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Wiki List Of Progressive Christians


jonnyb

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hi, i looked up progressive Christianity on wikipedia and was interested to see the following list of supposedly progressive christians....

bono and johnny cash raised an eyebrow for me, as well as a couple i thought of as more tradtional christians eg martin luther king and tony campolo.

 

so i'm wondering is this a pretty accurate list. are there any you would strongly agree/disagree with?

 

jonny

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After reading Fosdick and Bryan the list search mixes liberal and progressive, politics and religion. Bryan was a liberal Democrat.

 

Apparently there was a time in which one could be politically liberal and conservative theologically. That may have died with the rise of the Religious Right.

 

Bryan's "Cross of Gold" speech was a masterpiece:

 

"Having behind us the commercial interests and the laboring interests and all the toiling masses, we shall answer their demands for a gold standard by saying to them, you shall not press down upon the brow of labor this crown of thorns. You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold."

 

George

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I heard Karen Armstrong referred to herself as "a hopeful agnostic". I wonder if someone else identified these people as PCs. Personally, Armstrong was one of the first author I read leading me to be PC.

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yeah, yvonne, i like karen armstrong too, although never thought of her as a christian. although since getting into progressive christianity i have seen her name come up again and again - quoted in marcus borg books etc - as she seem to hold many of the same ideals.

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I don't think Tony Campolo would count as a progressive Christian because while he has moderate political beliefs, he still has the same traditional beliefs about the bible. He's just not as dogmatic about it as some fundamentalist Christians are and is very respectful to people he disagrees with. On MLK Jr, I had read an article once before that said MLK Jr had rejected the doctrine of the Trinity and he had doubted the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If that's true, I think MLK Jr would very much fit into progressive Christianity. Why aren't Gene Robinson and Barack Obama on the list? I think Tony's wife, Peggy Campolo, deserves to be on the list more than he does.

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I think it is important to note that all progressive Christians do not hold the same views. The word progressive just means moving forward or proceeding in steps. We may not all be on the same step but if we are moving the title seems to me to fit. Karen Armstrong is an honorary adviser here at Progressive Christianity.org. So is Spong and Borg. Jim Rowe Adams was the founder of The center for Progressive Christianity here in 1994 and Fred Plumer took over in 2005

 

As far as the list goes in WIKI. perhaps anyones name can be put there but many are associates/ affiliates with us here. As you can see my own name was added at the end.

 

Joseph

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I wonder who came up with the list and how. As Dutch observed, how many have been labeled PC by someone else rather than having claimed it for themselves? I question quite a few on this list as being idenifiable or examples of PC. I read that Wiki entry myself and that isn't addressed there, who came up with it, how, what criteria was used.

There are some good info pieces on Wiki, but it isn't really reliable, I understand pretty much anyone can put up into there.

 

Jenell

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There are some good info pieces on Wiki, but it isn't really reliable, I understand pretty much anyone can put up into there.

 

I have seen an example of completely bogus information posted as a funny slur about someone.

 

George

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I wonder who came up with the list and how. As Dutch observed, how many have been labeled PC by someone else rather than having claimed it for themselves? I question quite a few on this list as being idenifiable or examples of PC. I read that Wiki entry myself and that isn't addressed there, who came up with it, how, what criteria was used.

There are some good info pieces on Wiki, but it isn't really reliable, I understand pretty much anyone can put up into there.

 

Jenell

Of course in the current state affairs of the political landscape in America, any Christian to the left of Rick Santorum would be considered "progressive" by most conservatives.
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I really struggle with labels and it kinda rubs me the wrong way for a couple of reasons. First, seldom does any fit any stereotype completely. Second , there is assumption that anything that isn't "us" is bad and ignores the possibility that maybe there is another perspective that is worth considering. Third , Generally the label is attached using a very narrow set of facts and supported by , often, unfair down right wrong assumptions.

 

Of course in the current state affairs of the political landscape in America, any Christian to the left of Rick Santorum would be considered "progressive" by most conservatives.
For the record I could never support someone like Santorum.

 

I feel that it is a big mistake to judge ones adherence to PC theology based on ones politics. I personally am fairly conservative in many ways. Not Rick Santorum conservative but Steve Murmann conservative and I don't think it removes me from considering myself to be a fairly progressive Christian. I like to think my conservatism comes from my compassion for others. I just think parts of Johnson's Great Society initiative of the 60's has lead the very people they claimed to be helping to a life of dependence. I also fully understand the selfish nature of the conservationism movement of late.

 

So am I out of the club?

 

I think it is also a mistake to include all those who have a passion for social justice as PC'ers. Interestingly Santorum may be the most socially active of all the candidates in helping the disadvantaged all while his theology demands support of some of the institutions that put them there.... Jim Wallis is the poster child of this!!! in that he certainly has a passion for social justice but his lack of support for the rights of GLBT raises interesting questions . Neither can see the conflict between their theology and their social justice ideology. Both would struggle supporting all of the 8 points. So how can Jim Wallis be considered PC and Santorum and not PC?

 

There are some that sort of define the label of PC .... Markus Borg comes to mind and most of the rest of us ????

 

Can't we all just be dudes and dudettes trying to be the best we can be and leave the labels to those less thoughtful.

 

steve

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Can't we all just be dudes and dudettes trying to be the best we can be and leave the labels to those less thoughtful.

 

steve

 

Yes, i believe we certainly can. And for those who must have or choose to use labels, we can gracefully accept them as they are and allow them free use of them for their boxes that require such. :)

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From the same link in the OP:

 

" Progressive Christianity draws on the insights of multiple theological streams including: 19th century evangelicalism, 19th and early 20th century Christian liberalism, 20th century neo-orthodoxy, and late 20th and 21st century liberation theology.[1] The characteristics of Progressive Christianity, and its distinction from Liberal Christianity, have been articulated in an article [2] by Hal Taussig. These can be summarized as:

  • A spiritual vitality and expressiveness, including participatory, arts-infused, and lively worship as well as a variety of spiritual rituals and practices such as meditation
  • Intellectual integrity including a willingness to question
  • An affirmation of human diversity
  • An affirmation of the Christian faith with a simultaneous sincere respect for other faiths
  • Strong ecological concerns and commitments "

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