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Progressive Christian

2017-02-05T18:19:33-05:00

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.

Comfort, toxicity, vulnerability and loss of the village: we mourn

Last updated on: February 5, 2017 at 6:19 pm By Christy Thomas

She exchanged the perfection of control for the perfection of never-ending vulnerability. The only end of this is utter exhaustion and inability to function. I put down Comfort Detox by Erin M. Straza (IVP Books, 2017) with a sense of relief. I had finished the book. With never ending energy, Straza exhorted the reader to leave behind the worship of comfort. The primacy of comfort leaves us shielded and padded and insulated from the raw needs of a broken world. We become... Read more

2017-02-04T11:21:17-05:00

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.

Help! Can a divorced person marry again?

Last updated on: February 4, 2017 at 11:21 am By Christy Thomas

But . . . divorce does happen. Always has, always will. Sometimes relationships become so evil that the best solution for all is to dissolve it. From the earliest times, there has been a legitimate out when a spouse proves unfaithful. Remember that unfaithfulness comes in many different forms. Dear Thoughtful Pastor: I am a born again Christian. I love the Lord with all of my heart and mind and soul and strength. I am divorced. Can I ever, without... Read more

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marriage and divorce

2017-02-03T14:11:46-05:00

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.

The con man, the church, human gullibility and our beliefs

Last updated on: February 3, 2017 at 2:11 pm By Christy Thomas

Once we have spent time in a particular belief system, especially in a “church” environment that demands massive contributions, unquestioned loyalty, absorbs all spare time and which forms the entire social network for people, most don’t have enough mental energy to figure out that something is terribly wrong. A year and a half ago, I did a “mystery worship” at a nearby prosperity, “come-here-and-get-rich” church, lead by an apparent Joel Osteen wannabe, Keith Craft. You can read a full description of what... Read more

2017-02-02T10:38:50-05:00

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.

(President) Bannon anticipates war with China: an idealist’s response

Last updated on: February 2, 2017 at 10:38 am By Christy Thomas

Yes, I am an idealist, and think we need to stop fighting one another except in cases to stop outright aggression. War . . . the thought makes me ill, but the world has been at war since Cain killed Abel. Jealousy is the usual cause: someone has more than me. In the first instance, Abel had more of God than Cain. Today, some nation has more (people, resources, power, influence, etc.) than another, so instead of working things out... Read more

2017-02-01T13:11:16-05:00

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.

Bannon/Trump does not trump the constitution: new lawsuit filed

Last updated on: February 1, 2017 at 1:11 pm By Christy Thomas

Please note: from this point forward, I intend to refer to the POTUS as Bannon/Trump. This nomenclature reflects the reality that it is white supremacist Steve Bannon that calls most of the shots right now and acts as de-facto president. Here is an excellent analysis of the rise of President The following article explains another lawsuit that has been filed against the immigration ban. The chaos that election of Bannon/Trump has brought about, not to mention the heartbreak. Keep in... Read more

2017-01-31T12:45:47-05:00

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.

Help! The refugee crisis: What’s the Christian way to reduce terrorism?

Last updated on: January 31, 2017 at 12:45 pm By Christy Thomas

Should the government move to restrict egress based on nothing but “what might happen,” especially refugees seeking asylum are fleeing home-grown wars, then there is only one proper Christian response: “Bring them to me. I will care for them.” Dear Thoughtful Pastor: “Is there a better, more Christian way to minimize terrorism threats in the long run from immigrants coming to the U.S. from Muslim majority nations than to ban them outright until extreme vetting is completed?” Let me start... Read more

2017-01-30T16:37:35-05:00

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.

“The Christians”–both the play and the reality

Last updated on: January 30, 2017 at 4:37 pm By Christy Thomas

The vote supports Pastor Paul, but it doesn’t take long for Pastor Joshua’s new church, affirming the reality of hell, to drain the mother congregation. I saw The Christians on Sunday. Lucas Hnath wrote this play about Pastor Paul, a man who had skillfully grown his church from a tiny storefront to a huge megachurch, complete with coffee shops and bookstore. Suddenly, he announces to his congregation that his core theology has changed. He no longer carries as assurance that... Read more

united methodist church

2017-01-27T14:44:13-05:00

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.

The year everything broke

Last updated on: January 27, 2017 at 2:44 pm By Christy Thomas

All of us live in the tensions between creation and re-creation. Nothing is stasis or particularly stable or immune from breaking. Last night, the dishwasher broke. (The repair service showed up promptly, fixed the problem but indicated that the fix is only temporary–we will be needing to replace it soon). Before that: The new coffee grinder quit working (replaced with excellent customer service by DeLonghi) The new and barely used vacuum cleaner quit working (replaced with excellent customer service by Bissell)... Read more

united methodist church

2017-01-25T17:08:58-05:00

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.

Help! Does an all-powerful God cause the innocent to suffer?

Last updated on: January 25, 2017 at 5:08 pm By Christy Thomas

The easy answers like “It’ll all turn out OK in the end. If it is not OK, it’s not the end” nearly make me sick to my stomach. What does that say to those who are suffering horrifically in this very moment? Dear Thoughtful Pastor: One of my lectures was on innocent suffering and how that can occur in a world “governed” by an omniscient, omnipresent and all-good God. I covered about 30 answers, none of which appeared to be... Read more

2017-01-23T11:57:13-05:00

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.

My name is “Christy” and I DID march

Last updated on: January 23, 2017 at 11:57 am By Christy Thomas

My name is Christy. And I did march. That other “Christy” gets to stay home because countless other “Christy’s” have been speaking up for women for centuries. Apparently, a woman named “Christy” posted on Facebook her reasons for not participating or supporting one of the Women’s Marches on January 21. The full text of her explanation is at the bottom of this post. But the essence is stated well in her first paragraph: I am not a “disgrace to women”... Read more

January 21 2017 protest

Luke 12

women's march

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