Open Circle is a member of The Center for Progressive Christianity. We recently had the founder of TCPC, Jim Adams, with us for a couple of days talking about the growing progressive Christian movement around the country. Over on their website TCPC has a growing list of resource: educational, worship, book reviews, and articles about progressive Christianity.
I want to call your attention to two of these currently linked on the front page of the web site. One is written by Fred Plummer, the president of TCPC, entitled What is Progressive Christianity Anyway. In the article Plummer takes note of the uptick in the number of progressive Christian organizations around the country. After giving of us rundown of these organizations and their purposes, he tells us what for him is the essence of the progressive Christian movement:
I would suggest here that the foundational tenet of progressive Christianity is the ontological understanding that pre-dates Bible, tradition and even religion: that is that all living beings are created by one force, one Spirit, one God and are inter-related and interdependent. This is a universal truth that has been revealed in Jesus and other enlightened teachers and prophets over the centuries. It is one that science makes more of a reality for us every day. But it makes no difference whether one comes to that understanding of reality through Biblical teachings, some scientific revelation or some existential spiritual experience. Once you begin to see the creation this way, everything changes.
It is out of this understanding that we are compelled to work for social justice; it is out of this insight that we begin to see others as we would like them to see us; it is out of this awareness that we can no longer let others suffer without interceding; it is out of this recognition that our compassion for others grows without limits; and it is out of this consciousness that we are even willing to die on behalf of others.
Progress by definition is "to move forward." Obviously this implies movement, transition and usually the need to let go or revise. Progress always means change and change is seldom easy, especially when we are dealing with issues that are so subjective and even sacred in our lives.
The other article, A Startling Vision for the 21st Century Church, is by a UCC pastor in Seattle Washington, Tom Thresher. He describes the particular vision and model his congregation is working out of, which he describes as the Integral Church:
Wonderful things are happening in the progressive Christian movement, and we delight in the renewed vitality inspired by this vision. Yet we feel the need to point beyond even the progressive Christian movement to what we call the Integral Church. Not only does it welcome those who doubt the trappings of the traditional church and gladly receive the wisdom of other faiths, it then integrates both modern doubt and postmodern pluralism with the mythic foundations of our faith. The Integral Church holds all of this simultaneously in a great celebratory dance.
So imagine, if you will, a church that gives people permission to be exactly where they are on their spiritual journey and simultaneously offers multiple invitations into possibilities just beyond (and sometimes way beyond) their current comfort level. Imagine if this were done with attention to a suitable spectrum of interior capacities, with "Christian stories" appropriate to different stages of the journey, and with a variety of venues for engaging the social, economic and political structures surrounding us. In other words, imagine a church actively inviting the congregation to move through modern awareness into postmodernity and beyond without abandoning its traditional roots. This is the project of the Suquamish Church (United Church of Christ).
I encourage you to take a look at these articles. Interesting things are happening all around the country among progressive Christians.
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