By calling ourselves progressive Christians, we mean we are Christians who…
- Believe that following the path and teachings of Jesus can lead to an awareness and experience of the Sacred and the Oneness and Unity of all life;
- Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience the Sacredness and Oneness of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom in our spiritual journey;
- Seek community that is inclusive of ALL people, including but not limited to:
- Conventional Christians and questioning skeptics,
- Believers and agnostics,
- Those of all genders and gender identities,
- Those of all sexual orientations,
- Those of all classes and abilities,
- Those of all racial and ethnic backgrounds,
- Those of all national origins;
- Know that the way we behave towards one another is the fullest expression of what we believe;
- Find grace in the search for understanding and believe there is more value in questioning than in absolutes;
- Strive for peace and justice among all people;
- Strive to protect and restore the integrity of our Earth;
- Commit to a path of life-long learning, compassion, and selfless love.
(Note that this list was slightly edited to ensure that ALL means ALL. If you feel left out, let us know!) Another definition was given by Roger Wolsey in Kissing Fish: Christianity for People Who Don’t Like Christianity: “Progressive Christianity is an approach to the Christian faith that is influenced by post-liberalism and postmodernism and:
- proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, Savior, and Lord;
- emphasizes the Way and teachings of Jesus, not merely His person;
- emphasizes God’s immanence not merely God’s transcendence;
- leans toward panentheism rather than supernatural theism;
- emphasizes salvation here and now instead of primarily in heaven later;
- emphasizes being saved for robust, abundant/eternal life over being saved from hell;
- emphasizes the social/communal aspects of salvation instead of merely the personal;
- stresses social justice as integral to Christian discipleship;
- takes the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally, embracing a more interpretive, metaphorical understanding;
- emphasizes orthopraxy instead of orthodoxy (right actions over right beliefs);
- embraces reason as well as paradox and mystery — instead of blind allegiance to rigid doctrines and dogmas;
- does not consider homosexuality to be sinful;
- and does not claim that Christianity is the only valid or viable way to connect to God (is non-exclusive).”
Progressive Christianity does not necessarily align with progressive politics, although there are some parallels. We are careful not to drift into a new orthodoxy (new answers), but instead to keep our focus on Christ and on a way of approaching the world (new ways of finding answers).