StarDust

Thanks everyone for your input and welcome! I'm currently listening to the Advent of Evolutionary Christianity series by Michael Dowd. It's quite interesting, and does not feel anything like fundamentalism. I found the interview with Matthew Fox to be very interesting. Has anyone read any of his books or seen him speak?

Hello, I became curious about this site / worldview after reading Michael Dowd's "Thank God for Evolution" book and watching his "God in Big History" video series: http://thegreatstory.org/god-in-big-history.html, and after listening to some lectures by Matthew Fox on YouTube. I've read a handful of books by Marcus Borg as well. I've read a bunch of Bart Ehrman's books over the last couple of years. And, I've done my fair share of reading books by religion's critics as well, like Sam Harris, etc. I did not grow up religious, and my only brief exposure to Christianity was through a non-denominational congregation that interpreted the Bible as literal history. That is, if it said Jesus cast demons out of a human and into a herd of swine, then he literally did just that -- likewise with turning water into wine, walking on water, and, ultimately, coming back from the dead. I hope I'm among like-minded people here in saying that the "demon possession" theory of illness is preposterous in the 21st century, at minimum. I could not be part of something that asked me to stop thinking or think dangerous ideas about where illness comes from. I grew up as an avid follower of Carl Sagan's programs and books, and thus developed an appreciation for the scientific mindset. In general, I am extremely skeptical of the idea of "supernatural forces". I tend to view reality as a continuous process / whole, and the idea of a god who intervenes in nature from time to time working miracles or favoring one ethnic tribe over another doesn't seem right or likely to me based on my understanding of science. Anyway, I eventually became involved in a great Unitarian Universalist congregation for a while, after leaving behind the former literalist experience. I realize UU is very small in numbers, and thus it's not known to many people. It has opened my eyes to the reality that fundamentalist do not have a monopoly on religious community. The way Dowd is able to use traditional religious language and metaphors, while also speaking to modern reality about science, evolution, climate, ecology, etc (Fox as well does this), is very interesting and inspiring. I was also intrigued recently to learn that Martin Luther King, Jr. rejected the virgin birth and the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus as ahistorical/mythological. So, I guess I'm dropping by because I have had a perhaps jaundiced view of Christianity in the past, and it's something I should get past. Aside from the people I mentioned like Borg, Ehrman, Fox, Dowd, does anyone have any other recommended resources or listening on the Progressive Christian side of faith? I prefer audio or YouTube lectures or narratives since it's easier than sitting down to read. Thanks! StarDust