jonnyb

Hi Hugo. as i said on your introduction thread, I love this idea. I'd be interested to know how a group like this is put together. Do the people already know each other or is it advertised? how do you put across that the group is christian but not about traditional beliefs and doctrine? thanks Jonny

Welcome, Hugo. I love the small group idea. the problem for me, and i'm sure others, is finding 'like minds' in their area. I think more of us non-traditional christians need to 'come out'! Jonny

I love the idea that someone would pray to be made a different race! 'dear lord, please make me chinese...'

sounds perfect, Paul. Jonny

thought this was appropriate.... I follow a fantastic website called 'letters of note'. today's letter was one from Einstein, replying to a girl who asked, 'do scientists pray?' http://networkedblogs.com/xNE2w

thanks for the response, Russ. I'm interested in the Quaker church, looked into it a bit and i really like what i have learned. i might visit the local meeting sometime. Jonny

i loved reading all of your responses! Joseph - totally with you. maybe 'practice' wasn't the right word. I have found that meditating on verses that i like has an impact on my day. If i have the verse about being 'slow to anger, quick to listen' fresh in my head, then i will certainly think twice about how i respond to certain situations. I'm applying for a volunteering post, too. these are things i didnt really pursue while i was a traditional christian. I think that because I have shed the thought that being a christian means 'are you saved or not', I have started to ask, what does it mean to follow christ? thanks looking forward to any more responses

welcome, it's nice to find like minds jonny

Hi, not wanting this to get into a debate about how one 'should' practice progressive christianity, I just am interested in how different individuals express their form of christianity day to day. So far for me, progressive christianity has been more about studying it than 'doing' it. I want to change that now and am looking at what being a follower of christ should mean in my life. so.... how do you 'do' your christianity? volunteering? social action? meditation? study? prayer? thanks Jonny

the problem is that most Christians think that being a 'christian' means that some supernatural switch has been flipped to bound you for heaven. 'Are you a christian' and are you saved' is the same thing. However for most of us here 'Christian' really means a follower of Christ's teaching. With this, it merely means we try to adhere to a way of life we are attracted to. It is similiar to someone describing themselves as Freudian or Marxist, who has subscribed to a set of ideas. It is no more a 'supernatural' change than this. or am i wrong?

Hi Derek, we seem to have a lot of similarities. I too am finding that Progressive Christianity is a good fit for me. I also find myself having a 're-alignment' of sorts in various aspects of life. I am continuing to go to my Baptist church, which certainly isn't progressive, but not too conservative. Like George said above, I'm finding that I just need to let the stuff i don't agree with go, and take from the service what is meaningful to me. As only a few people know that i am no longer a 'proper' christian, my future involvement in the church is still a bit uncertain, but i am happy to continue as i and my family all enjoy going. welcome Jonny

thanks, a good read. i especially liked point 9: 'If we do not do the right thing in our day, our grandchildren will look at us with same embarrassment we look at racist grandparents.'

interesting, thanks for posting. might have a look at the book