Progressive Christianity Vs Progressive Christianity?

[JenellYB]

I tried to get the title for this post the way i needed it but couldn't.....what I intend it is..."PROGRESSIVE Christianity VS Progressive CHRISTIANITY?

 

I think a sometimes awkward, even uncomfotable element of communications here is something of a push-pull between things I'm here summing of a tension between focus on the "progressiveness" of our Christianity and the "Christianity" of our progressiveness. And, I think it is often at the root of many, if not most, of the discomfort here that sometimes leads some would-be participants to have to decide that for where they are in their journey, this is not the best place for them to be right now.

 

I think honestly, it is hard for anyone to really sort out even in their own views and beleifs, espencially but not limited to, religion, just where their Christianity meets their general worldview position, such things as social/poltical conservatism/liberalism, tradtionalist/progressiveness.

 

We often toss about here such thoughts as distinguishing religious beleif from faith, or even 'belief in God' from 'belief in particular human construct of God."

Are we Christians trying to be Progressive about our Christianity, or Progressives trying to be Christian about our Progressivity?

Edit: Perhaps a better way of saying it...are we trying to be Progressive Christians or Christian progressives?

 

Now, there's the questions. I can't say I know the answers.

 

Jenell

[JosephM]

Are we Christians trying to be Progressive about our Christianity, or Progressives trying to be Christian about our Progressivity?

 

Speaking for myself i would say neither. Sure one could say we are Christians but are we "trying" to be progressive or is progressive just something that comes naturally to the mind that is open? Sure one could say we are Progressives but to me progressive is first a verb and best used as an adjective to better describe a noun than as a noun itself which says to me very little.

 

I think we are merely humans sometimes overly concerned with labels and their meanings. More importantly i think we through discussion are really trying to describe that which we sense is responsible for our existence and how to live our life meaningfully by looking to find commonalty and meaning with others in words and concepts. However, those words and concepts always seem to come up short of what is sufficient.

 

To me Christianity is just a label we associate with what we feel is the reported teachings and following of Jesus who was called the Christ and progressive is just a word we associate to ourselves because we see ourselves 'moving in steps' toward a clearer understanding of what following those teachings entails and means to us rather than a fixed interpretation dictated by others or a church system.

 

Joseph

[JenellYB]

I think your view is certainly a valid one, and could be said 'correct' in some sense, some ways, perhaps...but to attempt to stand, myself, in this response, on a somewhat neutral ground, apart from how i might or might not agree with anythig you express. I will say not everyone would agree. And that would be neither right nor wrong, because we are each at our own place on the journey, and it is how we 'see' what PC is to us, in our live, and either element, the "P" or the "C", and their relative importance.

 

It arises within discussion here more often than any of would care to try to count, expression of conflict, frustration, sometimes handled well and sometimes not so well, to the effect that some view or position or behavior or whatever, is progressive but "not Christian enough or visa versa, Christian but not progressive enough.

Obviously there's a good range of different perspectives in this.

 

Jenell

[JosephM]

Jenell,

Yes, I would agree. It is an Individual thing and as I said, just speaking for myself.

[soma]

Good question, I think I evolved to be progressive and relaxed into Christianity.