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

2023-05-30T09:35:55-06:00

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.

Littleness of Souls

Last updated on: May 30, 2023 at 9:35 am By C. Don Jones

The danger of disaffiliation is not smaller churches, budgets, and a smaller denomination. The danger is a littleness of souls that is more difficult to overcome. Problems that would not exist except for the actions of another person leads a person from immediate injury to resentment. Nurtured resentments lead to littleness of the soul in those who do not overcome them. I would even argue that resentments do not require injury merely the perception of injury to exist. Feeding Souls... Read more

2023-05-25T09:29:43-06:00

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.

Christian Government: A Fallacy

Last updated on: May 25, 2023 at 9:29 am By C. Don Jones

Aristotle claimed the best form of government is a monarchy while the worst is tyranny. While many believe he was following his teacher Plato, I think they miss the point. The American Revolution proved one group of people’s monarch is another’s tyrant. Recently, someone asked me what I thought John Wesley would say about the splintering among United Methodists and the polarization in our society. “He would probably say,” I began, “it is what we deserve for rebelling against a... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

Community

Exploitation of the Poor

government

2023-05-23T11:16:31-06:00

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 Definite Yes

Last updated on: May 23, 2023 at 11:16 am By C. Don Jones

Only 50% of Americans say a definite yes when asked about the existence of God. Since about 7% claim God does not exist that means there are a lot of people questioning the existence of a creator/supreme being deity. One friend asked me if the problem is in defining the meaning of God. He challenged me to define the word God and give three examples. I refrained from answering by the trinity. It was not what he was saying. I... Read more

Culture Wars

Technology

Theology

2023-05-18T10:05:27-06:00

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.

Bigfoot And The Ascension

Last updated on: May 18, 2023 at 10:05 am By C. Don Jones

Young clergy know certain days are going to be important in their work. Ascension Day (or Sunday) is not one of them. It goes without saying Christmas and Easter are important. Ash Wednesday and Pentecost may be important to some lay members. But All Saints’ Day and Ascension usually are not unless one serves a rather “high church” congregation. The older I get though I realize more these days are important to me. One reason All Saints’ Day is important... Read more

Ascension Sunday

Biblical Interpretation

2023-05-16T09:34:37-06:00

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.

Designated Readers

Last updated on: May 16, 2023 at 9:34 am By C. Don Jones

Is it correct to call clergy the designated readers of the church? “My therapist tells me I have PTSD from the church.” A former youth director spoke openly with me many years ago. “These people don’t read the Bible,” he said. He was being very open with me a pastor in The United Methodist Church about his experience. I never had any experience with his congregation, but I thought I understood his point. I am not sure his temperament was... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

Community

deconstruction

Progressive Christianity

Theology

Truth

2023-05-11T09:24:37-06:00

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.

Pastoral Liberation Theology

Last updated on: May 11, 2023 at 9:24 am By C. Don Jones

Theology is speculative without some sense of practice. Liberation theology is the most practical of theological families. Yet, the practices most often employed are political and social in nature. I am a liberationist. I am also a pastor. How do the two aspects work together. Dutiful pastors are generalists and busy with many tasks. Some pastors believe their work is primarily the Sunday sermon. A good reason to think this way is due to the fact that is when we... Read more

Liberation Theology

Progressive Christianity

The Kingdom of God

Theology

2023-05-08T10:13:50-06:00

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.

Heartbreaking Addiction

Last updated on: May 8, 2023 at 10:13 am By C. Don Jones

A friend died from a heartbreaking addiction. I mean that literally. When I first heard about his death, I was told his heart was the issue. He had so many years of sobriety that I did not think beyond that. Of course, I knew other people who abused alcohol who died with a booze related heart attack. But no, not this person. Him relapse? Unthinkable. This person who worked hard to help others including me get sober? No way. And... Read more

Addiction

Biblical Interpretation

Sobriety

Spiritual Self Care

The United Methodist Church

2023-05-04T08:46:30-06:00

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.

Where The Bible Is Silent

Last updated on: May 4, 2023 at 8:46 am By C. Don Jones

It is a slogan we hear, “where the Bible is silent, we are silent.” It is never true. There are a lot of topics and issues where the Bible is says nothing. But that never keeps people from speaking about them. Too often I hear the argument made, “Jesus never said anything about abortion or homosexuality.” It is apparent that argument never settles anything. The Bible is silent about abortion. Yet, people try to make the Bible speak on the... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

Philosophy

Progressive Christianity

Theology

Truth

2023-05-01T15:35:55-06:00

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.

Lonely Elijah

Last updated on: May 1, 2023 at 3:35 pm By C. Don Jones

One can either be lonely or alone. Loneliness is a terrible feeling. We feel unloved, abandoned, and avoided. The world looks dismal. Being alone though can feel restful or refreshing. I try to be alone when I write to avoid distraction. When I am lonely, I wish for every possible distraction. The prophet Elijah thought he was alone when he was really lonely. He realized how he felt when life took an abrupt turn on him. Boasting Elijah 2 Kings... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

False Claims

Fear

Grace

Progressive Christianity

2023-04-27T10:44:56-06:00

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.

Eternal Life, Eternal Being

Last updated on: April 27, 2023 at 10:44 am By C. Don Jones

What does John mean when the writer promises eternal life? A critic recently said all the talk about acceptance in the church today is good, but what about telling people how to get to Heaven? Does going to heaven mean eternal life? A lot of people raised in churches today think so. Is having eternal life the same as having abundant life (John 10:10)? The Johannine letters and gospel speak the most on this subject. Matthew 25 makes the comparison... Read more

Biblical Interpretation

The Kingdom of God

Theology

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What is the longest chapter in the Bible?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Psalm 119 Genesis 1 Psalm 23 Isaiah 53

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Addiction Advent Afghanistan Anxiety Ascension Sunday Baptism Barack Obama Biblical Interpretation Bigotry Book Banning BSA Buddhism Choice Christmas Church Discipline Community Conscience Conspiracy theories COVID-19 Culture Wars death cults deconstruction Devotional Divine Judgment Donald Trump Earth Day Election Day empathy Environmentalism Evangelism Exploitation of the Poor Faith False Claims fascism Fear Forgiveness Genocide government Grace Gun Violence Halloween Hate Health Hillbilly Elegy Hindu Holy Communion Holy Week Homelessness Hope Identity Integrity Islam Joe Biden John Hagee Kamala Harris Labor Lent Liberation Theology Lies Love Love as action Neurological disorders Non-Christian Religions Online Worship Original Goodness Pandemic Peace Pentecost Philosophy Preaching Progressive Christianity Racism Redemptive Violence Myth Resentment Saint's Days Satire Sobriety social media Spiritual Self Care Spirituality Technology The Kingdom of God The United Methodist Church Theology Transfigurations Sunday Transgender persons Truth Uncategorized Violence Wesleyan Working Class

Select a Month September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 March 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 September 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 October 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 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 October 2018 September 2018 July 2018 February 2018 January 2018 August 2017 May 2017 November 2016 July 2016 June 2016 November 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 November 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 June 2013 March 2013 February 2013 December 2012 August 2012 July 2012 May 2012 February 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011

TRENDING AT PATHEOS Progressive Christian