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Progressive Christian

2015-07-03T09:56:42-05:00

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 Return of the Seven Month Full-Term Baby

Last updated on: July 3, 2015 at 9:56 am By Christy Thomas

After I wrote of my support of the recent SCOTUS decision that affirms marriage for all citizens, one commentator wrote of his agreement for certain civil rights for gay couples and then added this caveat, “Marriage is a contract between two people of opposite sex that want to have children and raise a family. That is not biologically possible between gay and lesbian couples.” So, I ask these questions: Should we then make fertility a requirement for marriage? How would hetero... Read more

seven-month gestation

UMC

2015-07-01T10:37:41-05:00

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.

Get Over it, Christian Pastors: You are NOT Being Persecuted

Last updated on: July 1, 2015 at 10:37 am By Christy Thomas

The first amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads this way: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” We commonly refer to this amendment as “separation of church and state” or “separation of church from state.” Either way, the intent... Read more

2015-06-23T12:45:15-05:00

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.

Worship at St. James AME: "The Doors of the Church are Still Open"

Last updated on: June 23, 2015 at 12:45 pm By Christy Thomas

“The doors of the church are still open.” The media will soon forget the horror of the June 17, 2015 murders of nine good people at Mother Emanuel, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. The next big tragedy or scandal will grab headline space. But the people will not forget. Not the people of Charleston, not the families and friends of the ruthlessly murdered, not the African-American community. Every time I think about it, I have two... Read more

2015-06-22T16:46:13-05:00

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.

Rant for the Day: Does God Really Do These Things?

Last updated on: June 22, 2015 at 4:46 pm By Christy Thomas

On Sunday I sit outside and watch the rain come down for yet one more time. I post on Facebook: “I have always loved sitting outside when it rains listening to it come down. And rain in summertime has long been considered a blessing in Texas. But what I am envisioning right now is more flooding. Not the best of scenarios.” A reply: “this is true Christy..but I think God knows what we need…more than we do” Today on FB,... Read more

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Charleston murders

floods in North Texas

nature of god

2016-07-14T16:18:35-05:00

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.

Five Factors That Create a Culture of Hate

Last updated on: July 14, 2016 at 4:18 pm By Christy Thomas

I am not going to do any second-guessing as to background and causation of the tragedy in South Carolina. The facts themselves are horrific enough: a young white man spends some time in worship in a historically black church and then kills nine of them including the pastor. Somewhere along the line, he learned that hating those who are different is a permissible, possibly even admirable, way to live. Instead of dealing with what may have or may not have happened in... Read more

South Carolina shooting

UMC

2015-06-18T09:47:15-05:00

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.

How Megachurches Have Killed the Practice of Prayer

Last updated on: June 18, 2015 at 9:47 am By Christy Thomas

It suddenly dawned on me last Sunday: Prayer is not media-friendly. In this past year, I’ve visited over forty different types of churches, writing up my experiences for a regional newspaper. I then post the columns on this blog and write a more thorough analysis of what I saw and experienced. Many of the places I visited are quite large, often multi-site. Messages come from the lead pastor, nearly always a charismatic and photogenic younger man. Most are live-streamed, using... Read more

2017-05-18T13:09:10-05:00

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.

Mystery Worship That Fed My Parched Soul

Last updated on: May 18, 2017 at 1:09 pm By Christy Thomas

Note: I have been doing “Mystery Worships” for the past year. I write these up for the Denton Record-Chronicle as their weekly religion column. While it has been fun and educational, it has also been a deeply troubling experience. The last couple of months have been particularly rough on me. I’ve told several people that if I were not well-grounded in my faith, I would have completely lost it by now. I had seen too many male ego-driven, female-ridden, prayerless... Read more

St Andrew Presbyterian Denton

2017-01-31T07:49:42-05:00

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 Pull of the Prosperity "Gospel" and the Subtlety of Evil

Last updated on: January 31, 2017 at 7:49 am By Christy Thomas

Did you know that the Lord’s Prayer can be read as “Hey, Jesus, can teach us to pray that way you do so we can get the same stuff from God that you do?” This, among other things, is what I learned when visiting a church in Frisco in June of 2015. The newspaper article ran in the Friday, June 12, 2015. edition of the Denton Record-Chronicle is in italics below. I’ve inserted my editorial comments here, things I can’t say in... Read more

2015-06-09T12:25:14-05:00

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.

Technology, Relationships and The Making of Disciples

Last updated on: June 9, 2015 at 12:25 pm By Christy Thomas

We sat by the pool side by side, my companion and I. We watched the sun set, sipped on a glass of wine and talked quietly for hour and a half about the events of the day. Periodically we would briefly touch hands or exchange a quick glance. Rich dialogue emerged from questions and clarifications, from free exploration of ideas and possibilities, from active listening and unforced flow of thought. We ended the conversation, both changed, both relaxed, both savoring the... Read more

millennial generation

UMC

2015-06-04T17:27:28-05:00

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.

Why I am Still a Christian Despite . . . Well, Despite Everything

Last updated on: June 4, 2015 at 5:27 pm By Christy Thomas

Why am I still a Christian when people like the Duggars sacrifice their daughters on the altar of TV fame? Because I know that today, a woman in her early 50’s who was sexually abused by her adoptive father in such a horrific way that it churns the stomach to think about it formally adopted her five-year-old grandson and thus redeemed the whole nature of adoption. She has also been able to walk through a forgiveness process none of us... Read more

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