Could Someone Clarify...?

[jonnyb]

Hi,

 

i'm just trying to get clear definitions of terms like 'emerging' 'emergent' and 'progressive'.

 

some time ago i can remember murmurings in church about 'emergents'. i didnt know who they were or what they believed but it all seemed very dubious according to the mainstream christians of my church :/

 

after beginning to feel drawn to an agnostic/atheist path for some time i discovered the likes of Spong, who had the same feelings i had about bible inerrancy, but who loved the bible and still wanted to follow jesus. from there i found this website and have been familiarizing myself with all things 'progressive'.

 

I have been reading Marcus Borg's 'heart of christianity' which of course is all about the 'emerging' paradigm. Aha! i thought, is this what 'emergent' is?

 

I cant get a clear answer on the web to know if the two are connected, and where does 'progressive' fit into it?

 

thanks if anyone can shed some light

 

Jonny

[minsocal]

Religion, by its very nature, is conservative. By this, I do not mean the current pejoritive .... but rather the fact that religion is slow to take up and accept new ideas. What is "progressive" first came to be defined around 1870. Emergent properites of complex systems became popular in the early 1900's. Both accept some form of evolution and properties of Creation that were not there "In the beginning".

[Pete]

From a person perspective.

I guess I have been using the term liberal and progressive as inter-changable. I see liberal (and others may see it different) as having a belief that is spirit based and not one based on this or that creed or set of scriptures. I think any beliefs about things today cannot be varified or proved and in my mind takes second place to that of being moved by the Spirit. If a person is moved to love other people then I would go as far as to say we are of the same faith because I believed we are moved by the same spirit and this in despite of what other beliefs they may have. I am not a follower of dogma. I personally believe in loving God and loving ones neighbour. Loving God is not a challenge in my mind to atheists because I would say that I have never found anyone who could define God to the satisfaction of everyone and in a way that is understood by everyone. My beleif is my personal experience of what I beleive to be God. I would also say that there are some definitions of God that I really do not believe in. The question is for me is has a person been touched by the spirit of loving others? Now if some want to say that spirit is of God and another say it is of mind then I personally do not care and I do not believe God does. The idea of God nit picking beliefs and sending people to eternal damnation on the basis of beliefs is in my mind the sign of a very small minded God. If God is the creature of life then I do not beleive God is small minded. I do not accept scripture that goes on about drowning everyone in the time of Noah or destroying cities because of a survey in the time of David or that of condemning everyone on the basis of having or not having the set beliefs required. That for me is not a God I feel I could follow.

Others are welcome to disagree with my beliefs and I do not see them as being less of any less a liberal or progressive if they do.

However, if one talks about needing to swallow the whole bible as it is, or how women cannot be priests, or how God is supposed not to like gay people or atheists, and is going to eternally torment someone on the basis of having the needed belief then please count me out. I do not beleive these things are of the spirit I can relate to.

[soma]

Pete, You worded that well. Thanks

[jonnyb]

many thanks for the replies and messages!