Dred37

Hello Folks! I am Edwin L. Holton, Ph.D., retired academic librarian and professor of humanities (world religions and history of philosophy); I am also a retired United Methodist minister. I have been through many years of theological debate and personal seeking. My faith is resolved into three elements: Belief in the reality of the constant presence of God (Jung: "Bidden or unbidden, God is here!); Faith in God's love and forgiveness everywhere and all the time; Prayer as the route to personal relationship with the eternal God. Yes, I am a Progressive Christian...left to my own devices I'd affiliate with the Unitarian Universalists, but family is in the way. My wife, who had multiple psychiatric problems, has recently decided to become a Roman Catholic and tends to listen to the Catholic t.v. site EWTN virtually all day. I had not realized how literalist the Catholic church is. Frankly, they are driving ME nuts with all the emphasis on sin, sin, sin, suffering, crucifixion, death, real presence in the Eucharist, and virgin Mary. My faith is that God has forgiven us, is not standing over us with some threat of punishment, and that Joy is the real heart of living close to God. I am so glad for the Progressive Christian website...and for Bishop Spong. As a teacher of world religions I also believe that there are multiple routes to God's heart and that love and joy are central to our relationship to God. I spent several years contemplating converting to Judaism and find I have to combine what I discovered there with my interpretation of Christianity. God Bless, Ed Holton