Progressive Christian Conference?

[des]

Ok, I brought this up and there sounds like there might be some interest, so maybe let's discuss it here. Like Fred P, I also was a bit worried about Hollywood, but I liked many of Beach's ideas. Things like how to "evangelize (or do we want to change the word)-- maybe making US seeker sensitive", interfaith between non-Christian beliefs, myths, etc.

 

Topics are pretty much endless. You can do anythign from goddess/ the feminine sacred to responding to fundamentalism to alternative church to organizational strategies to mysticism to art to Christian meditation.... We could have hands on art activities, actual meditation practice of various types; meal type communion and other ritual pratices; purely social activities , etc. Actually I went to the Catholic progress. conference several years in a row in Chicago (not Catholic wanted to hear Matt Fox) called Call to Action, and we did a few of these-- but not as many as we could have.

 

I think an informal environment like a camp, retreat center, college campus, etc. would be more flexible for doing more different types of things.

 

I'm sure we have a lot of talent in our midst. There might be others around who would be interested in contributing, to help our little effort out. I kind of think this sort of thing would be of interest to some who might be in "regular" or typical congregations some of us belong to.

 

BTW, I was involved in an email autism group some years ago. We organized a conference just the same way, thru starting up in email and then continuing and actually going about and doing it. It has been going consequetively for many years now. The group we started moved from a 4 H camp to a college campus last year. And there is now a British group that has just started doing the same thing.

 

You all might be interested in Call to Action's website:

http://www.cta-usa.org/

It has expanded quite a bit from a social action group with a yearly conference to local chapters, monthly events, etc.

 

 

--des

[BeachOfEden]

What about one in Santa Barbara? The mayor of the city is gay and the whole city a liberal. And then maybe in Colorodo?

[curlytop]

What about one in Santa Barbara? The mayor of the city is gay and the whole city a liberal. And then maybe in Colorodo?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

In Santa Barbara there is a wonderful retreat center: La Casa de Maria run by the IMH (Immaculate Heart of Mary) sisters -- don't let their Catholicity scare you, they are radical! I was recently there for an interfaith conference that included folks from the Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Sufi Islam tradition. La Casa recently acquired this big dorm a few miles down the road from the original retreat center (it used to be a Jesuit novitiate) that is a great and nicely priced place for folks to stay . . . especially in comparison with local hotels. And it has classrooms, large meeting rooms, a chapel, etc.

 

Worth looking into, y'all!

 

curlytop

[soma]

I went to that site and it looks great, a retreat center. Another thing to consider is a schedule of workshops so a list would be interesting of who would be willing to give a workshop and on what subject.

[BeachOfEden]

Cool! I didn't even know about that..but, yeah, Santa Barbara is So cool! I have been to many liberal/progressive innerfaith events there like at Earth Day and their Peace fests. Met many cool lib Epscopalains, Lib Catholics, Buddhists, Native American and there's this cool Greek orthodox minister there who's all into the environment. The Trinity Epscipoplain Chruch is there and was even featured on PBS as one of the few sucessful and popular liberal christian churches. I am SO looking forward to their Earth day event on the 23 of this month at the SB sunkens Gardens!

Last year's SB Earth Day Fest. My nephew and I went and took this picture. We listened to a positive talk given by a chusmas native American elder.

[Cynthia]

We're a bit behind friends... check out the homepage of TCPC (What's happening now link) for pictures of the 2004 AND 2005 (Jan in TX) conferences of progressive christians.

 

"Since 1996, TCPC has hosted yearly conferences in various cities in the United States. Past forums have addressed issues such as the arts, the future of progressive faith communities, and interfaith dialogue. Read about what happened, including transcripts of presentations, and see photos from the events in our collection of conference proceedings.

 

 

Regional

 

In 2002, TCPC began increasing support to regional groups of TCPC affiliates who wanted to host events in their area. The first major gatherings happened in the New England region in the Fall of 2003 and 2004. In January of 2005, TCPC sponsored the first conference for the Southwest region in Houston, Texas."

Edited April 17, 2005 by Cynthia

[curlytop]

LOL and thank you, Cynthia -- I guess we should actually READ other parts of this website!!!

 

 

curlytop

[des]

Well maybe we could go to one of those official TCPC ones. Or try to. As I said I think such a thing is impossible for me this year. Maybe some other year.

Though I have to say... there is something more, uh, homey or something re: small groups (ie an internet forum or email list) doing something in real life. (BTW, have met up with several other people from a different list. It was fun. Felt like I knew them half my life.which might be literally true given how much time I spend online.)

 

--des

[curlytop]

I came across this invite to an upcoming interfaith conference from Rabbi Michael Lerner in a friend's e-mail. I'm planning to go!

 

"We invite our Catholic brothers and sisters, and people of all faiths, and spiritually-sensitive secular people, to join with us in creating a voice for spiritually or religiously committed progressives--by helping us create The Network of Progressive Spiritual Activism, at our founding conference on Spiritual Activism, July 20-23 at the University of California, Berkeley. For more details, go to www.tikkun.org and REGISTER NOW. More than ever, this alternative voice is so badly needed!"