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Progressive Christian

2019-07-09T17:44:07-06:00

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.

WESLEY'S RULES FOR LIVING (1)

Last updated on: July 9, 2019 at 5:44 pm By C. Don Jones

The Wesleyan “General Rules” have been rediscovered in recent years. The late Bishop Rueben Job deserves the credit for this with his book and study “Three Simple Rules.” It is a good study. Personally, I recommend it. What I offer today is my own understanding of these rules and how they may be applied. If one is not familiar with them the rules are “Do no harm. Do good. And attend upon the ordinances of God.” Do No Harm. The... Read more

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2019-07-01T19:22:59-06:00

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.

Ticket-Punched Christianity

Last updated on: July 1, 2019 at 7:22 pm By C. Don Jones

There is a joke that United Methodist pastor’s tell. “There is a bird loose in the Sanctuary. How do I get it to leave? The answer can be multiple choice. “Ask it to become a member of the church? Ask it to serve on a committee. Ask it to sign a pledge card.” There are probably more. But you get the idea. The answer is not really about birds. It is about people. And it is not about just any... Read more

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2019-06-18T20:11:58-06:00

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 Changing Life of Prayer

Last updated on: June 18, 2019 at 8:11 pm By C. Don Jones

“What is your sermon on this week?” The stand-in secretary asked. “The next beatitude ‘Blessed are the Pure in Heart.'” I replied. She said. “Aren’t you done with those yet?” I laughed. I think she did too once she thought about what she said. Like many satirical punchlines it was funny because it was all too true. I know many church members do not like “sermon series” type of preaching. For a pastor they make planning easier. For a church... Read more

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2019-06-08T18:11:51-06:00

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.

Being Transcendent

Last updated on: June 8, 2019 at 6:11 pm By C. Don Jones

I really enjoyed reading David Bent Hart’s book Experiencing God: Being, Consciousness, Bliss. A good friend turned me on to this writer wondering if I could make heads or tails of what he was trying to say. Hart makes two important moves in his argument for the existence of God as defined by ancient philosophical theologies. The first move is the one of definition. Hart defines God much the same way as Plato. God is beyond nature and the progenitor... Read more

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2019-05-09T20:47:14-06:00

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.

WHY THEY BELIEVE THE LIES

Last updated on: May 9, 2019 at 8:47 pm By C. Don Jones

It was late. The knock on the door of my hotel suite interrupted my settling in after the long day. We were with the church youth group at the annual big youth gathering with the big number results hoped for at the end. It was just beginning. I was already tired and a little frustrated. I answered the knock. It was one of the college age volunteers who was to help with the sixth to eighth grade age boys. The... Read more

2019-03-12T15:59:58-06:00

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.

Celebrating Gnats

Last updated on: March 12, 2019 at 3:59 pm By C. Don Jones

“You blind guides! You strain out a gnat and swallow a camel” Matthew 23:24 When s fellow Christian tells me their church is “progressive” or “non-traditional.” I am cautious and ask what they mean by either of those terms. Usually, that person is excited to tell me more. The reason for that is their church is doing something very different from what they experienced growing up. Their experience of church in childhood could be that of worship that is staid... Read more

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2019-03-05T21:31:58-06:00

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.

Slavery Not Sex

Last updated on: March 5, 2019 at 9:31 pm By C. Don Jones

I was asked a few years ago to give a study on The Bible and Homosexuality at a retreat. The person who announced the topic decided to add these words, “This is a study that will show you the claim that God does not love you is false.” I was struck by those words. It really was not until then that I realized I was doing more than merely correcting erroneous information. My job in that context was to help... Read more

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2019-03-01T23:50:27-06:00

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 Need

Last updated on: March 1, 2019 at 11:50 pm By C. Don Jones

It is cliché to say that one does not “believe in” organized religion or “needs” the institutional church. I admit that many times both clergy and laity ask themselves if they are witnessing anything happening that Jesus would have wanted. Hardly a week goes by that I do not ask myself if it is in any way worth the effort. My United Methodist clergy friends left St. Louis more fatigued and desperate than usual in both body and spirit. The... Read more

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2019-02-20T20:46:11-06:00

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.

MAKE HIM A KING

Last updated on: February 20, 2019 at 8:46 pm By C. Don Jones

It was a game. It was a game of cruelty. It was called basilinda. The word from Greek for “King.” The Romans had two kinds of games by this title. One was a harmless family game where lots were drawn and a child was made “king for a day” that allowed it to then give orders and rewards to other children playing. The other was a parody of the being a King. It was played by soldiers who made up... Read more

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2019-02-18T18:07:11-06:00

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.

FIVE THOUSAND FED BY FIVE THOUSAND?

Last updated on: February 18, 2019 at 6:07 pm By C. Don Jones

I find it very important when a story is given to us in each of the four canonical gospels. Each time the story is nuanced. The stories of the Resurrection of Jesus are important to the writers and for some reason or reasons they are significantly different. The story of Jesus feeding a mass of people (Mark gives us two accounts) is interesting for the implications and warnings that surround it. The feeding of the five thousand story is important... Read more

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