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Progressive Christian

2014-08-13T10:44:28-05:00

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.

Shedding Religion to Embrace Life

Last updated on: August 13, 2014 at 10:44 am By Susan Cottrell

“You have no obligation to defend your journey. There is no jury for you to answer to. Speak your truth with authenticity and conviction. Stop trying to accommodate people who don’t agree with you.” Loved this from Jim Palmer and thought you would, too. Memo to Shedders: As you deconstruct and shed your former “Christian” beliefs, you will likely be told that you are “New Age” or some other label, meant to cast a dark cloud over you and your journey. I... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Jim Palmer

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

2014-08-12T10:05:47-05:00

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.

Taking Pro-Gay to Seminary! :-)

Last updated on: August 12, 2014 at 10:05 am By Susan Cottrell

Guess what? I start seminary next month. Yes, the opportunity came out of the blue — exactly the way God brings opportunities to me. God has led me clearly in this. The knowledge and credentials (Master of Divinity M.Div.) I’ll gain will strengthen FreedHearts – especially in the area of speaking truth to pastors, churches and Christian leaders. It is a progressive seminary, and I look forward to learning a lot. But I am also excited to share my perspective and point of... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

seminary

Susan Cottrell

2014-08-11T10:08:32-05:00

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.

Gungor Fan?? REAL Faith, Not Dogma

Last updated on: August 11, 2014 at 10:08 am By Susan Cottrell

“If you asked any Christian before the birth of the modern era and the Enlightenment, ‘what is the foundation of Christianity?’, they would say ‘Jesus Christ.’ If you asked many Christians that same question today in the post-Enlightenment world, they would respond, ‘the Bible.'” – Gungor Perhaps you heard about the latest brouhaha over Gungor’s nonliteral reading of Genesis. (A Baptist church canceled an upcoming Gungor concert because Gungor does not believe in a literal six-day creation). Yeah — that’s just one... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

2014-08-09T10:20:57-05:00

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.

Jesus Blog: An Empty Bag

Last updated on: August 9, 2014 at 10:20 am By Susan Cottrell

More today from my Saturday “Jesus Blog” – a word from Jesus to you… Remember Mary Poppins? She arrived as a nanny with a carpetbag, then pulled from it items that could not possibly have fit in it – a potted plant, a wall mirror, a hatstand, a lamp. She did this with calm confidence. She did not wonder whether the bag would work for her this time; she just pulled stuff out of it. I want you to trust me like that. Don’t... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Jesus blog

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

2016-10-11T11:54:47-05:00

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.

Coming Out and Letting Go

Last updated on: October 11, 2016 at 11:54 am By Susan Cottrell

“The energy of avoidance became too great to ignore. I broke. After nearly 20 years of hiding and running away, I made a willful decision to face the pain, address the guilt and talk about the shame. This time, I wasn’t giving up; I was letting go.” Today, I am honored to feature a guest post from my friend Tim Rymel. I hope your heart is blessed… Coming Out and Letting Go by Tim Rymel I was 24 years old... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

lgbt child

lgbt christian

2014-08-05T10:50:17-05:00

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.

“Be Perfect!” — It’s Not What You Think!

Last updated on: August 5, 2014 at 10:50 am By Susan Cottrell

“You are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Uh, what!? Have you heard that? Had it thrown in your face? What in the world does it mean?? Who can be perfect? And is that a reasonable goal? No, it’s not. And it’s not what you think the verse means. “Perfect” in the original language means “whole, complete, fully matured, ripe, lacking nothing.” When you love your enemies (settle down about those you dislike or disapprove of,... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

Pink

Susan Cottrell

2014-08-04T09:53:29-05:00

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.

Respect — It’s Not That Hard

Last updated on: August 4, 2014 at 9:53 am By Susan Cottrell

“You have no idea how important you are to me. I will try and put it into words… I feel more like a woman when I am with you here [on FB] than any other person with the exception of my therapist. I never feel like a split or two people. You have always treated me with the respect of a sister … “ When my trans friend Joy messaged me this, I was deeply touched. And grateful. I DO... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

transgender

2014-07-31T09:50:25-05:00

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.

Just Be Here Now, Just Be

Last updated on: July 31, 2014 at 9:50 am By Susan Cottrell

I don’t know about you, but I can get completely tangled up in uncertainty of what’s ahead and what the future might look like. Somehow, I’m guessing you do too. You may have discovered you’re gay, and you’re terrified of the implications: the reaction of your family, your church, your work. Will you be ostracized? Rejected? Who will love you? You may be a parent of someone who’s gay, and you’re terrified of the implications: what will people think of you? And your family?... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

2014-11-25T11:13:17-05:00

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.

Finding the Right Partner – For You

Last updated on: November 25, 2014 at 11:13 am By Susan Cottrell

I went to a dance recently, a contra dance, kind of like square dancing, where you change partners down the line. So one woman had to dance in the “male” role to even the numbers. My male partner and I had danced down the line with about eight people — him with women, me with men — and then I came to the woman in the male role, and I danced my turn with her. Her hands were so soft,... Read more

2014-07-28T09:51:31-05:00

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.

Colleges, What Do Your Rules Against Gays Say About You?

Last updated on: July 28, 2014 at 9:51 am By Susan Cottrell

“[T]here used to be no conversation. Now people are talking about [LGBT issues] all the time, and the university can’t pretend that there aren’t gay people who attend the school… Although many of these colleges explicitly ban “homosexual behavior,” they are now home to dozens of LGBT-friendly student groups.” – Philip Francis and Mark Longhurst in The Atlantic I have talked to them, students at Wheaton, Biola, Patrick Henry and other campuses where homosexuality is strictly forbidden, where administrators tell donors that... Read more

homosexuality and the bible

Mom I'm Gay

Susan Cottrell

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