What does "progressive Christian" mean to you?
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?
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Kimberly, I have written about this very question in two separate posts on my blog: http://wildernesspreacher.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-i-am-progressive-christian-part-1.html and http://wildernesspreacher.blogspot.com/2009/10/why-i-am-progressive-christian-part-2.html. Both of these were posted at the Center for Progressive Christianity's website. I have also
Hiya Drew,
Your comment got chopped off - can you repost it?
Thanks for sharing your links!
i like to try 1 Thess. 5:18 as part of the answer to your question .
i am catholic charismatic democrat. i married a lutheran.i once volunteered at lutheran pancake breakfasts. i have neighbors who are not like me. across the street one of my best friends is a four square bible only christian republican. when our children were small we would babysit for each other. the only was rule dont turn on the tv . her husband used to be a jehovah witnesser. was she ever amazed when her brother in law married a catholic. another is libertarian republican, as is my sister. my other sister thinks Jesus is kind of neat but she cant figure out what he expects her to do about it in her life. another of my friends is a spanish speaking catholic. i once volunteered for a presbyterian church for three years. while in college my roomate was baptist. my mothers second husband was episcopalian i volunteered there too. my dad was first an atheist then a born again bible only christian. i mean he burned shakspeare, for goodness sake. i volunteered for his church, i did not mention shakespeare. my next door neighbor is lutheran and loves cats but not dogs. i have dogs. if we fuss it is about cats versus dogs as the best pet not about christianity. my daughter is part indian. we are welcomed to meetings where there are indian prayers. i am a girl scout volunteer. the girl scout law use resources wisely sounds a lot like the indian value take only what you need and also like the christan value be content with what you have. i like this blending. and it is harder to try to actually put into action than you think. i keep trying .
to me being a social justice christian means volunteering and being kind hearted to myself and others. because love is an action word , love is a verb.