I am a Progressive Christian. I enjoy my connections with others who see themselves as Progressive Christians. One thing I have come to realize about the entire Progressive Conversation is that while we see something’s the same, there is no way to say “This is what <em>all</em> Progressive Christian believes” because on one, or group speaks for all Progressive Christians. To view the Progressive Conversation as some monolithic belief system is placing the Progressive Conversation into the same structure as the Evangelical Church, which seems to put the Progressive Conversation on some kind of linear thought pattern.

The idea that there is some pre-approved list of beliefs seems weird to me, because I see the idea of being in the Progressive Conversation as less of a “religious order” and more of a though pattern, an attitude of how we approach our life and faith; how we put our faith into action.

With all that being said, I would like to address a recent article brought to my attention by my friend George Koukouris and written by Carlotta Morrow on the Christocentric.com site entitled, <em>Beware of Progressive Christianity: Jesus lovers are really Jesus hater. </em>Keep in mind, as I mentioned before, there is no one single voice that speaks for the Progressive Christian Conversation, simply a collection of voices – and I am but one voice in that collection.

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First Point:

Let me start with her point that Progressive Christians do not love Jesus. She writes, <em>“For a group that thrives on the scriptures that speak of loving one another, why would I say they hate Jesus? Along with their scriptures of loving God and one another, Jesus also makes clear who actually loves him…” </em>She then goes on to quote Jesus’ words in John’s recording of the life of Jesus in John 14:14-15 and 21 – where Jesus says, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (I would quote each line, but they all say the same thing).

I think she is trying to say we do not follow the commandments of Jesus. It is sad that she would think that way, because we do. What she seems to miss, and I am not sure I would say she did it on purpose to make her point, is that in John 14:17 Jesus says, “This is my command: Love each other.” And in John 15:12 Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” So, it seems simple enough, that if we love each other as Jesus loved us we are following his command. If there is one thing I can say about those I know in the Progressive Conversation is that they love others, very deeply.

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Second Point:

The second thing that caught my eye was when she wrote, “<em>Progressive Christianity (sometimes known as emergence Christianity) is a movement that is swelling in numbers day by day</em>.” It caught my eye because she is placing together two very different points of view – Progressive and Emerging.

While they are not mutually exclusive of each other, and there are people who see themselves in both Conversations (as I do), there are many who call themselves Progressive who would not connect with the Emerging Conversation, as there are many in the Emerging Conversation who would not see themselves as part of the Progressive Conversation. Her point shows less of a connection between the two Conversations and more of her truly not understanding what those Conversations are about.

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Point Three:

I agree with all the scriptures she quotes, but what she needs to remember is that while I agree with the scriptures, I do not agree with how she interpreters them. For example, she quotes 2 Timothy 4:2-4, “<em>Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” </em>I agree with her on this, but that is not to say I agree with her. You see, she is assuming that she, and those who follow her ideas, are the only ones preaching the word. Her view is a “power view” where she is saying that is you disagree with her understanding of scripture, you are not preaching the truth – as if she has the only truth worth knowing.

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Point Four:

This point, I find rather sad. Not because it is a valid point, but because she discounts it when she writes, “This aberrant faux Christian movement’s primary scriptures to defend their love for people are found in the Bible and says, “<em>These things I command you, that you love one another.” John 15:17 or “Love your neighbor as yourself,“  Matthew 22:36-40.” </em>Can you see the disconnection? At one point in her article she accuses the Progressive Conversation of not following the commands of Jesus, and at the other end she accuses us of seeing those commands as the primary point in our faith journey.

Most of the people I know in the Progressive Conversation filter everything they do, think, say, write and live through the command of loving each other. But this is what we are told to do by Jesus, to follow the command he gave us – to love each other. She tries to bring out the point that because we desire to love everyone, the idea of “sin” becomes offensive to us – and she is just so wrong. We see “sin” for what it is, “Hamartano” (in Greek) or “missing the mark.” It is not something that paralyzes us, or causes us to live in fear – it is not something we do, but it is part of who we are. It is not something we own, it is something we strive to work out in our walk with God. We see it as a way of living in community, where we help each other through issues facing our lives and not as something named and shunned.

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Point Five:

This is a collective point, not a standalone point. In her article she list 9 examples of how people in the Progressive Conversation are not truly following the “true path,” and to be honest, she is missed the mark on this. Here are the points she brings out (Italic) and my response to what she offers.
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	<li>“<em>Progressives believe that Jesus is one of <strong>many</strong> ways to God</em>:” Keeping in mind that many in the Progressive Conversation have very different points of view, let me say this – I have found her to be very wrong on this point. I know of many in the Conversation who believe as I do, that Jesus is the truth, the way and the light – and to get to the Father we go through the Son. That being said, I also know of others who believe differently, and while I would disagree with them I respect their points of view. My prayer is that people see how I walk in Christ and they desire to share in that journey (kind of killing her 6<sup>th</sup> point) and walk with me.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe that the Bible shouldn’t be taken literally:”</em> Not even close to where I am at, or what others I know believe. I believe Scripture should be taken, read and understood as the Holy Spirit directs the individual. I will admit that I am not a “bible literalist” in that parts of Scripture are to be read as a metaphor for life. Most of the people I know in the Conversation take the words of Scripture very seriously; they just may not take them the way she (and others) desire us to take them. When I read Scripture I filter all through the words or Jesus, not through the words of Paul or any particular political stance.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe that one is eventually saved through good works:”</em> Most of the Progressives I know believe that salvation is through Jesus, and when we are saved our lives are changed and we seek to do what is right by God, and in turn to do right by the rest of humanity. I personally do not see that as “works” because what I do is based on my love of others through Jesus. If my faith does not cause me to want to help others I would have to say that my faith at that point is dead.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe all people are already children of God:”</em> They are, all people of God’s children and because they are, we love them and care for them – we speak against injustice, war, hunger, violence, pain and we seek to embrace those others have pushed aside. If we see people as anything less that the children of God we have lost the love Jesus desires us to share with the world.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe there is no absolute truth, but whatever your truth is considered the truth:”</em> I am still surprised that we are still in the conversation about “absolute truth.” The idea that people do not believe in a truth seems silly to me, because we all see our point of view as true and our views as “absolute truths.” I think her concern is that some may not see<strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline"> her</span></em></strong> truth as absolute.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe that since only God can draw man to Himself (right), then we are not to be involved in converting people (wrong):”</em> This seems weird to me because if we actually had this view we would not be growing and we would not be talking to others about our faith.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives refuse to believe that the bible even teaches this belief. That somehow the scriptures are misunderstood and taken out of context; or that the admonitions against homosexuality don’t apply to our time:”</em> All Scripture is seen contextually. Now, I will admit that many in the Progressive Conversation have no issue with the LGBTQ Community, while others still wrestle with the Scripture and how we balance our command to love others as Jesus loved us.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe that there are no boundaries in genders. Women are told not to submit to anyone:”</em> That is true, yet false. You see, as a Progressive Christian I believe everyone follower of Christ must submit to God. The idea of “submission” is seen by many as a power issue, where the male decides everything, with a “the buck stops here” mentality. Keep in mind, it is not that “women are told not to submit to anyone” it is that everyone is told to submit to Christ, and not to another human. Besides, what does her point of view do with the scriptures that says in Christ there are no male or female?</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe evolution is not incompatible to Christianity:”</em> Yea, that one is pretty much on spot – but the Progressive Conversation is not the only Follower’s of Christ that believe that.</li>
	<li><em>“Progressives believe God’s word changes with societal changes:”</em> No, I think most are OK with the idea that God never changes, but we do – and our understanding of God does change. History is filled with changes to our Christian faith based on a new understanding of how God is working in our lives. If that were not the case, we would never have had the Reformation. We would have never experienced all the Enlightenments of the past – because God does not change.</li>
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Point Six:

Her language is rather hurtful and aggressive. Things like “Progressive Christians despise God’s word” and “watch the hate they spew once they find you don’t support their beliefs” and “I don’t consider progressive Christians true Christians…” Her point is made, and it is one of the foundations of being a Progressive Christian – that we love and speak kindly of one another.

In the past I have had disagreements with other Progressive Christians and I have never been insulted, or had “hate” spewed at me for disagreeing with them. Whenever I have had a conversation with those in the Progressive Conversation I have always had my points listen to, and sometime rejected – but I can say that I have also had conversations with those on the self-defining “Christian Right” and I have walked away hurt, damaged and insulted. It is funny that when she speaks of the “hate” spewed by the Progressives Conversation and then reading her words of hate – kind of makes me wonder.