One of the things that Progressive Christians like to say about themselves is how welcoming and tolerant they are. Compared to their more conservative cousins, progressives can pride themselves in being able to think for themselves and to have a place where all ideas and beliefs can be shared without fear. Why, your progressive church... Continue Reading →
Why I Like Lillian Daniel.
I really like Lillian Daniel. Really. Why, you ask? Because in 2011 she said something that many mainline Christians have been thinking, but were too afraid to say outloud. In 2011 Daniel wrote an article with the very provocative title: "Spiritual, But Not Religious? Please Stop Boring Me." If you think this was a rant,... Continue Reading →
Love In the Time of the Zombie Apocalypse
I just finished reading Warm Bodies, the zombie novel by Issac Marion. A movie based on the book will open in theatres on February 1. I have to say I enjoyed the novel, which is saying a lot because I don't usually like to read zombie novels or watch zombie movies or TV. I'm probably... Continue Reading →
Wait for the Healing
Back in May of 2012 , I shared a story of what happened at a Baptist church I attended in Washington, DC in the early 90s. It was a story of how people who disagreed with each other on the issue of homosexuality were able to still be friends and support each other. Around that... Continue Reading →
How A Progressive Christian Pastor Made His Peace With Guns (Kinda Sorta.)
Growing up, I was taught by my mother that guns were not good things. Having come of age in Flint. Michigan that started to see a rise in violent crime in the 1980s, that message was only drilled into me further. The urban environment that I come from taught me one thing: guns were bad,... Continue Reading →
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Social Conservatives
I happened to look at a sermon I wrote about 7 years ago. It was during the time I was involved in a new church start. Reading the sermon, I tend to think it wasn't my best sermonizing. The sermon seems a fitting for the current context; it was based on Micah 6:1-8 and focused... Continue Reading →
The Intolerable Thing
It's quite common in Progressive Christian circles to talk about the importance of justice or doing things for others over belief. There is a reason for this; that being the sad history of people who had solid beliefs in Christianity and yet their lives did not reflect what they were saying. I am reminded of... Continue Reading →
Paul Ryan and Christian Discernment
Now that Paul Ryan has been selected as the GOP Vice Presidential candidate, I've noticed an awful lot of talk about the Wisconsin Congressman from liberal Protestants, most of it not positive. I've already stated that I think Ryan's budget was a good start in thinking about balancing the federal budget, but I tend to... Continue Reading →
I Miss the Old Mel White
I recently read an interview with Rev. Mel White. Most of you know him as someone who grew up as an evangelical, was a ghostwriter for many big evangelical stars and then came out as gay. I remember hearing about him in the mid-to-late 90s and back then he was kind of the SpongeBob Squarepants... Continue Reading →
Same-Sex Marriage: A Response
I originally posted this on my political blog, Big Tent Revue in 2011. On September 15, 2007, I got married. It was a pretty normal, run-of-the-mill event as weddings go. I was held in a small picturesque Episcopal Church just outside of Minneapolis. The sanctuary was decorated with flowers. The families of both parties were... Continue Reading →
The Clockwork Pastor 