Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian

2022-12-07T06:52:10-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

“The Jesus Pill: Does Getting Saved Solve All Your Problems?”

Last updated on: December 7, 2022 at 6:52 am By Gregory T. Smith

My client was in prison, addicted to drugs, and had reached out to my program for help. I met with him, and we discussed the change he wanted to see in his life. He wanted to get clean, and wanted sobriety. He wanted a new start and a new life. I told him I would join him in that vision for his future. “Only If He Receives Jesus…” Later, with the client’s permission, I spoke with his mother on the... Read more

Health, Fitness and Religion

Home and Religion

2022-06-08T18:26:30-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

For All Who Have Walked Out of Church

Last updated on: June 8, 2022 at 6:26 pm By Gregory T. Smith

This is for all who have walked out of the church. Some of you left for good reasons and others–not so much. Some of you should stay, and others should stay gone. Here’s what I mean… Some left because you were hurt. Christians mistreated you. Leaders abused you. People who claimed to follow Jesus neglected you in your time of need. They offered advice instead of giving you the help you needed. Instead of a listening ear, they handed... Read more

2022-06-04T19:30:57-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Selling Your Soul to the Creeds: When The Church Makes You Sign on the Dotted Line

Last updated on: June 4, 2022 at 7:30 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Since when did Christianity require people to sign on the dotted line? It must be in one of the lost Chapters of the Gospels that Jesus, calling his new disciples, pulled out a scroll and made them sign their adherence to the creeds. Or maybe a forgotten passage in the book of Revelation says the names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life are actually the signatures of the Saints, pledging allegiance to the heavenly statement of faith. If not,... Read more

Challenging the Church

2022-06-01T18:56:49-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What Does Biblical Marriage REALLY Look Like?

Last updated on: June 1, 2022 at 6:56 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Not long after Marriage Equality was passed, the Baptist association of which my church was a member passed a resolution depicting biblical marriage as between one man and one woman, for life. I was the only pastor to voice opposition to this resolution. At the time, I was not free to express my affirmation of LGBTQIA folks in the church. My dissent was primarily due to the fact that Baptist churches are autonomous and that a resolution of that sort... Read more

Challenging the Church

Polygamy in the Bible

2022-05-30T19:27:51-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Bible Contains Mistakes–So Does All Great Art

Last updated on: May 30, 2022 at 7:27 pm By Gregory T. Smith

“You’re saying there are contradictions in the Bible!” screamed the irate church member after one of my sermons. I had pointed out that it’s easy to find passages that disagree with each other. Honestly, I can’t remember the examples I gave, but here are a few I’ll point out now: Biblical Contradictions Exodus says to keep the Sabbath day holy, and Romans says it’s a matter of conscience. Genesis commands believers to circumcise their children, and Galatians says it doesn’t... Read more

Challenging the Church

Deconstruction

Theology

Uncategorized

Biblical contradictions

inerrant Bible

Infallible Bible

Mistakes in the Bible

2022-05-27T10:17:45-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

America is Shooting Herself

Last updated on: May 27, 2022 at 10:17 am By Gregory T. Smith

America is shooting herself. No other nation on the planet can shoot themselves as well as America does. In 2020, more guns were used for suicide than homicide. Apparently, the US has realized that guns are a great instrument for self-destruction. Jesus said, “Those who live by the AR-15 will die by the AR-15 (Matthew 26:52).” Or, something like that. America is finding this to be true. The Second Amendment How many babies have to die before we realize that... Read more

2022-05-22T12:22:34-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Breaking the Window to Get Outside

Last updated on: May 22, 2022 at 12:22 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Why do churches have stained glass? I joke that the reason is to let in the light but keep you from seeing outside. Of course, this isn’t true. The beautiful images were historically a way to teach illiterate people Bible stories through illumination. They celebrated the glory of saints and warned people of the horrors of hell. One particular church I served had windows that filtered the sunlight at a certain time of day, casting rainbows of color on the... Read more

Challenging the Church

2022-05-22T16:21:03-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Singer Walker Hayes and Pastor Craig Allen Cooper Release Book “Glad You’re Here,” a Story of Incarnational Love

Last updated on: May 22, 2022 at 4:21 pm By Gregory T. Smith

Country singer Walker Hayes stepped out on a limb with “Craig,” a love song to his best friend. The artist famous for his platinum record “Fancy Like” admits it’s strange. You don’t often hear bromance songs on the radio. Craig Allen Cooper made such a difference in his life that Hayes not only wrote a song about him, but they co-authored a book together. It’s all about the salvation that friendship can bring—in a couple of ways. A Friend... Read more

Challenging the Church

Trying to Stay Out of AA

Walker Hayes

2022-05-15T14:15:56-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Theology of the Polished Turd

Last updated on: May 15, 2022 at 2:15 pm By Gregory T. Smith

In the beginning, God made a turd. And God breathed into it the breath of life and said, “Man! That stinks!” So, God broke off a fragment of the turd to polish as a treasure and then threw the rest in the fire. These few sentences may offend conservative Christians who don’t realize that this is their gospel in a nutshell. The doctrine of original sin claims that every human is born stinky because every human descends from a turd.... Read more

Challenging the Church

Deconstruction

Theology

Uncategorized

Can you polish a turd?

original sin

polished turd

stinkin' thinkin'

2022-05-15T12:51:22-08:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Can a Christian Use Muslim Prayer Beads?

Last updated on: May 15, 2022 at 12:51 pm By Gregory T. Smith

If you struggle with anxiety, using a rosary may help. There are many Christian rosaries to choose from—but can a Christian use Muslim prayer beads, if they want? Most of my clients struggle with anxiety. Many of them do things when anxious that get them in trouble. One, in particular, mentioned that he would like to try meditation to find inner peace but didn’t know where to begin. I told him I would be happy to introduce him to meditation.... Read more

Spirituality

Uncategorized

cultural appropriation

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who said, "Faith without works is dead"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

John James Paul Peter

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Challenging the Church Deconstruction For Pastors Heathen Christianity Holidays and special days Mental Health Social Justice Spirituality Taoism Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian