Editing Progressive Christianity (section)

==Themes and variations==

Progressive Christianity is the post-modern influenced evolution of historic mainline liberal Protestant Christianity and it is an heir to the [[Social Gospel]] movement. It draws from [[process theology]], [[liberation theology]], [[feminist theology]], [[womanist theology]], and [[eco-theology]] as well. Progressive Christianity focuses on promoting values such as compassion, justice, mercy, and tolerance, often through political activism. Though prominent, the movement is by no means the only significant movement of progressive thought among Christians. It draws influence from multiple theological streams, including [[evangelicalism]], liberal Christianity, [[neo-orthodoxy]], [[pragmatism]], postmodern theology, and [[liberation theology]].<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928144414/http://www.progressivechristianwitness.org/pcw.cfm?id=13&p=3 Witness Articles - Progressive Christian Witness<!-- Bot generated title -->]}}</ref> The concerns of feminism are also a major influence on the movement, as expressed in [[Feminist theology|feminist]] and [[Womanist theology|womanist]] theologies.<ref>Cobb, John, Jr., ed. ''Progressive Christians Speak: A Different Voice on Faith and Politics'', Progressive Christians Uniting, Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. p. 72. {{ISBN|9780664225896}}</ref><ref>Flunder, Yvette, ''Where the Edge Gathers: Building a Community of Radical Inclusion'', Pilgrim Press, 2005. {{ISBN|9780829816389}}</ref><ref>[[Carter Heyward|Heyward, Carter]], ''Saving Jesus From Those Who Are Right: Rethinking what it means to be Christian'', Fortress Press, 1999. {{ISBN|9780800629663}}</ref> Although ''progressive Christianity'' and ''liberal Christianity'' are often used synonymously, the two movements are distinct, despite much overlap.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sdc.unitingchurch.org.au/WestarProgressiveArticle.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008175803/http://www.sdc.unitingchurch.org.au/WestarProgressiveArticle.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 October 2011 |title=Grassroots Progressive Christianity A Quiet Revolution |author=Hal Taussig |date=May–June 2006}}</ref>  While there is some philosophical overlap, progressive Christianity is not synonymous with [[progressive politics]].<ref name="Wolsey 2012"/>

The term was first coined by German-American, Lutheran pastor and scholar, Rev. John H. W. Stuckenberg. "I favor a progressive Christianity based on the living teachings of Christ and his Apostles. I am opposed to the stagnation created by religious dogmatism and traditionalism, and wish none of my possessions to be used in the interest of this stagnation." (last will and testament, June 6, 1898) <ref>{{cite web | url=https://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2017/12/09/feast-of-john-h-w-stuckenberg-may-28/ | title=Feast of John H. W. Stuckenberg (May 28) | date=9 December 2017 }}</ref>
The term was later embraced by retired Episcopal priest Rev. Jim Adams who founded The Center for Progressive Christianity in 1996—which has since become ProgressiveChristianity.Org.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressive_Christianity_(organization) | title=Progressive Christianity (Organization) }}</ref> That organization has promoted "The 8 Points of Progressive Christianity",<ref>https://progressivechristianity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Past-versions-of-Core-Values.pdf</ref> and has since established the 5 Core Values of Progressive Christianity <ref>[https://progressivechristianity.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/The-Core-Values-of-Progressive-Christianity-Poster.pdf]</ref>
other variations include The Phoenix Confessions.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://progressivechristianity.org/resource/the-phoenix-affirmations-full-version/ | title=The Phoenix Affirmations Full Version }}</ref>

As Wolsey describes, "Over the past decades, there has been a growing movement to reclaim Christianity from those who've distorted it into something that Jesus [progressive Christians contend] and his earliest followers wouldn't easily recognize—conservative evangelicalism and fundamentalism. The movement has emerged on two fronts, roughly simultaneously. One wing comes from the mainline Protestant and Catholic Churches that, due to the shift from modern era mindsets into postmodern ones, have shifted from liberal theology to "progressive" Christianity. The other wing comes from young people within the Evangelical communities who are questioning and redefining their tradition and is known as "emergent" Christianity. Combined, these movements are a new Reformation. The "ex-"evangelicals from the emerging Christianity have recently come to refer to themselves a progressive Christians so the moniker has become a universal umbrella term."

The following is the working definition used in Roger Wolsey's book ''Kissing Fish'': 
"Progressive Christianity is a post-liberal approach to the Christian faith that is influenced by postmodernism and: proclaims Jesus of Nazareth as Christ; 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, environmental protection, and non-violence 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 does not claim that Christianity is the only valid or viable way to connect to God (is non-exclusive)." p.63-64

===Seventh-day Adventism===
{{Main|Progressive Adventism}}
Within the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]], the liberal wing describe themselves as "progressive Adventists". They disagree with some of the traditional teachings of the church. While most are still of evangelical persuasion, a minority are liberal Christians.{{citation needed|date=September 2018}}

===Environmental ministries===
Central to this recovery of awe in the cosmos is the [[epic of evolution]], the 14-billion-year history of the universe. Scientists ([[Edward O. Wilson]], [[Brian Swimme]], [[Eric Chaisson]], [[Ursula Goodenough]] and others) initiated this story which has been perpetuated with a religion component by some liberal theologians ([[Gordon D. Kaufman]], [[Jerome A. Stone]], [[Michael Dowd]], etc.).<ref>* Edward O. Wilson, ''On Human Nature'', Harvard University Press,1979,{{ISBN|0-674-01638-6}}
:*''The Universe Story: From the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era'': A Celebration of the Unfolding of the Cosmos; Brian Swimme, Harper, 1992 (1994, {{ISBN|0-06-250835-0}})
:*Ursula Goodenough - ''Sacred Depths of Nature'', Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (15 June 2000), {{ISBN|0-19-513629-2}}
:*Eric Chaisson - ''Epic of Evolution,'' Columbia University Press (2 March 2007), {{ISBN|0-231-13561-0}}</ref><ref>* Jerome A. Stone - ''Religious Naturalism Today: The Rebirth of a Forgotten Alternative'', State U. of New York Press (Dec 2008), {{ISBN|0-7914-7537-9}}
:* {{cite book |author1=Michael Dowd |author1-link=Michael Dowd |title=Thank God for Evolution! How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World |date=June 2008 |publisher=Council Oak Books |isbn=978-1-57178-210-6 |url=https://archive.org/details/thankgodforevolu0000dowd/mode/2up}}
:*Gordon Kaufman - ''In the Beginning….Creativity'', Augsburg Fortress Publishers (July 2004), {{ISBN|0-8006-6093-5}}</ref>

Evolutionary evangelist and progressive minister [[Michael Dowd]] uses the term Epic of Evolution or Great Story to help construct his viewpoint of evolution theology. His position is that science and religious faith are not mutually exclusive (a form of [[religious naturalism]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thankgodforevolution.com/node/1128|title=Evolution Theology: Religion 2.0 - Thank God For Evolution|work=thankgodforevolution.com}}</ref> He preaches that the epic of cosmic, biological, and human evolution, revealed by science, is a basis for an inspiring and meaningful view of our place in the universe and a new approach to religion. Evolution is viewed as a religious spiritual process that is not meaningless blind chance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thankgodforevolution.com/book|title=The Book - Thank God For Evolution|work=thankgodforevolution.com}}</ref>