Progressive Christianity

Integrating and moving beyond the Enlightenment concerns of liberalism, Progressive Christianity is a postliberal theological movement.

Progressive Christianity, as described by its adherents, is characterized by a willingness to question tradition, acceptance of human diversity, a strong emphasis on social justice and care for the poor and the oppressed, and environmental stewardship of the earth. Progressive Christians have a deep belief in the centrality of the instruction to "love one another" (John 15:17) within the teachings of Jesus Christ. It is an ecumenical movement present in various Christian denominations. It is particularly influential in mainline Protestantism, with some influence among liberal and Post-Vatican II Roman Catholicism (especially those influenced by movements such as liberation theology), and American evangelicalism, particularly the emerging Church and exvangelical movements, and the evangelical left.

History

Origins

The term "progressive Christianity" was coined by the German-American Lutheran pastor and scholar, 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."

— John H. W. Stuckenberg, last will and testament, June 6, 1898

A priority of justice and care for the down-trodden are a recurrent theme in the Hebrew prophetic tradition inherited by Christianity. This has been reflected in many later Christian traditions of service and ministry, and more recently in the United States of America through Christian involvement in political trends such as the Progressive Movement and the Social Gospel.

Throughout the 20th century, a strand of progressive or liberal Christian thought outlined the values of a 'good society'. It stresses fairness, justice, responsibility, and compassion, and condemns the forms of governance that wage unjust war, rely on corruption for continued power, deprive the poor of facilities, or exclude particular racial or sexual groups from fair participation in national liberties. It was influential in the US mainline churches, and reflected global trends in student activism. It contributed to ecumenism and the development of the World Student Christian Federation and the World Council of Churches., and at the national level through groups such as the National Council of Churches in the US and Australian Student Christian Movement.

Contemporary movement

In 1961, a group of pastors from the National Baptist Convention, USA wishing to become more involved with civil rights founded the Progressive National Baptist Convention.

The Sojourners magazine was founded in 1971 by the Sojourners Community and was the first progressive magazine.

The Center for Progressive Christianity was founded in 1996 by Episcopal priest James Rowe Adams in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with the aim of bringing together progressive Christian organizations and churches.

In 2007, the Red-Letter Christians movement was founded by Baptist pastor Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne in order to offer Christian resources about various social issues, such as a blog, a podcast, and conferences.

In the UK, the Progressive Christianity Britain network was founded in 2003 and has adopted eight non-credal points which reflect the nature of a Christian life explored from a progressive standpoint. The network holds group meetings in many locations around the country.

According to Archbishop Wynn Wagner of the former North American Old Catholic Church, inclusiveness and acceptance is the basic posture of progressive Christianity.

The dominance of evangelicalism in the US, particularly in its more socially conservative forms, challenged many people in mainline churches. This has enabled many Christians who are uncomfortable with conservative evangelicalism to identify themselves explicitly as "progressive Christians".