Two Ways

Kissing Fish: 

Christianity for people who don't like Christianity 

by Roger Wolsey

 

Pray to gods out of fear, or because of love. (paraphrased) 

- Pray Your Gods, Toad The Wet Sprocket

One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grain-fields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. Some of the Pharisees asked, "Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?"  Jesus answered them, "Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions."  Then Jesus said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." 

Jesus, Luke 6:1-5

I contend there are two basic approaches to Christianity, conservative and progressive, and this is true for both Catholics and Protestants.  However, before speaking to the differences, let’s begin by affirming what most Christians hold in common and agree upon....

....

Let’s explore some of the differences between these two forms of Christianity.  Conservative Christianity focuses on the religion about Jesus and getting people to agree with certain intellectual truth claims; for example, “people are sinners who aren’t right with God” and “Jesus is their personal Lord and savior;”[1] and it asserts that “it’s important for people to believe these things here and now if they want to go to heaven when they die.”  Conservative Christianity often has wariness about the insights of contemporary science.  Instead it finds solace in established, definable boundaries, including who God is; who Jesus is; the Bible; and doctrines, beliefs, and stances on morality.  Conservative Christianity emphasizes praising God and “evangelism” which, for them, basically means getting more people to become Christians who profess Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and believe x, y, and z about him, ideally, everyone else on the planet.

            Instead of getting people to agree with certain assertions about various dogmas, doctrines, or “truth claims,” progressive Christianity focuses more upon following a certain, radical way of life; namely, following the counter-cultural, subversive, and life-giving teachings and example of Jesus.  The focus is more upon the religion of Jesus,[2] his actual beliefs, teachings, practices, ways, and lifestyle, than on the religion about him.  In other words, Progressive Christianity focuses more upon orthopraxy (right behavior, actions and relationship) and less upon orthodoxy (right doctrines and beliefs).[3]  This is not to say that progressive Christianity is not concerned about orthodoxy.  It’s a matter of emphasis.  Progressive Christians would rather go to their graves having done their best to live rightly and follow the teachings and example of Jesus, than to have “believed all the right things about Jesus,” but fail to demonstrate or live-out those beliefs.  Progressive Christians prefer to hold various doctrines and beliefs loosely as they observe that it is extremely arrogant, and potentially idolatrous, for humans to think that any of our notions about God are without any degree of error.

            Instead of seeking clear, black and white notions about God and theology, progressive Christianity not only tolerates, but also appreciates and embraces ambiguity, paradox, mystery, doubt, and questioning.  It is quite comfortable with being stretched by and incorporating the insights of various theologies and contemporary science.  Where conservative Christianity tends to emphasize people’s personal relationships with God, progressive Christianity remembers the Jewish (and Jesus’) understanding of salvation by additionally focusing upon the broader pursuits of inter-human hesed[4] (“loving-kindness”) and the societal Kingdom of God and striving for personal wholeness and social peace, justice and liberation from bondage and oppression.  

            When it comes to personal relationships with God, conservative Christianity tends to focus upon conversion as attempting to “convict” people of their personal sins.  Then getting them to repent of those personal sins and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.[5]  Progressive Christianity tends to view conversion more as helping people shift away from their self-defeating tendencies to follow the domineering and oppressive ways of the world and away from false notions of who they are - and to instead follow Jesus’ alternative way of living.   Jesus’ way is liberating, counter-cultural and subversive to the worldly powers that be.  Progressive Christianity also places more stress upon sanctification - the maturation, growth, and moral and spiritual development of Christian believers, especially as a community of believers, with the primary goal being social holiness that is not limited to personal morality and piety.  Finally, unlike conservative Christianity, progressive Christianity openly acknowledges that God works through other major world religions and that Christians can benefit by learning the truths and insights they offer.[6]

            It should be said that many Christians, myself included, probably identify and resonate with certain aspects of both conservative and progressive approaches to the faith.  I’ve come to lean more toward the progressive approach and I feel called to help restore the balance that is currently out of whack by helping more people to become aware of the progressive approach to Christianity. .....

...

With those things in mind, this book operates with the following definition of Progressive Christianity - these are the beliefs and teachings that we “hold loosely” – though some looser than others (note, I’ll be explaining the terms used here as the book progresses):

Progressive Christianity is a post-liberal, post-modern influenced approach to the Christian faith that: proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ, Savior, and Lord; emphasizes the Way and teachings of Jesus, not merely His person; emphasizes God’s immanence not merely God’s transcendence; leans toward panentheism rather than supernatural theism; emphasizes salvation here and now instead of primarily in heaven later; emphasizes being saved for robust, abundant/eternal life over being saved from hell; emphasizes the social/communal aspects of salvation instead of merely the personal; stresses social justice as integral to Christian discipleship; takes the Bible seriously but not necessarily literally, embracing a more interpretive, metaphorical understanding; emphasizes orthopraxy instead of orthodoxy (right actions over right beliefs); embraces reason as well as paradox and mystery – instead of blind allegiance to rigid doctrines and dogmas; does not consider homosexuality to be sinful; and doesn’t claim that Christianity is the only valid or viable way to connect to God (is non-exclusive).

We’ll explore what all of that means in the chapters ahead.

            The basis for this book is the following chart that I created in 2002 when I was serving as a pastor at Heritage United Methodist Church in Littleton, CO.  I offer it now to help the reader get an initial nutshell snapshot of the matters at hand.

Differing Emphases within Christianity:

- Note: these are merely differing emphases, not different religions,

and the following is admittedly a bit reductionistic and overstated in order to show distinctions.

(Most of us are a complicated mixture of both of these perspectives)

---

[1] A concept invented by evangelicals.  Those words aren’t in the Bible, so the idea that all Christians need to believe it is highly problematic. I came across the following anonymous comment on the net re: how a Catholic might respond when an Evangelical asks them if they have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior?  “I always respond, "Of course!" This is   followed by the question, "When did you accept Him?" (which is the question I was waiting for).  I respond, "There was not a real single point in time, but it a continual process of accepting and renewal in Him and His will." The best set up response I have ever received was by a Baptist minister, his response was, "That's ridiculous, that's like saying you continually re-marry your wife." To which the response is, "Well, kind of. We continually renew our marriage vows!" -  Many mainline Protestant and progressive Christians resonate with that perspective.

[2] As opposed to “about” Jesus.  (see the previous paragraph).

[3] We do so following the lead of Jesus’ brother James when he wrote, But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:18

[4] For example, Genesis 19; 1 Samuel 5:16; 2 Samuel 9:1, 3, 7

[5] See footnote 33

[6] While progressive Christianity is an open-minded approach to the faith, it is not to be confused with, or equated to, Unitarian Universalism.  Most U.U. congregations   offer a “cafeteria/smorgasbord” approach to religion, effectively equating all religions, minimizing their differences, and encouraging people to pick and choose what they like from various traditions.  Progressive Christians are intentional about following the specific religious vehicle of Christianity and going deeply into it.  This said, many UU-ers will likely resonate with much that is said in this book.  Progressive Christianity, despite its name, is not a “new approach” to the faith.  Indeed, reading the Bible from a literal, fundamentalist manner, is instead what is a recent phenomenon for the faith; specifically, a modern era reactionary response to the rise of science, evolutionary theory, etc.  Hence, what I’m calling “progressive Christianity” is what is actually conservative Christianity – but it’s probably too late to fight that battle over terms. 

This is the writing of  found at Kissing Fish Blog: see: http://www.progressivechristia​nitybook.com/ 

COME LORD JESUS

Acts 2

The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

 ¹ When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues^[a] as the Spirit enabled them.
 ⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,^{[b] 10} Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹ (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
 ¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Peter Addresses the Crowd

 ¹⁴ Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. ¹⁵ These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
 ¹⁷ “‘In the last days, God says,
   I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
   your young men will see visions,
   your old men will dream dreams.
¹⁸ Even on my servants, both men and women,
   I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
   and they will prophesy.
¹⁹ I will show wonders in the heaven above
   and signs on the earth below,
   blood and fire and billows of smoke.
²⁰ The sun will be turned to darkness
   and the moon to blood
   before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
²¹ And everyone who calls
   on the name of the Lord will be saved.’^[c]
 22 “People of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. ²³ This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men,^[d] put him to death by nailing him to the cross. ²⁴ But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. . . ."

³⁶ “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”
 ³⁷ When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
 ³⁸ Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
 ⁴⁰ With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” ⁴¹ Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

The Fellowship of the Believers

 ⁴² They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

______________________________________________
 Revelation 22:
 ²⁰ He who testifies to these things says,
              “Yes, I am coming soon.”   
                Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
 ²¹ The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
_________________________________________________________________

The Holy Spirit in the Bible

Both the Old and New Testaments offer insights into the working of God’s Spirit. The Hebrew and Greek words for "Spirit" are ruakh and pneuma, both of which can also mean "breath," "wind," or "air."The words are associated with a wide range of realities in the Bible: divine energy and presence, the human core or essence, the beginning and end-ing of life, and demonic and angelic beings. They frequently describe the divine energy that resides in all living and breathing human beings.


The Old Testament offers insights into the creating and empowering presence of God’s Spirit. The Spirit is the source of life (Genesis 1:2;Job 33:4; Psalm 104:30). 

The Spirit is a teacher (Nehemiah 9:20; Job32:8; Psalm 143:10).

The Spirit is God’s presence (Psalm 51:11; 139:7;Haggai 2:4-5).

The Spirit interrelates with the people of Israel (Nehe-miah 9:20, 30; Psalm 106:32-33; Isaiah 63:10-14; Zechariah 7:11-12).

The Spirit empowers people, including artisans who work on the Taber-nacle (Exodus 31:3; 35:30–36:1; 1 Chronicles 28:12).

The Spirit empowers leaders such as the 70 elders, Joshua, and King Saul (Num-bers 11:17, 25-29; 27:18; 1 Samuel 10:6-7, 10; 11:6; 19:18-24). TheSpirit gives power to the judges of Israel (Judges 3:10; 6:34; 11:29;13:25; 14:6, 19; 15:14).

The Spirit empowers prophets such as Elijah (1 Kings 18:12), Elisha (2 Kings 2:9, 13-15), Isaiah (Isaiah 48:16-17),Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:1-3), and Micah (Micah 2:6-7) to communicate for God.


The New Testament understandings of the Spirit are consistent withthose in the Old Testament.

The Gospels tell us that the Spirit descendsupon Jesus at his baptism (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:10-11; Luke3:21-22; John 1:29-34), accompanies him into the wilderness duringa time of testing (Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13), and empowers his ministry of teaching and healing (Luke 4:14-19).

Throughout the remaining books of the New Testament, the Spirit isGod’s presence and power in the lives of believers.

(c) Cokesbury FAITHLINKS June 12, 2011

Our Battle Against the AM'N-ITES by Ernie

by Ernie

What if God has a truly abundant life for you, for me, that we resist? (Did you read the last blog that was a clip from C.S.Lewis about the stubborn toy soldiers?)

 It may be that we resist change. Maybe we resist BEING changed. "I'm just this way." "All in my family are like this; we can't change." " I've always  _______ (had a temper, been a poor student, had anxieties, been the one in charge, etc  FILL IN THE BLANK.)  

Or maybe we are just too lazy to take God up on his offer to help us change.

It is so tempting to feel guilty and discouraged when we fall back into bad habits or sin.  That is an attack of the AM'N-ITES. You know: "I JUST AM NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR GOD TO LOVE ME OR USE ME."  

It may be that we just don’t want to fight the fight that it would take to resist the character traits that are damaging to ourselves, our spiritual growth and the purpose God has for us.

Are you like me? Sometimes you have allowed the "ITES" to defeat you? You know the 'ites' don't you.

In the bible, the people of Israel always had to fight off some “ite” like the Hittites, the Ammonites, the Moabites or some other "ite".   What in your life are the “ites” you have to struggle with the most?   

Something as simple as getting up in the morning and reading scripture and praying is Soooo difficult for me. When I do it, I feel so much better for the whole day but on a daily basis, I just resist doing it—allow myself to snooze those extra minutes or to grab the newspaper first then never get back to my time with the Lord.

What are the little battles, what "ites" challenge you--battles that you know need to be fought inside yourself but you give in.  Are you like me and just cave with no resistence and never even think to ask God to help.

At holidays, like this week-end with families, I think I’m not alone in that I have trouble resisting the “enemy of gluttony” (might we call it the "glutton-ites"). Last holiday, I didn’t fight a battle at all—just capitulated without a single resistant blow and never even thought of asking God to fight the battle for me against my own weak self-will.  I just said oh, I can never resist this so why try.

In the book by McGee (Search for Significance) He has a chart to look at about how we allow false beliefs to trip us up and keep us from the truly abundant life God has for us.

He lists those as

• The Performance Trap
• Approval Addict
• The Blame Game
• Shame

Perform-ites.

How many times have you heard the instruction to do our best? Have you ever thought of that as a trap to a person who already has a tendency to become a perfectionist.

In McGee’s book he calls this the Performance Trap.  This one false idea can lead to Perfectionism, Avoiding Risks, Resentment, Anxiety and Fear, Pride, Depression, Low Motivation, Sexual Dysfunction, Chemical Abuse. 

How are we to fight the Performance-ites.

It might not be the Perform-ites as a whole. It might be the Fear-ites, Resent-ites or something else. 

Mine are the impatient-ites, the expectation-ites and the fear-of-rejection-ites.

Here is an example of what has happened when I don't call on the Lord to fight my battles for me.

For the last few days I’ve been preparing home and meals for others and I had found myself having expectations as to how they would act toward my “generous” giving of this to them.  But I had loved ones who were moody (I don't know what was going in in their heads and I did care)  and if they did offer to help were doing it with what I perceived as an “attitude”. So then I got an attitude!  Yesterday, when one person had moodiness and wasn’t "appropriately grateful" for how sacrificial I had been to arrange to do something with her, I lost it and yelled at her. And kept yelling. Yelling that she could control her moods. That she didn’t have to be at the mercy of a mood but could choose to act differently. Note this was all shouted in a manner so loud that I later had a head ache. Yeah, My loud mood!  So my battle with an enemy I know---the expectation-ites—I didn’t even pause I just let this enemy conquer me.

We have personal battles with ites and we have them as a culture. At Christmas time, a person was stampeded to death by shoppers. At the malls in this nation we’ve seen some behavior that would let us know that many people don’t fight their personal ugly characteristics but let them conqueror them. That-is-my-right-ites, things-will-make-me-happy-ites.

What character traits do you think we in the US?

But today, as I stand here, I’m still struggling with that battle with my ites.

So would you all pause and write down on a slip of paper one or more of the ites that you battle with.  Just hold the paper for a minute.

How are we to battle these ites? 

There is an interesting paradox as Christians. McGee would have us look at our stumbling blocks and read and apply scripture to see that God is not going to deal in the currency with which we try to buy our OK-ness.  Our “being good”. What are we to do then?

At Georgetown Retirement Village whenever the residents participate in some activity they get tickets that can be exchanged for tissue, soap, lotion, etc. It is as if we think of our accomplishments, our being perfect at something, as being our tickets. And we try to turn those in to God and he says, those are not usable with him. It is as worthless as trying to buy something with Georgetown tickets or  Bulgarian money at a store here in Wichita. So there each of us is. We have no money with which to buy God’s  help with our struggle against our ememy ITES. No currency with which to buy “heaven” or the “abundant life”. 

Bruce Wilkinson the author of Prayer of Jabez and other books says in this book Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs that we are to leave ourselves alone.  NOT focus on self.

So what are we to do?  How do we fight the ITES of our lives if we have no currency with which to buy God’s help? 

Here are some quotes from great Christians in the Wilkinson book:

Dear Heavenly Father: I’m working on a puzzle, pure and simple. It is I.

Dear Searching Child: Here is the puzzle's answer, pure and simple. It is I.

Ethelyn A. Shattuck

Self…is not to be annihilated, but to be rightly centered in God.

Oswald Chambers

If I am half-full of myself there is no way I can be full of God.

Richard Owen Roberts

God has provided it. Imagine that the Lord walks up to you and says that your currency is no good but he will fight your battle against the ites for you. You don’t need to do a thing, buy a thing repay anything or accomplish a thing.

Will you accept the Lord's help--or let your pride say like the child in the commercial a number of years ago--PLEASE FATHER! I'd rather do it MYSELF!. It is pride, you know, that causes us to not accept the free gift from God.

Read II Chronicles 20: 11

This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ¹⁶ Tomorrow march down against them. .... ¹⁷ You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.' "

Ephesians 6: 11 ff

¹¹Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
   ¹²For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
   ¹³Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.  (Not go do something! )
   ¹⁴Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
   ¹⁵And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
   ¹⁶Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
   ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
   ¹⁸Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

You see. You don’t have to fight the ITES. God will do the battle for you. Your job is to hand the battle to the Lord.

Now this week, contact one other person, preferably one to whom you are not related. What you two are going to do is to share with one another the ITE battle that each of you wants the OTHER person to pray for the Lord to fight this week. Share with each other then in prayer for each other, pray, “Lord, I hand over my battle with _________ to you.”  The other person then says AMEN (which means "so be it").

This week, you will be prayed for by your partner and you are to pray for your partner. Pray that she or he can say the battle belongs to the Lord--that each can hand the battle with their “ites” to the Lord and pray for each that you will be able to put on the full armor of God and just STAND and watch the victory of the Lord against your ITE. 

The Obstinate Toy Soldiers

From Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

"…The two kinds of life are now not only different but actually opposed. The natural life in each of us is something self -centered, something that wants to be petted and admired, to take advantage of other lives, to exploit the whole universe. …It is afraid of the light and air of the spiritual world, just as people who have been brought up to be dirty are afraid of a bath.  And in a sense it is quite right.  It knows that if the spiritual life gets hold of it, all its self-centeredness and self-will are going to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that. Did you ever think when you were a child what fun it would be if your toys could come to life?  Well suppose you could really have brought them to life. Imagine turning a tin soldier into a real little man. It would involve turning the tin into flesh. 

And suppose the tin soldier did not like it.  

He is not interested in flesh; all he sees is that the tin is being spoilt.  He thinks you are killing him. He will do everything he can to prevent you.  He will not be made into a man if he can help it. What you would have done about that tin soldier I do not know.  But what God did about us was this.  The Second Person in God, the Son, became human Himself: was born into the world as an actual man-a real man of a particular height, with hair of a particular colour. The Eternal Being, who knows everything and created the whole universe, became not only a man but before that a baby and before that a fetus inside a woman's body.  If you want to get the hang of it, think how you would like to become a slug or a crab."

AM I OBSTINATE WHEN THE LOVING GOD WANTS TO MAKE ME SO MUCH MORE?