1) Do you consider yourself to be a progressive Christian? Why or why not?
Yes I do because I do not believe in the traditional dogma that most mainline churches require...I would also call myself a seeker, willing to look outside Christianity also.
2) Where do you live?
On the Delmarva Penninsula, about 7 miles inland from Ocean City Maryland. This is a very conservative area!
3) What do you do for a living?
I am a librarian...
4) How did you find out about these boards?
While searching for information about John Shelby Spong's speaking schedule I stumbled upon it.
5) What are you looking for as you post here?
Other seekers, questioners, believers who feel that within Christianity there is still hope and meaning. I consider myself, at this point in my life, as Spong calls us a "believer in exile" as I have not found a place to worship in that even comes close to a progressive approach!
6) What on Earth do you think this icon means?
Definitely a ninja
7) Tell us anything else you want to about yourself.
I was raised a liberal Roman Catholic but left the church in 1996 because I could no longer listen every week to the priests going on and on about pro-life and anti birth control (anti woman, is the real issue) while the rest of the world starves, kills each other in wars or in family/community violences and other issues of faith that I disagree with. I could not longer call myself a Roman Catholic as I had lost all faith in the Church but not in the Christ of my understanding. This Jesus loves everyone, excepts everyone, creates no boundries and expects nothing but us to love one another!
I read many books by various biblical scholars - I have read most of Spong's books, Elaine Pagels, Marcus Borg, Matt Fox, Karent Armstrong and right now I am starting a book by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln called Holy Blood, Holy Grail. This book was recommended to me by someone else who had read Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons. Dan Brown used this book for some of the theories brought up in both of these books. (theories about who Mary Magdalene really was in addition to some other "radical" ideas )
Anyway, that is all for now!
Peace
Lisa