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Progressive Christian

2012-02-21T18:20:12-05:00

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 Unnatural Act of Forgiveness

Last updated on: February 21, 2012 at 6:20 pm By Christy Thomas

A fight breaks out between two preschoolers. The parents or caregivers break up the fight and insist that the children tell each other they are sorry. On the rarest of occasions is there a sincere “I really am sorry I did that. I was wrong. Please forgive me.” Usually, for the children involved it is just an exercise in saying the right words to keep from getting into even more trouble. Inside, the little ones are screaming “It wasn’t MY... Read more

2012-02-20T10:14:55-05:00

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.

Wow–we are in a lot of pain

Last updated on: February 20, 2012 at 10:14 am By Christy Thomas

According to a recent MedPage article, “Prescriptions for narcotic painkillers soared so much over the last decade that by 2010 enough were being dispensed to medicate every adult in the U.S. around-the-clock for a month.” All I can say is, “Wow.” How very much we hurt–and I think the hurt and pains people are seeking relief from are far, far more than physical. Recently, I had a back spasm that just about put me under. After suffering for over a... Read more

2012-02-13T17:37:52-05:00

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.

Ministry With the Poor

Last updated on: February 13, 2012 at 5:37 pm By Christy Thomas

Today, Dr. Frederick Schmidt posted on his blog here about doing ministry with the poor, on of the four areas of focus of the United Methodist Church mandated by the 2008 General Conference (just a meandering thought: will all those change with the 2012 General Conference–just when I’m starting to figure this out?). Anyway, I thought Schmidt made a particularly insightful comment when he wrote, “I have no way of “knowing” in the sense that really matters. No one who... Read more

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Ministry with the Poor

united methodist church

2012-02-10T10:51:43-05:00

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.

More Thoughts on the Scandal

Last updated on: February 10, 2012 at 10:51 am By Christy Thomas

An insightful friend who is not a United Methodist wrote me today about the situation at St. Luke and Tyrone Gordon. She asks, after doing as much reading about the situation as she could, Very interesting that the pastor gave up his credentials and then the church pretty much said that ended it for them. Did that mean they stopped investigating the alleged incidents because the man was no longer a ordained minister of the church? I didn’t get that.... Read more

2012-02-08T20:05:47-05:00

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.

A Modern Day Parable

Last updated on: February 8, 2012 at 8:05 pm By Christy Thomas

Jesus had just experienced a really busy day. He’d healed some guy who had been unable to speak, freeing that dear person from being chained to silence by evil. When the newly freed one began to speak, the crowds turned on Jesus, accusing him of being the Evil One himself! Jesus explained to them that the very kingdom of God had come into their presence and invited people to be with him, to gather others as well. He reminded them... Read more

legalistic Christianity

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Luke 11

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walking in the light

2012-02-07T19:40:30-05:00

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 Delight of Doubt

Last updated on: February 7, 2012 at 7:40 pm By Christy Thomas

This Sunday will be the last in the message series I’ve been giving on “The Lost Ones:”–the reasons many of our older teens and young adults leave the church in droves. We started by looking the problem of the shallow theology we feed them, and by so doing, leave them unprepared to face real world problems with no simple answers. We examined the nature of the conflict between church and science and the misreading of Scripture that often leads to... Read more

verses from the bible

2012-02-06T09:50:19-05:00

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 Problem with Power

Last updated on: February 6, 2012 at 9:50 am By Christy Thomas

Sam Hodges with the United Methodist Reporter has written more about the situation at St. Luke Community UMC that also mentions some of the challenges Rev. Greer has faced–including people putting sheets of paper defaming him on cars at Cockrell Hill UMC, where Greer now serves as Local Pastor. This harassment happened before he filed the lawsuit. Hodges has written a balanced article that respects the fact that the lives and voices of the alleged victims, as well as the... Read more

Christianity

clergy

Bishop Bledsoe

forgiveness and reconciliation

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united methodist reporter

2012-02-04T16:09:07-05:00

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.

Touch Not the Lord’s Anointed

Last updated on: February 4, 2012 at 4:09 pm By Christy Thomas

From the number of hits and responses I’ve received from my previous post about the allegations against Tyrone Gordon, still technically pastor at St. Luke Community UMC until Feb. 15, I am aware that this is an area of huge interest. Now, assuming that these allegations are true (and my good husband did remind me as I’m raging about this that nothing has been proven and that it all may be a pack of lies against the now uncredentialed Gordon),... Read more

Christianity

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Tyrone Gordon

2012-02-04T09:48:36-05:00

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.

Appalling News: Situation at St Luke Community UMC

Last updated on: February 4, 2012 at 9:48 am By Christy Thomas

The heartbreaking article in the Dallas News can be found at this link. The newly resigned pastor at St. Luke Community UMC in Dallas, Tyrone Gordon, has been accused of multiple sexual improprieties. Discretion, potential lawsuits, and “presumption of innocence” prohibits me from publishing some of the things I want to say right now. So let me just list my emotional responses–and, by the way, I had heard that this might be the case earlier in this week, so I... Read more

character

personal privilege

presumption of innocence

sexual improprieties

St. Luke UMC

Tyrone Gordon

united methodist church

2012-01-25T18:04:03-05:00

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 Problem of Paternity

Last updated on: January 25, 2012 at 6:04 pm By Christy Thomas

Today we are going to take a cultural journey into the literature that comprises the older portions of our Bible. Three important factors underlie some of the stories, behavioral admonitions and restrictions that are found there, especially in first five books, Genesis through Deuteronomy. First: the notion of honor and shame. Family honor is a huge issue. Keep in mind that “family” encompasses the whole larger clan, all under the leadership of a patriarch. If one person in the clan... Read more

paternity in the Bible

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