Throughout history, religion has constantly been required to reform. Perhaps most well-known was the Protestant Reformation and Martin Luther’s 95 Thesis, which urged the church to reconsider their theology of salvation, ultimately led to the development of a new branch of Christianity – Protestantism. But Christianity is not alone. Movements within religious groups over the centuries have forced nearly all religions to move and evolve in their thinking at some point in history.
Even Jesus, perhaps the greatest of all reformers, challenged the status quo and asked people to reconsider what they believe and how to live.
The development of the progressive Christian church, therefore, in not a unique event as it is something that almost every religion and every church within that religion has gone through. Change is necessary, if we want to stay relevant anyway, and for the past 20+ years, the progressive Christian church has been challenging traditional perspectives by asking if it is still relevant.
What is Progressive Christianity?
Also referred to as the “emergent church” movement, progressive Christianity is a movement that embraces liberalism and postmodernism. It is a movement that is considered more welcoming and more tolerant of the world as it is.
Most notably, progressive Christianity believes the teachings of science and evolution should still be taught in schools, that God loves members of the LGBTQ community as much as any other group, and that members of all faiths are able to go to heaven, not just Christians. Progressive Christianity believes that the Bible is fallible and that woman – not political leaders – should have the right to choose what happens to their bodies.
These differences, among many others and depending on the church or community, are what separate the progressive Christian church from the more fundamental, conservative Christian church.
Foundational Beliefs of a Progressive Christian Church
The Bible is still the foundation for teaching in a progressive church. They believe in the Trinity, that Jesus is the Son of God, and that to love others as Jesus has loved and died for us is the foundational purpose in the Christian faith.
Unlike historical conservative Christian church teachings, however, a progressive Christian church believes in pluralism, that there is more than one way to get to heaven. In breaking with traditional views, a progressive church believes those who are Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, and Buddhist are also considered under the umbrella of God’s saving grace.
Progressive Christian churches also embrace inclusivity and a holistic love for all life. From a deep and sincere understanding of climate change and the passion to reduce our carbon footprint, to the love and acceptance of the earth and its ecosystems, progressive Christian churches believe science and religion not only coexist, but compliment and inform the other. As a progressive, caring for the Earth is not only an expectation handed to us by God, it is an expression of our faith.
One of the more contentious pillars of the progressive Christian church is the belief in community, that loving thy neighbor extends to all people, no matter their lifestyle, background, or sexual preferences. Progressive Christian churches affirm and embrace people of other faiths, immigrants, members of the LBGTQ community, and those who consider the progressive Christian church their enemy. To live a life inspired by Christ means to love and accept all members of the human race.
What Started the Progressive Christian Church?
As in most movements, what started the progressive Christian church movement was a discontent with the status quo and, what many considered to be, an elitist or judgmental church that had strayed away from the teachings and practices of the love of Christ. More importantly, the progressive movement was born out of the frustration of concrete statements of faith that tended to stop conversation and thought rather than inspire and encourage them. The progressive church wanted a more free-thinking, open-ended sort of religion that promoted and embraced the search of Jesus and His calling, rather than church that taught and promoted a narrow-minded way of thinking.
This struggle with religion and Christianity specifically isn’t new, as many believers over the centuries have struggled with their local and greater churches lack of ability to accept new ways of thinking and doing things. In the early 1990’s, however, with the creation of the Center for Progressive Christianity, the progressive Christian movement was solidified as they officially used the term and gave clarity to the vision and purpose to the progressive Christian church movement.
The Progressive Christian Church Remains More Relevant Than Ever
After many years of a more conservative Christianity dominating the overall church and political landscape, in recent years, America has been forced to deal with and even accept a more progressive theology. This forced acceptance has allowed churches and church leaders to not only become more open and accepting to those around their community, it has provided them an opportunity to be seen as a place of acceptance and love rather than as intolerant bigots.
Which, in turn, provides more opportunities to share Christ and preach the gospel message.
Progressive thinking not only produces relevance, it embraces reverence for a God who has the capacity to love and accept more than previously considered possible. And “The more reverent we become,” Father Greg Boyle states in the New York Times article, the more “we see things not as black and white, left or right — but complex,” he argues, the more accepting the church can be of a theology based on love and grace, leading to a more holistic acceptance of others.
Father Boyle is a highly regarded Catholic priest in Los Angeles who cares deeply for the gangs of his street, as well as those sitting in his pews. And his more open and progressive approach to the Bible, Christ, and Christian living is one of many examples of how a complexity of Christianity can help reach and impact more people, right and left and black and white alike.
Progressive Christian Leaders Making a Difference in Modern Christianity
Hyepin Im
Founder and president of Faith and Community Empowerment, Hyepin is a leader in helping and empowering Korean and Asian Americans to make an impact in their immediate and greater communities. “My faith informs me,” she states, “that every person and community has a God-given light.” A light, she believes, that when shined upon the broader community honors God and helps others.
Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews
A senior pastor, grassroots leader, psalmist and community organizer, Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews is the host of the Prophetic Resistance Podcast where he spends his time engaging with other multi-faith leaders for the purpose of “cultivating communities of belonging and sacred resistance to injustice.”
In the years to come, the Progressive Christian Church may find itself slotted somewhere on the historic timeline of Christian reformation, lost between what was and what is. But like all movements and advancements of ideologies and ways of life, without stepping stones of progress, there will be little to no advancements.
If nothing else, therefore, the progressive Church is asking that the Church rethink some of its longstanding ideologies and consider how they may have been wrong or how they can at least improve. A question, as history continually reminds us, that will always be met with resistance, but one that has the potential to continually improve our societies and communities. Most importantly, however, it is a question that is essential to the Christian faith as it is one that Christ himself brought to the world. Is the church living by God’s laws or man’s laws?
The progressive Christian church is willing to, at the very least, consider the question.
SCBH
KAKVA JE CRKVA SA PROGRESIVNIM UVJERENJIMA?
Kroz istoriju, religija je neprestano bila prisiljena na reformu. Možda najpoznatija bila je protestantska reformacija i 95 teza Martina Lutera, koje su pozivale crkvu da preispita svoju teologiju spasenja, što je na kraju dovelo do razvoja nove grane hrišćanstva – protestantizma. Ali hrišćanstvo nije u tome usamljeno. Pokreti unutar religijskih grupa kroz vijekove primorali su gotovo sve religije da se, u nekom trenutku istorije, pokrenu i razvijaju u svom razmišljanju.
Čak je i Isus, možda najveći od svih reformatora, dovodio u pitanje ‘status quo’ [ustaljeno, nepromijenjeno stanje] i tražio od ljudi da preispitaju svoja vjerovanja i način života.
Razvoj progresivne hrišćanske crkve, stoga, nije jedinstven događaj, jer je to nešto što je prošla gotovo svaka religija i svaka zajednica unutar te religije. Promjena je neophodna ako želimo da ostanemo relevantni, a u posljednjih više od 20 godina progresivna hrišćanska crkva preispituje tradicionalne perspektive postavljajući pitanje da li je nešto još uvijek relevantno.
Šta je progresivno hrišćanstvo?
Takođe nazivan pokretom „crkve u nastajanju“, progresivno hrišćanstvo je pokret koji prihvata liberalizam i postmodernizam. To je pokret koji se smatra gostoljubivijim i tolerantnijim prema svijetu kakav jeste.
Najviše se ističe to što progresivno hrišćanstvo smatra da u školama i dalje treba podučavati nauku i evoluciju, da Bog voli članove LGBTQ zajednice jednako koliko i bilo koju drugu grupu, i da članovi svih vjera mogu otići u raj, ne samo hrišćani. Progresivno hrišćanstvo vjeruje da je Biblija podložna greškama, i da žene – a ne politički lideri – treba da imaju pravo da odlučuju šta će se dogoditi s njihovim tijelima.
Ove razlike, između mnogih drugih i zavisno od crkve ili zajednice, odvajaju progresivnu hrišćansku crkvu od fundamentalnije, konzervativne hrišćanske crkve.
Osnovna vjerovanja progresivne hrišćanske crkve
Biblija je i dalje osnova za podučavanje u progresivnoj crkvi. Vjeruju u Trojstvo, da je Isus Sin Božiji i da je ljubav prema drugima, kao što je Isus volio i umro za nas, osnovna svrha hrišćanske vjere.
Za razliku od istorijskog konzervativnog hrišćanskog učenja, progresivna hrišćanska crkva vjeruje u pluralizam, da postoji više puteva do raja. Odbacujući tradicionalne poglede, progresivna crkva smatra da su muslimani, Jevreji, Hindusi i budisti takođe obuhvaćeni Božijom spasonosnom milošću.
Progresivne hrišćanske crkve takođe prihvataju inkluzivnost i holističku ljubav prema životu. Od dubokog i iskrenog razumijevanja klimatskih promjena i težnje da se smanji naš ugljenični otisak, do ljubavi i prihvatanja Zemlje i njenih ekosistema, progresivne hrišćanske crkve vjeruju da nauka i religija ne samo da koegzistiraju, već se međusobno dopunjuju i informišu. Za progresivne hrišćane, briga za Zemlju nije samo ono što Bog očekuje od nas, već je izraz naše vjere.
Jedan od kontroverznijih stubova progresivne hrišćanske crkve je vjerovanje u zajednicu, da ljubav prema bližnjemu uključuje sve ljude, bez obzira na njihov životni stil, porijeklo ili seksualne preferencije. Progresivne hrišćanske crkve afirmišu i prihvataju ljude drugih vjera, imigrante, članove LGBTQ zajednice, pa čak i one koji smatraju progresivnu hrišćansku crkvu svojim neprijateljem. Život inspirisan Hristom znači voljeti i prihvatiti sve pripadnike ljudske rase.
Šta je pokrenulo nastanak progresivne hrišćanske crkve?
Kao i kod većine pokreta, pokret progresivne hrišćanske crkve započeo je nezadovoljstvom statusom quo i, kako mnogi smatraju, elitističkom ili osuđivačkom crkvom koja se udaljila od učenja i djela ljubavi Hrista. Još važnije, progresivni pokret je nastao iz frustracije zbog konkretnih izjava vjere koje su često zaustavljale razgovor i razmišljanje umjesto da ih inspirišu i podstaknu. Progresivna crkva je željela slobodnije, otvorenije vjersko iskustvo koje promoviše potragu za Hristom i Njegovim pozivom – umjesto crkve koja podučava i promoviše usko definisan način razmišljanja.
Ova borba s religijom, posebno u hrišćanstvu, nije nova, jer su se mnogi vjernici kroz vijekove suočavali sa nemogućnošću svojih lokalnih i većih crkava da prihvate nove načine razmišljanja i djelovanja. Međutim, početkom 1990-ih, osnivanjem Centra za progresivno hrišćanstvo, pokret progresivnog hrišćanstva je konsolidovan jer su zvanično počeli da koriste taj termin i dali su jasnoću viziji i svrsi pokreta progresivne hrišćanske crkve.
Progresivna hrišćanska crkva ostaje relevantnija nego ikad
Nakon mnogo godina dominacije konzervativnijeg hrišćanstva u crkvi i političkom pejzažu, posljednjih godina Amerika je bila primorana da se suoči i čak prihvati progresivniju teologiju. Ovo prihvatanje omogućilo je crkvama i vođama crkava ne samo da postanu otvoreniji i prihvatljiviji prema svom okruženju, već i da budu viđeni ne kao netolerantne i sa predrasudama, već kao zajednice prihvatanja i ljubavi.
Što zauzvrat pruža više prilika da se priča o Hristu i propovijeda jevanđelje.
Progresivno razmišljanje ne samo da donosi relevantnost, već i poštovanje prema Bogu koji ima sposobnost da voli i prihvati više nego što se ranije smatralo mogućim. I „Što postajemo više pobožni“, kaže otac Greg Bojl u članku New York Times-a, „to više vidimo stvari ne kao crno-bijelo, lijevo ili desno – već kao složeno,“ tvrdi on, „to više crkva može biti otvorena prema teologiji zasnovanoj na ljubavi i milosti, što vodi ka cjelovitom prihvatanju drugih.“
Otac Bojl je veoma cijenjeni katolički sveštenik u Los Anđelesu, koji duboko brine o bandama na svojim ulicama, kao i o onima u svojim klupama. Njegov otvoreniji i progresivniji pristup Bibliji, Hristu i hrišćanskom životu je jedan od mnogih primjera kako složenost hrišćanstva može pomoći da se dosegne i utiče na više ljudi – bez obzira na politiku, rasu ili boju kože.
Progresivni hrišćanski lideri koji mijenjaju moderno hrišćanstvo
Hyepin Im
Osnivač i predsjednik Faith and Community Empowerment, Hyepin je lider u pomaganju i osnaživanju Korejaca i Azijskih Amerikanaca da ostave trag u svojim neposrednim i širim zajednicama. „Moja vjera me uči“, kaže ona, „da svaka osoba i zajednica ima svjetlost koju je Bog dao.“ Svjetlost koja, kako vjeruje, kada osvijetli širu zajednicu, čini čast Bogu i pomaže drugima.
Sveštenik Michael-Ray Mathews
Stariji pastor, lider na lokalnom nivou, psalmista i organizator zajednice, Rev. Michael-Ray Mathews je domaćin Prophetic Resistance Podcast-a, gdje provodi vrijeme angažujući se sa liderima različitih vjera radi „odgajanja zajednica u kojima se osjećate da pripadate i gdje se razvija ‘sveta’ otpornost na nepravdu.“
U godinama koje dolaze, progresivna hrišćanska crkva možda će se naći negdje na istorijskoj vremenskoj liniji hrišćanske reformacije, izgubljena između onoga što je bilo i onoga što jeste. Ali kao i kod svih pokreta, ideologija i načina života, bez tih osnovnih koraka ka napretku, biće malo ili nimalo unapređenja.
Ako ništa drugo, progresivno hrišćanstvo traži da crkva preispita neka od svojih dugogodišnjih uvjerenja koja su možda bila pogrešna ili razmisli kako ih bar može poboljšati. To je pitanje na koje nas istorija stalno podsjeća i koje će uvijek naići na otpor, ali koje ima potencijal da kontinuirano unapređuje naše društvo i zajednice. Ali ono što je najvažnije – to je pitanje koje je suštinsko za hrišćansku vjeru jer ga i sam Hrist postavlja: Da li crkva živi po Božijim zakonima ili po ljudskim?
Progresivna hrišćanska crkva je spremna, bar, da razmotri ovo pitanje.
Brajan Miler
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