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7 Resources for Progressive Christians Who Want to Reengage Their Spiritual Life

7 Resources for Progressive Christians Who Want to Reengage Their Spiritual Life

Last updated on: August 3, 2023 at 2:20 am by Andrew Lang

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7 Resources for Progressive Christians Who Want to Reengage Their Spiritual Life 2023-08-01T13:24:36-07:00 Andrew Lang

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There’s a certain fluidity to the spiritual journey for most progressive Christians I’ve met (and certainly myself).

Often in the midst of deconstructing experiences and images of a whitemalegod (and the doctrines that were weaved together with it), the spiritual journey becomes exploratory and necessarily liminal. We find ourselves testing the waters and sensing for what connects with us and our experience and story of the Divine. And without clear answers being fed to us by the institutional church, it can be scary!

In my own experience, this is what led me to float in and out of church doors for years, trying to figure out where “the people like me” were. There was fluidity in my exploration of God just as much as there was fluidity in my exploration of people.

If this resonates with you and sounds familiar, here are seven resources for progressive Christians that might help:

1. The Contemplative Prayer Summit

For those who have been engaging with my work for awhile, you’ll know that much of my approach to inner work is rooted in contemplative spirituality.

If you’re interested in engaging a contemplative prayer practice, or just learning more about it, my friend Keith Kristich is hosting an event I think you’ll get a lot from.

It’s called the Contemplative Prayer Summit and it’s an event dedicated to deepening your spiritual practice.

During these two days, you’ll be invited to explore:

Lessons from spiritual teachers who offer fresh perspectives on prayer & contemplation
The lives and teachings of people like Thomas Merton, Ilia Delio, Thich Nhat Hanh and more
The intersection of activism & the spiritual life through engaged contemplation
Practical ways of enhancing your daily prayer and meditation practice
How to weave mindfulness into your everyday life, cultivating peace & resilience amidst life’s challenges
Prayer from an interspiritual approach with contemplative teachers from various world traditions, embracing the shared wisdom of different contemplative practices
The body’s sacred role in your contemplative life & practice

I think it’ll be a great event. Check it out here.

2. The Wednesday 1-2-3 (free)

One of my core beliefs: we can do deep, heavy soulwork in a soft, light-hearted way.

In this weekly email, you’ll receive one bite-sized and embodied teaching from a mystic, poet, therapist, or other Wisdom Teacher. Past editions have featured teachings from people like Richard Rohr, Mary Oliver, Gabor Mate, Resmaa Menakem, angel Kyodo williams, Parker Palmer, and Thich Nhat Hanh.

But we all know more consumption doesn’t lead to inner deepening.

That’s why the real power of these emails are the questions offered to help you metabolize the teaching into your own life. In this way, you’ll have weekly support in your inner work.

Check it out here.

3. The Nearness

I absolutely love this one.

The Nearness is an 8-week small group experience for people who can’t step foot in traditional church spaces anymore. And while I haven’t engaged with it yet, I’ve heard amazing things from friends who have.

From the website:

Each course gathers small groups of five to six people for weekly virtual gatherings, where participants reflect on stimulating questions, experiment with new practices and rituals, and explore inspiring concepts from a variety of traditions and perspectives.

These expert-designed weekly gatherings are supplemented by guidance from world-class spiritual teachers.

Check it out here.

4. Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life

I’m not good enough. I’m not in control. I don’t know who I am.

These constrictions are brutal. But who among us hasn’t felt one of these constrictions at some point in their life?

Rooted in the teachings of mystics, saints, poets, and prophets, Unmasking the Inner Critic offers guidance and support for how to move beyond some of our most challenging fears and negative inner narratives.

The perfect book for progressive Christians, secular seekers, and those who are deconstructing Christianity, Unmasking the Inner Critic helps us expand our spirituality beyond the institution of religion for our personal transformation and communal healing.

Learn more about the book Brian McLaren calls “a beautiful and accessible guidebook to help you do the inner work central to the act of being human.”

5. 5 Days to Get off Autopilot (free)

If you’re feeling adrift, lost, confused about your life’s meaning, or as if you’re running on autopilot, this free email series is for you.

Over the course of five days, you’ll receive daily inner work lessons and guidance for coming more alive to your life based on the framework I use in my Shadow Work course.

Learn more about this free email series here.

6. Shadow Work: Getting off Autopilot and Learning to See Deeply

This six-week course builds on my ten years of experience leading workshops and helping folks move gently and with softness (and humor) into this intimate and difficult work.

I have designed it to emphasize practices and tools that are practical, accessible, repeatable, and sustainable so you can immediately begin to feel more grounded and present to your life. We’ll engage in this work through:

4 90-minute live sessions of teachings and engaged inner work,
2 90-minute live practice spaces for community sharing,
a collection of practical somatic tools you can integrate into your daily life, and
a 20+ page guidebook w/all activities, materials, and journaling prompts all in one place for your ongoing work.

If you’re wanting to get off autopilot, but don’t yet have the habits and the tools to do so, this course is for you.

Learn more here.

7. A Framework for Gathering (free)

Are you tired of being in small group gatherings that promise big transformation but tend to just feel like social hours (or worse – old boys clubs?)

Here is a framework for gathering I’ve used for the past eight years. It is dedicated to creating real, meaningful conversation and providing the space for reflection and authentic introspection.

If you’re a pastor, small group leader, lay leader, or just a participant, this is for you to use.

Download it here.

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About Andrew Lang

Andrew Lang is an educator in the Pacific Northwest, an alumnus of Richard Rohr’s Living School for Action and Contemplation, and author of the award-winning Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life. Along with writing regularly, he facilitates workshops helping people to navigate their inner lives and explore their sense of identity and spirituality. You can find more of his writings and offerings at www.AndrewGLang.com. You can read more about the author here.

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