Progressive Christianity?
By Tripp Fuller • Feb 6th, 2009 • Category: media, thinking
‘Progressive‘ is definitely a word that is hard to pin down, but then again most categories are. Perhaps we should just get rid of categories all together, but I imagine we would create even more problems. Even if we limit the discussion to theology, when some one embraces or does not embrace a category be it progressive, evangelical (or both), etc., it does communicate something that hopefully makes further conversation more engaging. For these categories to function in a positive way, they need some positive content.
In the video Clayton (yes Tony he is da bomb) points out some vapid meanings of ‘progressive’ where it serves as a sneaky way of not saying liberal but meaning it or a way of identifying oneself with a leftist political agenda. In contrast Clayton understands ‘progressive’ as a synonym of transformative, rooted and grounded in the New Testament. In a sense ‘progressive’ here is understood as deliberately engaging the church and world through the transformed mind of one in Christ. When the same mind takes root in us as a ‘progressive’ Christian people we can’t help but venture in faith to participate in the revolutionary message of Jesus.
I would love to hear other definitions of ‘progressive’ or responses to the video.
Tripp Fuller is married to an awesome lady Alecia and has a handsome little baby boy named Elgin Thomas (aka E.T.) and Pebbles, the Schnoodle. He and Alecia are both graduates of Campbell University (where they met), the Divinity School of Wake Forest University and ordained ministers. He is working on his PhD in Philosophy of Religion and Theology at Claremont Graduate University. A few other things he digs are books, cigars, pipes, Shaq, guitar, pirates, fishing, the Counting Crows, and good conversations about Religion and Politics. The podcast is the most time consuming hobby he has ever had besides reading and blogging through Wolfhart Pannenberg's 3 volume systematic theology. Follow Tripp on Twitter | Tripp on Facebook
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