Looking Forward to a Progressive New Year!
I have a Facebook friend named Roger Wolsey who is the United Methodist Campus Minister at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has written a wonderful book (published in 2011), titled: “Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don’t Like Christianity.” Here’s an excerpt:
"What's referred to as 'progressive Christianity' isn't really new. It's a reformation of the Church to its earlier, pre-modernist and pre-Constantinian roots. Rather than focusing on exclusion, judging, and damning, progressive Christians reclaim our original values of inclusion, grace, acceptance, and unconditional love. In reality, it is progressive Christianity that is conservative -- conserving what made Christianity such a beautiful gift to the world in the first place."
This is what Roger McClellan, Executive Director of the Progressive Christian Alliance has to say about the book:
”Kissing Fish is a scholarly yet thoroughly accessible introduction to Progressive Christianity. While the intended audience for this work would seem to be those who have either left the Christian faith or never adopted it at all; the work is filled with pearls of wisdom for all of us, whether associated with Christianity or not. Kissing Fish is a truly remarkable work, serving both as a reminder of the beauty and grace that form the central tenets of faith, while offering a graceful yet prophetic rebuttal to its more exclusionary tendencies.”
I commend this book to your attention and encourage you to share it with family and friends who have joined the ever growing “church alumni association.” (As St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words”). It will give them much to chew on as they re-think (and re-consider!) what Christianity is really all about.
I also want to refer you to a helpful and well written blog by Dr. April Love-Fordham, Doing, Loving, Walking: http://aprillovefordham.com/2013/12/27/nine-blessings-from-the-anti-conservative-christian-movement/
Though I'd contend that we're not defined so much by what/who we're against ("anti-conservative"), but rather what we're for, Nine Blessings from the Anti-Conservative Christian Movement, is a terrific explication of what progressive Christianity is all about. Here’s an excerpt, (#8, Authentic, Not Contemporary):
“This one surprises some people the most. Non-conservatives are not generally drawn to contemporary Christian rock and loud screaming guitars on Sunday mornings. This kind of worship music feels laughable at times to them and they’d rather flee than attend a church with a praise band leader standing on stage fussing at them to clap their hands with more gusto and to sing louder. Non-conservatives are returning to high church with smells and bells – and lots of contemplative silence, prayer books, and the Eucharist generously practiced. They want to learn spiritual disciplines and to worship in an atmosphere that lets the heart experience God. Who would have predicted that? But they aren’t into making church look and sound like a rock concert.”
There’s more good stuff where this comes from. These resources will help all of us to have a productive and progressive New Year!
Cheers!
Scott
I have a Facebook friend named Roger Wolsey who is the United Methodist Campus Minister at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has written a wonderful book (published in 2011), titled: “Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don’t Like Christianity.” Here’s an excerpt:
"What's referred to as 'progressive Christianity' isn't really new. It's a reformation of the Church to its earlier, pre-modernist and pre-Constantinian roots. Rather than focusing on exclusion, judging, and damning, progressive Christians reclaim our original values of inclusion, grace, acceptance, and unconditional love. In reality, it is progressive Christianity that is conservative -- conserving what made Christianity such a beautiful gift to the world in the first place."
This is what Roger McClellan, Executive Director of the Progressive Christian Alliance has to say about the book:
”Kissing Fish is a scholarly yet thoroughly accessible introduction to Progressive Christianity. While the intended audience for this work would seem to be those who have either left the Christian faith or never adopted it at all; the work is filled with pearls of wisdom for all of us, whether associated with Christianity or not. Kissing Fish is a truly remarkable work, serving both as a reminder of the beauty and grace that form the central tenets of faith, while offering a graceful yet prophetic rebuttal to its more exclusionary tendencies.”
I commend this book to your attention and encourage you to share it with family and friends who have joined the ever growing “church alumni association.” (As St. Francis of Assisi said, “Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words”). It will give them much to chew on as they re-think (and re-consider!) what Christianity is really all about.
I also want to refer you to a helpful and well written blog by Dr. April Love-Fordham, Doing, Loving, Walking: http://aprillovefordham.com/2013/12/27/nine-blessings-from-the-anti-conservative-christian-movement/
Though I'd contend that we're not defined so much by what/who we're against ("anti-conservative"), but rather what we're for, Nine Blessings from the Anti-Conservative Christian Movement, is a terrific explication of what progressive Christianity is all about. Here’s an excerpt, (#8, Authentic, Not Contemporary):
“This one surprises some people the most. Non-conservatives are not generally drawn to contemporary Christian rock and loud screaming guitars on Sunday mornings. This kind of worship music feels laughable at times to them and they’d rather flee than attend a church with a praise band leader standing on stage fussing at them to clap their hands with more gusto and to sing louder. Non-conservatives are returning to high church with smells and bells – and lots of contemplative silence, prayer books, and the Eucharist generously practiced. They want to learn spiritual disciplines and to worship in an atmosphere that lets the heart experience God. Who would have predicted that? But they aren’t into making church look and sound like a rock concert.”
There’s more good stuff where this comes from. These resources will help all of us to have a productive and progressive New Year!
Cheers!
Scott
