That can be true, but I totally understood Joshua’s post. While there may have been questions about some of the details, but the overarching point was clear and can not be denied. It is not always the Christian’s fault, but many times we don’t do a good job of sharing accurately and gracefully. Despite any qualms over material these are good issues to consider and debate. Online we tend to attack each other over our disagreements. It’s something we could all work on.

Is it better to “tell” someone how you think they should do something or ask a question/raise a point that fosters thought and conversation on how to do something?

What makes you think that people aren’t “doing something”? This is an internet forum for discussion and thought provoking articles, so talk is part of the deal. Of course, the hope is that we will act on it and I would imagine that many do, but thoughtful action starts with thought.

If you want someone to tell you what to do, there are plenty of sites for that and even a few articles here, but if you want to hear a multitude of ideas, debate them, and decide how to enact them, than this is a good place to start. Some people argue to stroke their own egos and entrench themselves further in their own ideas, but we can rise above that and exhibit Christian love by talking respectfully and bringing what we learn to the world around us. If you want action, take action, it is up to you, but for some of us the discussions strengthens us and gives us the desire to go out and be Jesus to our frienfs and enemies.

I understand how it might look looking in from a different perspective, but there really is a lot of action going on in the progressive camp as well. As a newer movement, there is still quite a bit of discussion to help frame things a bit, but I see no more focus on discussion and reading among progressives than conservatives, just different speakers. One interesting thing in the progressive emergent movement is the cross denominational inclusiveness that makes up the bulk of membership and discussion. This is not a new denomination, but an amalgam of people in all walks of faith, the lady in the pew beside you might be emergent, who knows? The focus on talk is due to a deep introspection of our doctrine and tradition, a sifting to come back to the root of what we feel faith is. This takes time and requires conversation between multitudes of people, but does not mean we ate sitting passively on our laurels endlessly debating. No, many are out there sharing Jesus through friendship, forming intentional communities, working to end systemic evils to let God’s kingdom touch earth. Dont think that we ate all blowhards and individualistic apathetics, there is a lot of good out there and God’s spirit is doing something big. Trust me, I am in awe everyday at the things I see and stories I hear, from all over Christianity. Now if only we could work together…

I do indeed catch your drift, it has been something that has troubled me as well. I began to fear that in myself as well, but thankfully I have done well to keep friends of all ranges and spectrums to help temper the urge for political segregation. It is an error that more progressives should be wary of, and as you say, conservatives as well. At least theologically, if not politically speaking, there is a fairly wide range of emergent Christians currently, from people like Wilson-Hartgrove to Mclaren to process folk, so you get a range here as well. The challenge is looking beyond our political differences to find the things that unite us. Things like social justice of all types, a love of church, our desire to follow Jesus, these things may have different approaches in the two groups, but are striving for the same thing, being God’s kingdom here on earth and showing people a better way. Through dialogue and action together, maybe we can learn to have a generous orthodoxy that allows us to be a family again.

Well said.
Please don’t take what I’m about to say as a contradiction of you post which I give a hearty “hear! hear!” to: I’m just explaining how I feel.
When I first heard of “emergent Christianity” I thought it was a great apostacy as I was at time very conservative and very sectarian.
Later, when my own views shifted radically, I briefly saw the emergent movement as a possible safe haven, but I very quickly came to dislike it for reasons very different from the ones my old self had had.
Frankly, I have a lot of trouble seeing it as much different from the far right evangelical movement–only mirrored.
I don’t feel like trying to illustrate my point. I’m just stating how I personally feel, and I suspect you understand what I’m talking about you probably just see it as an isiolated problem where I see it as more systemic.
Anyway, I hope no one thinks I’m bagering the evangelic-left of the christian-left. I’ve got all the same problems the the evangelical-right.
I’m probably too negative today. It’s Friday, and I’m tired.

Thanks, I find this post encouraging at least.

Great! So what do progressive Christians believe and where do they get their beliefs? What is their standard of measurement for whether a belief is a reality or not?

It seems like they refuse to land anywhere except some generic secular “love and justice” mantra without understanding Gods love or Gods justice.

I am sure there are some strong Christians is the progressive camp but mostly it seems stuck in adolescence. It’s been a while so they should have grown up already, How many conversations are necessary to land on a biblical truth?

You know as well as I do that their beliefs come from the same places yours do, the bible and traditions, with a bit of the sciences thrown in. The difference comes in perception and has been since the dawn of Christianity, even peter and Paul had differences of opinions, but respected each other enough to work it out.

True, some progressives are a bit hard to pin down on certain things, but the majority are not the godless secularists that you may think. Also they may understand God’s love and justice better than you give credit. Are you daft or do you willfully ignore the fact that progressives occupy the same churches you di with a variety of beliefs. Not even all conservatives believe the same things when you get to specifics, hence multiple denominations and why no one has a lock on the truth.

Funny you should call them adolescents as well, being that most feel the conservative church to be in a state of arrested development. This is a faulty idea on their part that mirrors your error as well. The Christian church as a whole has a dynamic history of growth and change, even so named conservatives. The reason we have theologians is to examine our beliefs and the bible and give suggestions on how to mesh the two. If we had come to the truth years ago, you wouldn’t have need for Christian thinkers, authors, or even preachers we would be perfect in our understanding and action. What will really blow your mind is in 50 years when todays progressive beliefs are looked at as old fashioned and conservative. Look at the different attonement theories throughout history for just a glimpse at this fact.

A big roadblock to our coming together is this idea that progressives ignore the bible, and it is simply not true. They interpret it differently, but most come back to it as their base just the same. You want to argue interpretation, fine, but it is erroneous to state that progressives eliminate the bible. Just as calvinist and armeniens can exist in the same church, we can coexist and work together as well, but we must see each other honestly, without falling back on divisive ideologies and prejudiced beliefs.

I can tell there is much we disagree on, but do you hear me calling you bigot or false teacher? No, because I respect where you are coming from and know we are part of the same family working towards the same goal. I knoe people will dislike this post and argue with me, and that is fine. I respect what you can show me about God, and God helo me, I will try to teach you as well. We are not perfect, but thank God Jesus was and in him we are bound together.

Oh Frank, I agree with you there, but sometimes you must be open to other peoples views too. Even when you think they are being unscriptual, sometimes they are coming from a different angle. Just like with conservatives, sometimes the most outspoken ones are the extreme, not the rule. I really value your continued conversation and hope we can be seeds for the future.

Oh Frank, I agree with you there, but sometimes you must be open to other peoples views too. Even when you think they are being unscriptual, sometimes they are coming from a different angle. Just like with conservatives, sometimes the most outspoken ones are the extreme, not the rule. I really value your continued conversation and hope we can be seeds for the future.