christianity is not necessarily synonymous with progressive politics.^[1]

Compared to traditional Christianity

According to Archbishop Wynn Wagner of the former North American Old Catholic Church, holding to the ideals of progressive Christianity sets the movement apart from traditional Christianity. Inclusiveness and acceptance is the basic posture of progressive Christianity.^[17]

Seventh-day Adventism

Within the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the liberal wing describe themselves as "progressive Adventists". They disagree with some of the traditional teachings of the church. While most are still of evangelical persuasion, a minority are liberal Christians.^{[citation needed]}

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.).^[18][19]

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).^[20] 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.^[21]

Criticism

Geoff Thompson argues that the rhetoric of Progressive Christianity, as represented by Gretta Vosper and John Shelby Spong, "often over-reaches its arguments".^[22] 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".^[22]

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
• 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
• Women's ordination

References

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