What does it mean to be a progressive Christian? A social justice Christian? 

A Christian?

We've likely all heard the ruckus started by Glenn Beck and his "command" for Christians to leave churches that preach social justice. And there has been rich conversation lately in The Beatitudes community about what it means to be a progressive Christian - what are the essential beliefs (if there are any)? Are there creeds? What do we DO as progressive Christians and can we live, work, pray and grow together with people whose theology of progressive Christianity (or Christianity) differs. And what does the Christian community look like?

I have to out myself pretty early here and say that I am post-denominational, post-post-modern and post-anything-that-reeks-of-because-we-said-so-authority.    I (Kimberly, the individual not Kimberly representing anyone else but Kimberly)  believe that the institutions as we have created them in the wake of The Incarnation are NOT what Jesus intended. I believe that with our mortal hands all over these things we call denominations - we tend to further muddy that already dark glass though which we try to see Truth, God - Christ - with a lot of human books of order and polity that, well seems to reek of the very strictures from which Jesus sought to liberate us.

But I digress...my questions to you (as I prepare to immerse in three days of emergent/progressive theological discussions at Theology After Google) is this -

What is essential to YOU as a progressive Christian? As a Christian?

And that begs the question - can you be in community with others for whom the essentials may be different but none the less called to live out the beatitudes - uplifting the poor, the meek the persecuted? Can we work as Christian brothers and sisters to liberate the imprisoned, to restore sight to the blind, to work actively day in and day out for a more just and peaceful world?