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Progressive Christian

2012-03-20T15:48:53+00:00

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.

Done with Substitutionary Atonement

Last updated on: March 20, 2012 at 3:48 pm By Sam Alexander

138 Comments

I’m done with Substitutionary atonement. I’m done with the magical notion that human beings need to sacrifice in order to appease an angry God. Sixteen people died at the hands of Sgt. Bales last week. Sixteen innocent Afghanis dead. It’s not entirely clear what happened, but one thing we can say: life had betrayed Sgt. Bales. Something had gone terribly awry, rage overwhelmed the moment, and erupted in a horrifying act of violence. René Girard, an anthropologist of significant influence,... Read more

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2012-03-08T19:12:54+00:00

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.

Progressive Taxation and Christian Faith

Last updated on: March 8, 2012 at 7:12 pm By Jim Burklo

1 Comment

Some Americans believe that taxation is theft, and that taking care of the poor and vulnerable is the business of charity alone. Others call for a “flat tax” which they claim is more fair than progressive taxation, which imposes a higher rate of tax on those of higher incomes. Such ideas once represented a fringe of the political spectrum, but now they are expressed by serious candidates for the presidency. Since religious language is being used to support these ideas,... Read more

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2012-03-06T21:02:01+00:00

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.

Sticky Denominations?

Last updated on: March 6, 2012 at 9:02 pm By Guest Contributor

141 Comments

By Jennifer Gutierrez Director of Urban Ministry for the California Pacific Conference of the United Methodist Church Why are mainline denominations dying? I was recently in a trustees meeting for one of these denominations. The trustees were grilling a representative from the committee that works with campus ministry. The overall concern of the trustees seemed to be that their investments in campus ministry over the years had not yielded significant returns. They were experiencing increased debt, and were not willing to... Read more

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2012-02-17T21:35:53+00:00

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.

Towards an Honest Pluralism: Responding to “Being Different”

Last updated on: February 17, 2012 at 9:35 pm By Jim Burklo

116 Comments

“The sheer range of religions represented led me to assume that they have few presuppositions in common. This assumption was supported by the fact that the main reason they meet is in order to learn about each other’s traditions.” Nate Gonzales, undergraduate student at the University of Southern California, made this astute observation in a paper he wrote about the USC student Interfaith Council, of which he’s an active member. (It might come as no surprise that he has been... Read more

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2012-02-22T22:53:56+00:00

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.

Ash Wednesday

Last updated on: February 22, 2012 at 10:53 pm By Jim Burklo

130 Comments

On my forehead, A sign of the cross, Smudged in ash from the fire That burned down the McMansion of my hubris, And, with it, The money I should have given away, The television I used to numb my senses, The carpet I should have been called on, The doors I should have opened to others, The envelopes I should have used To send letters of love, The wise books I shelved prominently So that others would think I had... Read more

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2012-02-21T17:57:07+00:00

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.

Becoming Like a Flute: Meditations on Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday

Last updated on: February 21, 2012 at 5:57 pm By Shane Claiborne

159 Comments

In a world filled with clutter, noise, and hustle, Lent is a good excuse to step back and rethink how we think and live. In a world of instant gratification, it’s a chance to practice delayed gratification – to fast -- so that we can truly appreciate the blessings we have. Read more

2012-02-17T17:40:55+00:00

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.

A Lectionary Poem: Transfiguration Sunday

Last updated on: February 17, 2012 at 5:40 pm By David Henson

276 Comments

A Poem for Sundays there is a place beyond belief, where faith is true and false this promised land I incarnate god and god incarnates me, and together with the incarnations of humanity, we seek to find, create to destroy, this Jehovah, this God, this Christ. in the land of milk and honey, curdled sweet. a river of creeds runs over rocks drowning, quenching deserted throats. the wrath of god entombed in its violent weight the love of god kneeling... Read more

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2012-02-13T17:46:53+00:00

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.

Exorcise Wall Street

Last updated on: February 13, 2012 at 5:46 pm By Shane Claiborne

117 Comments

I am one of those Christians who believes in angels and demons. But I think the traditional Christian understanding of these things needs a major makeover. Seems to me the Tempter comes in many forms, and is just as likely to dote a three-piece-suit and wingtips as he is to have horns and a pitchfork. And perhaps the angels look more like the bums in the alley than the feathered white babies on Hallmark cards. Read more

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2012-02-09T21:37:40+00:00

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.

Earth’s Heartbeat

Last updated on: February 9, 2012 at 9:37 pm By Jim Burklo

123 Comments

(on a hike at Devil’s Punchbowl near Pearblossom, CA) Mountain-shaped silhouettesMark the the tall pale stalk Of a spent yucca:Are these its last lines of praiseFor the land where it stands? Above, the yellow pineSighs with the deep gratitude I feelAs wind vibratesIts long-needled vocal chords. Below, in the canyon,Slabs of pale sandstone tilt sunward.The fault line that lifts themCarves a long notch into the mountains beyond,And drives a crack Through my imagination. A thin bright stream shapes the stoneWith tumbling... Read more

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2012-02-06T19:51:10+00:00

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.

Signs of Hope: A Moment with the PC(USA) Moderator

Last updated on: February 6, 2012 at 7:51 pm By Guest Contributor

5 Comments

By Cynthia Bolbach, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) One question I’m asked almost more than any other is, “So, where do you see hope in the PC(USA)?” A comprehensive answer would take up more than the word limits of this column. But two things stand out. First, all across the denomination persons are realizing that our structures – borne of the corporate mentality of the 1950s – have to change for us to proclaim the gospel effectively in a... Read more

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