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It has been a long time since I posted on this site.  I am a former Eastern Orthodox Christian that has been on a long religious journey.  I was raised in Methodism, then became agnostic for many years.  Then I practiced Buddhism for a few years.  I went to a conservative Anglican church for many years before becoming an Eastern Orthodox catechumen, and this was the first religion I really felt I could call home.  Sadly, my priest gave me a very hard time for years, and my parish was overall quite conservative and pietistic.  I  left the faith after I had a spiritual/mental health crisis and became searching.  First at a conservative Episcopalian church, and then finally I found a small ELCA Lutheran congregation that I am now a member of. 

 

I would describe myself as not easily fitting into a particular religious box.  Though I don't seem to get along well with conservative evangelicals, I would not describe myself necessarily as totally on board with Protestant liberalism, and of course my background is not Protestant.  I'm not perfectly aligned with the "typical Lutheran", but it seems as close as I can get to a safe church that believes all the essentials, and they just don't seem like very judgmental people, though I find a surprising number of ELCA Lutherans that have a narrow religious perspective in their own way.   They can be socially liberal but theologically very stuffy and wooden.  Our church does have a conservative wing that is not insubstantial, as well.  My own pastor is from that conservative confessional tradition though in my dialogues with him I have helped him broaden his perspective.

Edited by FireDragon76
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Welcome back FireDragon,

Its been a year or so since we last heard from you. Glad you finally found a church you can live with. I think all of us find total alignment with a fellowship practically an impossibility. (Unless of course one is the only member! :lol: ) Hope you will stay with us this time and join in more conversations.

Again, Welcome back,

Joseph

 

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Hello, Firedragon.  There are a few common chords in our backgrounds.  If one feels completely comfortable in a church I think they are in the wrong one.  Better to find a church where one is needed.

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11 hours ago, Burl said:

Hello, Firedragon.  There are a few common chords in our backgrounds.  If one feels completely comfortable in a church I think they are in the wrong one.  Better to find a church where one is needed.

I notice your profile says you live in Central Florida.  I live in east Orlando.   The church I go to is Reformation ELCA, which is in the south downtown area.

 

 

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After looking over the site, I think I will stick to the Debate and Dialogue section.   I don't think the typical ELCA Lutheran fits the 8 Points laid out as a guideline for Progressive Christianity.  It is possible to find more progressive Lutherans, but we are still very much a religion shaped by tradition and shared confessions.   We are influenced by liberal mainline Protestantism, and share similar "tools" that are used, without actually being part of it fully. 

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