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Progressive Christian

2022-01-20T16:16:13-06:00

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.

Christians Being Bad

Last updated on: January 20, 2022 at 4:16 pm By C. Don Jones

Christians being bad is a common theme for bloggers. A few public examples come to mind. I may get to them another time. The good news for bloggers is there are always more examples out there just waiting to be exposed. The bad news is that news is always bad. Today, I do not wish to consider particular cases. I want to talk about doctrines Progressive Christians tend to avoid. The doctrines of the Fall and Sin. Being and Behavior... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

Church Discipline

Community

Preaching

Progressive Christianity

Theology

Violence

Wesleyan

2022-01-18T11:26:38-06:00

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 Hard Text

Last updated on: January 18, 2022 at 11:26 am By C. Don Jones

Everyone who reads the Bible finds hard texts in it. They are texts that upset our notions of the nature of God and morality. Can a moral God condone what some of the righteous do? One text in particular is difficult for me. I have wrestled with the sense of it for two decades. And I find no good way of dealing with the implications. The hard text for me is Genesis 9:24-27. The Hard Heart of Noah The story... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

Liberation Theology

Racism

Redemptive Violence Myth

Violence

2022-01-13T11:56:29-06:00

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.

Arguing With The Obstinate or Having Puking Contests With Buzzards

Last updated on: January 13, 2022 at 11:56 am By C. Don Jones

I know arguing with certain people only gives me indigestion. I am getting better about avoiding such gastric upsetting contests. It still sometimes happens. Obstinate people cause problems. But they are not usually major problems. Liars cause major problems. Many people fall into agreeing with liars because they don’t understand the issues at hand. It is difficult to tell the two apart. Living With Sociopaths Liars never intend to educate people. Screwtape expresses his disgust at the assumptions of “younger... Read more

Progressive Christianity

Spirituality

Truth

2022-01-10T12:52:32-06:00

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.

Forgiveness And The Future Schism (Part 3)

Last updated on: January 10, 2022 at 12:52 pm By C. Don Jones

This final installment in this series will sound harsh to some. But forgiveness is not real until truth is acknowledged. The first truth is that schism is couched in the language of orthodoxy when it is merely selfish ambition. The second truth is moral evil appears good to selfish people. The third truth is the desire is to cause harm. And now there is another truth we must recognize. Christ is Proclaimed “Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

False Claims

Forgiveness

The United Methodist Church

Truth

Wesleyan

2022-01-06T17:57:08-06:00

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.

Forgiveness and the Future Schism (Part 2)

Last updated on: January 6, 2022 at 5:57 pm By C. Don Jones

Ego and the desire for power afflict many people. A new issue enters our discussion on forgiveness. George Lucas in an interview about The Revenge of the Sith observed, “Evil people don’t know they are evil.” Is forgiveness possible in such situations? As I stated in the first part, the first step toward forgiveness is to acknowledge the truth. What happens when a person neither knows nor can be persuaded of the truth? Where does that leave us? Evil In... Read more

Forgiveness

Redemptive Violence Myth

Resentment

The United Methodist Church

Violence

2022-01-03T14:29:49-06:00

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.

Forgiveness and The Future Schism (Part 1)

Last updated on: January 3, 2022 at 2:29 pm By C. Don Jones

The passing of Archbishop Desmond Tutu reminded me of his important truth. “There is no future without forgiveness.” His book about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission bears that title. Taking into account everything I have said up to this point about the schism of the UMC, I have not said a word about forgiveness. Just like in a divorce, one cannot reconcile with someone who wishes to leave. It is impossible. What then is the point of forgiving that person?... Read more

Divine Judgment

False Claims

Forgiveness

The United Methodist Church

Truth

2021-12-23T16:46:09-06:00

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 Matthew Christmas Or A Luke Christmas

Last updated on: December 23, 2021 at 4:46 pm By C. Don Jones

Christmas. God bless it. Matthew and Luke have a lot to say about Jesus’ birth. John and Mark leave the topic alone. None of them speak of Christmas. It’s really too bad. I could use some guidance each year. Family Christmas is about food, presents, and reunion. Church Christmas is about traditional hymns, sacraments, and candles. Christ the light has come into the world and will shine until Good Friday. What is Christmas to me? Stories told and retold every... Read more

Advent

Biblical Interpretation

Christmas

2021-12-20T11:17:38-06:00

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 Woman We Forget at Christmas

Last updated on: December 20, 2021 at 11:17 am By C. Don Jones

We always talk about Mary during Advent and Christmas. Elizabeth is the other woman we discuss. But there is one we forget. Honestly, it is not a surprise. After all, we never see her in Christmas pageants. There is only one movie about Jesus in which we hear her. It is she who is the reason Bethlehem was remembered before Jesus. The woman who never got to hold the child to whom she gave birth. The person who died in... Read more

Advent

Biblical Interpretation

Christmas

Preaching

2021-12-16T16:39:33-06:00

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.

Climate Disasters And Christmas

Last updated on: December 16, 2021 at 4:39 pm By C. Don Jones

Natural disasters around Christmas enhance the tragedy for those who do not experience it. We ask, “how awful it must be and so close to Christmas too.” We send help out of a sense of pity. It is easy to mistake pity for compassion. The hand-out looks the same. Pity for the plight of others is temporary. Compassion lasts much longer. And yet, we fail to realize the need for mutuality the disasters should prompt in us. Climate change has been... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

2021-12-13T11:21:43-06:00

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.

Advent And The Unrighteousness of Work

Last updated on: December 13, 2021 at 11:21 am By C. Don Jones

I love my work. But sometimes I hate my job. Many friends are used to hearing me say this. I admit there is something disingenuous about the comparison. That problem is very clear during Advent. There is so much work to be done during this season. A clergy friend remarked last night after the Cantata at his church, “One more thing done for Advent.” I understand. Advent is the season of preparation for Christmas. But instead of preparation it is... Read more

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