September 2022 - Dialogue - lists.wedgeblade.net

9/15/2022, Progressing Spirit: Rev. Deshna Shine: When The Storm Hits; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 15 Sep '22

15 Sep '22

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screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6604856366 #yiv6604856366templateBody .yiv6604856366mcnTextContent, #yiv6604856366 #yiv6604856366templateBody .yiv6604856366mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv6604856366 #yiv6604856366templateFooter .yiv6604856366mcnTextContent, #yiv6604856366 #yiv6604856366templateFooter .yiv6604856366mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}} | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | When The Storm Hits | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Deshna Shine September 15, 2022Recently, I was the in the middle of many major shifts. You may remember from my last column on “Transitions” that I was in the uncomfortable “in-between” with getting ready to move to a new home and town, a daughter graduating high school, parents getting older, and grandparents in their final years. I was also in between jobs and discerning what direction I wanted my career to go in.It was a lot all at once and I felt the intensity of big shifts and changes. So, to alleviate my discomfort, I was holding on to the picture in my mind of what the future held. Our new home with my wife, a new job, and the ability to put roots down somewhere and build community. And then, during all this, there arouse some uncertainty around what I thought was secure. The house of cards I had carefully stacked tumbled down around me. Everything I had imagined now seemed unknown.My first reaction to this sudden unknown, this storm that was hovering, was to totally freak out. I thought I was just about there! I had almost arrived. To this dream of a life, we had been building, to our new home, a life that we had carefully crafted and planned for. It had been three years in the making and just when I was at the precipice, the storm hit, everything felt unsure, unstable, and unknown and I was sure it would all be taken away.I said to my counselor, “all these months of being in the in-between and waiting for this stage, working hard for this stage, I felt an underlying fear, a grief, a quiet worry that something would happen. Someone would get sick, or worse get in an accident, lose a job, or the worst thing I could imagine, they would leave me. I was so close to having everything I have ever wanted and I had this sad feeling because I was sure the other shoe would drop. I was right! I knew all along, I wouldn’t get this perfect life!”And there it hung - that damn shoe. And so, internally the storm came. I cried. Actually, I wailed. I stomped my feet, and I raged.I had this picture of what I thought my life was going to be and it was just there right beyond my reach and then boom, it all came crashing down. I shared my storm with my best friends and my counselor, and my Spouse. They empathized, they were kind and compassionate. But as I heard myself, I sounded like a spoiled child.Everything has been so crazy, so hard! Why can’t this just go as planned? Why can’t I just have this dream, this story I was writing? Like I am the only one who hasn’t gotten what they wanted, exactly the way they wanted it. (I’m definitely not) Like my life is harder than anyone else’s. (It isn’t.)I thought back to my Tibetan Buddhist studies. I remembered learning that our suffering is caused by our attachment - not usually to what is but to what was or what we think it will be, what we want it to be, or what we fear it will be. I shook my fist at the sky, “Darn you, Buddha! Why this lesson, why now?!”Life is suffering. Suffering or dissatisfaction arises from attachment. Suffering can be released by letting go of our attachment to people being the way we want them to be or to always being with us, to outcomes, and to our possessions.I realized I was suffering, creating my own internal storm because of what I feared would come to be, or more accurately, how I would feel when this possibility came to be. It felt like the storm was all around me but really it was within me. But I might drown in that storm, I worried. I might lose everything! I might even lose this precious life I had built.I was in Maui years back. At the beach, there are these big waves that come all the way to the shore and lift up high and then dissolve back into the larger body of water. I had swam these waters and waves for many years, so I knew that even when the waves looked huge, they weren’t dangerous. They didn’t crash, they just lifted and then went back down and out again. So that as long as you didn’t try to stand still in them, as long as you went with their flow, you would simply be lifted up and then down again. They didn’t crash over your head. These were not Huntington Beach surf waves that crested and smashed down. These were wave pool waves. Up and down they went, in and out. Like breath.We had a friend visiting with us that was scared of the ocean. We tried to convince her that these waves were safe, the water was warm and so healing, and that all she needed to do was float. She finally came in. But as the wave approached, she locked her knees, determined to stay on her feet and stay standing and the wave lifted her up and when it brought her down, she came down on straight legs, hard. She ended up dislocating her knee and we had to call an ambulance. It was so scary! All around, young and old were floating up and down, but in her fear of what would happen, she tried to fight the wave. You can’t fight a wave. Even the big crashing ones, you have to go with the flow and trust.In Mark 4 and Matthew 8, Jesus and his disciples are in a boat on a big lake. He has just ministered to the people and I can only imagine how tired he must have been. How tired they must have all been. And so he rests. This is a whole other column I could write, how Jesus teaches us to rest, to take Sabbath, to be renewed. But what happens next is what feels potent for this column. Suddenly a huge, violent storm rolled upon the lake. The disciples were afraid that this storm would take all of their lives. In terror, they cried and yelled at Jesus, begging him to wake up and do something.They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”Now, this story is about a lot of things — radical trust, faith, Jesus’ power, rest, and how we can never fully prepare for change, hardship and storms. Storms and waves will come at any moment, this is part of life. But I believe it is also about going with the flow and letting the storm of the feelings to wash over you and through you, trusting that you will come out on the other side. As the boat rocks and water fills, he sleeps. He is annoyed to be woken and says, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”When I look back at my life to times when everything felt unknown, scary, or lost, I can see that I was always ok on the other side. Jesus here shows us how to have inner peace when the storm is raging. He was calm while the tempest howled around the boat, while everyone around him was totally freaking out.In Matthew 6:27 he says, “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Jesus reminds us there is nothing to be gained by worrying about the future. The Buddha teaches this as well. We suffer because we are attached to a perceived story about the past or the future.I am not suggesting here that we “just let it go.” To me, this is spiritual bypassing and that storm will just come around again. I am suggesting that we let it be. Feelings are information that we can learn from. Letting it go can lead to suppressing feelings, or guilt and shame if those feelings are still there. Letting it go is a forced action and requires effort and control. Letting it be is allowing the feelings to wash over you, through you, to feel them fully, to walk through the storm, to ride the wave, and even to rest.The first step is to simply notice the storm within. To identify the feelings. To name them. To notice what is happening in the body and how the storm feels. This wave that threatens me is my fear of what may happen. But here I am, in this moment. Then we ask, what can I learn from these feelings? What is Spirit trying to teach me right now?For me, the lesson was to remember my radical trust, to stay open to all possibilities, and to remember that my story is just that, a story and that everything always changes. To remember I will be ok, as long as I don’t try to fight it, run away from it, or suppress it. As long as I make my heart soft, rest, and listen to my needs, the storm will calm eventually and I will be ok.And so. I let it be. And you know what? I am here on the other side and I am ok. The storm has come and gone. I felt it all and by doing so, its power was diminished. I let it course through me, around me, and watched it pass. I am still here with some major unknowns and fears but I have been reminded that Spirit will lift me up and bring me back to the ground gently. I am held. I am here in this moment and in this moment all is well and I can rest. ~ Rev. Deshna Shine Read online here For Reflection: Isaiah 43:18-19, Matthew 11:28-30, John 14:27, Matthew 11:28-29, Matthew 6:27, John 14:27, Jeremiah 17:7-8, Psalm 94:19, Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, Psalm 34:4, Psalm 56:3, Jeremiah 29:11-12 About the Author Rev. Deshna Shine is Project Director of ProgressiveChristianity.org’s Children’s Curriculum. She is an ordained Interfaith Minister, author, international speaker, and visionary. She grew up in a thriving progressive Christian church and has worked in the field for over 13 years. She graduated from UCSB with a major in Religious Studies and a minor in Global Peace and Security. She was Executive Director of Progressive Christianity.org, Executive Producer of Embrace Festival and has co-authored the novel, Missing Mothers. Deshna is passionate about sacred community, nourishing children spiritually and transforming Christianity through a radically inclusive lens. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Faith I have been trying to form my relationship with Christ, I find my values align with the views of Progressive Christians. I really don't have any support or understanding from my community and I haven't ever read the bible and would like to. I'm not sure where to start or what version of the bible to start with where I can have help understanding the word of god. A: By Rev. Brandan Robertson Dear Faith,Thank you for this question. As one begins the journey into progressive Christian faith, we usually are drawn to use the practices of more traditional or conservative Christianity to aid our spiritual formation. There can be great benefit to practices like daily Scripture reading, reciting the Daily Office, or using a devotional book. But one of the benefits of the progressive Christian path is that it recognizes the presence of God in and through all things and all paths, so I would encourage you to consider other practices such as meditation, yoga, or reading other sacred writing or spiritual books even as you utilize the traditional tools of Christian faith. With that said, I would encourage you to pick up either the Common English Study Bible or the New Oxford Annotated New Revised Standard Version Study Bible if you’re interested not just in devotional reading of the Scriptures, but a deep study of Scripture. Both are great translations and have tremendous scholarly insight packed in the footnotes. I’d also encourage you to pick up “Reading the Bible with and without Jesus” by Amy Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, What is the Bible? by Rob Bell, The Bible Tells Me So by Peter Enns, or How to Read the Bible and Still Be a Christian by John Dominic Crossan- these are some of the best progressive and scholarly resources to help lay people begin to engage deeply and critically with the Biblical texts. By engaging deeply, critically, and devotionally with the Biblical texts, paired with a contemplative spiritual practice like prayer or meditation, I believe you’ll be well on your way to cultivating a rich relationship with Christ in your day to day life! ~ Rev. Brandan Robertson Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted spiritual thought-leader, contemplative activist, and commentator, working at the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal and the author of Nomad: A Spirituality For Travelling Light and writes regularly for Patheos, Beliefnet, and The Huffington Post. He has published countless articles in respected outlets such as TIME, NBC, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, and Dallas Morning News. As sought out commentator of faith, culture, and public life, he is a regular contributor to national media outlets and has been interviewed by outlets such as MSNBC, NPR, SiriusXM, TIME Magazine, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Associated Press. He leads Metanoia, a digital spiritual community at MetanoiaCenter.org | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | | | | Don't miss the next Episode of PC.org's Executive Directors Mark and Caleb on: The Moonshine Jesus Show - every Monday at 4:30pm Eastern Time – watch live on Facebook,, YouTube, Twitter, Podbean | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Birth of Jesus, Part VII The Role of Ruth: The Seductress Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong January 10, 2013The third woman mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus is also unique in a number of ways. Her name is Ruth and she, like Rahab, is a foreigner. Rahab was a Canaanite citizen of Jericho. Ruth was a Moabite, and the widow of a Jewish man named Mahlon. Her story is found in the tiny book that bears her name that is nestled in the Hebrew Scriptures between Judges and I Samuel. It is a dramatic tale involving some unfamiliar Jewish practices that are strange to us today, but that made sense in terms of the Jewish values of that day, rooted as they were in both tribal and patriarchal assumptions. Listen first to the story. It was around the year 1100 BCE when a time of famine produced a down turn in the Hebrew economy. Elimelech, a citizen of Bethlehem, his wife Naomi and their two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, moved to the land of Moab in search of work, food and survival. Soon thereafter, Elimelech died leaving Naomi with her two sons, strangers and aliens in a foreign land. The two sons then assumed the care of their mother and settled into their life in Moab, living there for about ten years, during which time they even took Moabite women to be their wives. Mahlon married Ruth and Chilion married Orpah. Then tragedy struck once again when both Mahlon and Chilion died, leaving the remaining members a very vulnerable family of three widows, women who had no male support and no male protection. This patriarchal society had not developed any way of enabling lone women to care for themselves outside the protective structure provided by a father, a husband or a son. “An independent woman” was an unimaginable category. Hebrew law, therefore, required that women who are alone be cared for by the nearest male kinsman in the family. Normally this meant that the next oldest brother in the family must take the widow of his deceased brother as his wife. In the case of Naomi, Orpah and Ruth, however, there were no younger brothers and, with Naomi being of post-menopausal age, there was no chance of ever producing any. Nothing was more fragile or tragic in this society than a woman who had no father, no husband and no son. She thus fell out of the social safety net, which that society had built to care for the vulnerable. The next level of support was to identify the male, who was simply the closest of kin and to turn all of her assets over to him. This included his taking the widowed woman to be his wife, or at least a member of his harem, for which he had responsibility and for which he assumed sexual privileges with the stated hope of raising up children to the deceased male. As long as this fragile trio of women lived in the land of Moab, there was no male closest of kin. Naomi, facing this reality, called her two daughters-in-law to her and told them that she was moving back to the land of the Jews, presumably to Bethlehem. She instructed the young widows to do the only thing left open to them. She told them to return to their families and to the protection of their fathers. That was a demeaning act as these widows would from then on be considered “damaged goods.” They would be unable to contract another “proper” marriage. Perhaps some men could be found to take them, but prospects were bleak; not as bleak, however, as what they faced as a family of three vulnerable women living alone. Orpah accepted that option and returned to her family, disappearing from this story forever. Ruth, however, declined and informed Naomi that she would go with her back to the land of the Jews, that she did not want to leave her mother-in-law alone and that together they would face the hardship that both knew awaited them. In one of the most beautiful passages in this book, Ruth says words that have been set to music today and we know them as “The Song of Ruth,” “Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people and your God shall be my God, where you die, I will die and there will I be buried.” (Ruth 1:16-17) This song of Ruth is frequently sung at weddings as the bride and groom stare deeply into each other’s eyes.. I wonder how many couples would choose this music if they knew that originally it was Ruth’s song sung to her mother-in-law! The two single women then returned to Bethlehem and began their struggle for survival. It was the time of the beginning of the barley harvest. Naomi plotted her strategy. She was aware that her husband, Elimelech, had a kinsman named Boaz, who owned much land in the Bethlehem area. She thus settled into a humble dwelling near the fields of her husband’s distant relative. Jewish law also required that the reapers should not seek to harvest every grain of barley, but that some should be left in the field to be gleaned by the poor. Each day Ruth went into these fields to gather the grain the reapers had missed. She brought it home, ground it and baked it into a barley cake sufficient to keep Naomi and herself from starving. Her faithful caring for Naomi was noticed. Boaz inquired of her identity and learned that she was Naomi’s Moabite daughter-in-law, that she had asked permission to glean in the field behind the reapers and that she had gathered the scanty remains from sunup to sundown without resting. Inspired by this example, Boaz spoke to Ruth, telling her not to gather grain in any other fields and gave her access to water drawn by the young men for the workers in the field. He ordered the young men not to molest her. Ruth thanked Boaz for his kindness, inquiring as to why he was so gracious to a foreigner. Boaz replied that her faithfulness in the care of Naomi had inspired him and revealed that he had been told of the death of Ruth’s husband and of her willingness to leave her own people in order to care for Naomi. Boaz then instructed the reapers to leave some of the sheaves that they had gathered for her to glean. When Ruth told Naomi about the kindness of the man who owned the fields, Naomi was pleased that the trap she was setting was about to be sprung. She waited until the harvest season was over before she put her plan into operation. Naomi shared with Ruth that Boaz was a distant relative of Elimelech, her father-in-law, and thus of Mahlon, Ruth’s husband. He thus had a social responsibility to care for her. When the reaping was over, Boaz and his workers would celebrate at the threshing floor and Ruth would attend that celebration. She prepared carefully, she bathed, she anointed herself with perfume, she put on her best dress and off she went. Naomi instructed her that she was not to make herself known until the man had finished eating and drinking. The text says until “his heart was merry.” The wine flowed freely that evening and by midnight Boaz, now well drunk, lay down on the floor and went to sleep. Ruth came over to him, placed a pillow under his head and covered him with a blanket. Then the text says she “uncovered his feet,” and lay down at his feet. In the scriptures the word “feet” was a euphemism for the male genitals. The fact is that Ruth undressed him and climbed under the blanket with him. This was an overt act of seduction. When Boaz awakened at the dawn’s first shaft of light, he found this woman under the blanket with him. He had no idea who she was or what he might have done in his drunken stupor, and so he spoke to her. “Who are you?” He asked. She replied: I am Ruth, you are my next of kin. Marry me!” Boaz pretended to be flattered that she had not gone after a younger man, but he was not quite ready to accept this new responsibility. There was one other, he said, who was a closer kinsman to her husband than he. He would have to speak to him first. It seems this other man had the right of first refusal. Boaz went to meet with him, telling Ruth not to let it be known “that a woman came to the threshing floor.” He then gave Ruth “six measures of barley,” perhaps it was payment for her “night’s work” and he went off to the city. Ruth reported back to Naomi with this grain and Naomi rejoiced. Her plan had clearly worked. Boaz, gathering ten men of the city to serve as witnesses, met with this nearest kinsman and the negotiations proceeded. Boaz informed this man that Ruth, Mahlon’s widow, has returned from Moab and that she has a parcel of land that belonged to Mahlon’s father, our kinsman, Elimelech. You, as the nearest of kin, have first refusal. Will you redeem this land? If not, I am next in line. The nearest of kin agreed to redeem it. Then Boaz said that is fine, but you need to know the day you take over this field, you are also agreeing to care for Naomi, Elimelech’s widow, and to take Mahlon’s widow, Ruth, to be your wife and to raise up children to her deceased husband. That was a sticky wicket. He would then have to include any children he might have with Ruth among those who would inherit his estate. So he declined. “I cannot redeem it,” he said, “Lest I impair my own children’s inheritance.” So, in the presence of the elders, he renounced his claim. The decision was affirmed in the traditional way of exchanging a sandal. Boaz then was authorized to buy the parcel, to become heir of all that belonged to Elimelech, Mahlon and Chilion. He would care for Naomi and Ruth would become his wife so that the name of Mahlon would not be cut off in the land. The elders saluted Boaz and said, “May your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.” thus linking these two stories. Boaz and Ruth had a son whose name was Obed. When Obed reached maturity, he had a son named Jesse. Jesse in turn grew up and had a son named David, who became the great king of the Hebrew nation. Ruth was thus the great grandmother of King David. Matthew incorporated Ruth into the genealogy of Jesus that served as his prologue to the introduction of the first account of Jesus’ miraculous birth, In that genealogy, Matthew is saying the line that produced Jesus of Nazareth flowed through the incest of Tamar, the harlotry of Rahab and the seduction of Ruth. It also proclaimed that Moabite blood flowed in the veins of the Jewish King David, thus countering all of the claims of racial purity made for the Royal House of David. One more woman will appear in Matthew’s genealogy. We will turn to her story when this series continues, but surely by now we should be asking what Matthew’s purpose is; what is his agenda that he has chosen to introduce the Virgin Birth story in this way?~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements Holding Space: An Introduction to the Art & Practices An exploration into the essential value of holding space and its capacity to support people to connect more deeply to their own inner resourcefulness and wisdom. Online Sept. 26, 2022 - $50/4 weeks READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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9/11/22 PHOTOS—B½ OF ARCHIVE PROJECT
by Frank Knutson 11 Sep '22

11 Sep '22

1 0

8/25/22 PHOTOS
by Frank Knutson 10 Sep '22

10 Sep '22

7 7

Global Schedule Update
by Karen Snyder 08 Sep '22

08 Sep '22

If you have not checked the Global Schedule (https://icaglobalarchives.org/social-research-center-events/ <https://icaglobalarchives.org/social-research-center-events/>) lately, you may have missed the fact that next week (September 13) Janet Sanders is offering an introduction to Social Artistry that she designed and has facilitated around the world. In October Janet and David Dunn will lead an engaging conversation about the role social art and culture play in our lives, using the overlay of the social process analysis. Send her an email if you wish to participate. The 13-week Courage to Lead study series begins again September 22. This past summer ten African nations participated in a training series in order to offer this study in their nations. Common Earth is offering its eight week fall sessions, beginning October 3, enabling participants to be actively involved in moving towards a post-carbon caring society. And finally stay tuned about how you can participate online with the Africa ICAs Conference in Kenya, scheduled for October 23-29. Peace, Karen Snyder for the Global Schedule Team

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9/08/2022, Progressing Spirit: The Rev. Brandan Robertson: The Great Reversion; Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 08 Sep '22

08 Sep '22

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and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 h4{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 .yiv1629779852mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent, #yiv1629779852 .yiv1629779852mcnBoxedTextContentContainer .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templatePreheader{display:block !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templatePreheader .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent, #yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templatePreheader .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateHeader .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent, #yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateHeader .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent p{font-size:16px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateBody .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent, #yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateBody .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent p{font-size:14px !important;line-height:150% !important;}}@media only screen and (max-width:480px){#yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateFooter .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent, #yiv1629779852 #yiv1629779852templateFooter .yiv1629779852mcnTextContent p{font-size:12px !important;line-height:150% !important;}} | | | | View this email in your browser | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The Great Reversion | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. Brandan Robertson September 8, 2022You’ve heard it said again and again- “We’re living in unprecedented times”. There’s extreme polarization, increased bigotry, emboldened racists, and virtual mobs seeking to cancel those who don’t align perfectly with the new orthodoxies of whichever side of the aisle you identify with. People are cynical about religion, politics, and life in general, and every other day there seems to be a new existential threat to human existence- be it the pandemic, climate change, or nuclear annihilation. These do indeed seem like unprecedented times. Yet any student of history will note that as stark and extreme as this moment in our collective history may seem, it’s certainly not unprecedented. Nearly every generation experiences a moment of existential crisis that causes preachers to begin declaring it the “last days” and individuals to have increased anxiety as they contemplate the uncertainty of their future. People turn against institutions and leaders, demanding reform, which causes moments of great instability. And do you know what happens next? Reform does happen, to a degree, the crises either are resolved or are forgotten, and humans return again to business as usual in a slightly altered world. I’ve often drawn on the well-known observation of my mentor Phyllis Tickle who said that every 500 years humanity goes through a “great rummage sale”, a moment of reformation and renewal. When one explores this trend historically, one finds that moments of major social change do in fact happen with this relative regularity, but often these moments of reformation are not moments at all, but decades of slow and steady pushing forward and backward, making incremental progress and change until twenty years later, there is an era of “stability” (whatever that means). In this moment of reformation, the way we order our world and the way we understand our place in the universe is being questioned. Is democracy really the best way to govern ourselves? Is globalism or nationalism the future of our world? Should we collapse our big institutions in favor of small, local organizations? Does life actually have a meaning and does religion have any use in our technological era? These are big questions that will lead to some big change. But by and large, as we look at the historical trends, the truth is that after the reformation there will be a great reversion. A return to some of the “old” ways of seeing and being in the world that we’ve been critical of in the moment of reformation but that will endure beyond the critique. I believe one of the areas that will endure in the great reversion is organized religion. Despite the insistence of many progressives that the future of spirituality is beyond churches, from where I sit it seems that a renaissance of organized religion is inevitable. For the past decade, I’ve been observing how my generation (millennials) have been both extolling the virtues of leaving toxic religion behind yet have not successfully found anything to replace it’s vital role in our lives. Organized religion provided community, spiritual discipline, a liturgical rhythm, and a regular space to contemplate the big questions of life with others. While there are other places to do each of those things, the truth seems to be that most people have not found those other spaces which has led to a general sense of cynicism, lethargy, loneliness, and existential dread- not exactly the building blocks of a post-reformation era of progress and renewal. All of this leads me to believe that there may be a slow and steady movement back towards religious community- the old-fashioned kind. As millennials age towards our forties, the angst of reformation is giving way to a longing for a place to call “home”, and for many of us, this will be in religious communities. But when we arrive, we won’t be willing to settle for “business as usual”- we’re going to be looking for post-reformation communities that have already done the work to address racism, sexism, and homophobia, communities that have built-in systems and structures to prevent abuse, communities that are willing to ask the hard questions but also, perhaps surprisingly, guide us towards some answers. In this post-modern era, we are lacking a narrative for our lives, a moral framework for how we view the world, which leads us to be tossed to and fro by every cultural crisis. It seems to me that as much as the religious communities that have facilitated deconstruction over the past thirty years have helped spur on this much-needed reformation, the time is coming where these very same communities (the few that still exist anyways) need to begin offering a coherent story, a coherent tradition and practice, and a coherent set of moral values once again. Generation Z is the first generation in America to grow up largely religiously unaffiliated and is already showing subtle signs of this great regression. In a poll published by religion pollster Ryan Burge in 2021, Generation Z is more likely to attend a religious service than Millennials or Gen X, even though they are more hesitant to identify with a particular religious label. This seems right to me- as the reformation turns to regression, it will take place slowly with deliberate skepticism about institutions of religion, who must earn the trust they so easily lost. Yet nonetheless, there are no other cultural institutions that offer all the essentials that, say, a church can. So instead of buying into the narrative that religion is dead, I believe that now is a moment for religious institutions to commit all the more to doing the hard work of reforming our most rigid broken systems, reassessing and reasserting our most central beliefs, practices, and values, and preparing to welcome, once again, an entire generation whose trust we’ve lost but who are longing for the very thing that we were created to offer: meaning, making community, and purpose. As another mentor of mine, Ken Wilber says, “Religion is the best and only vehicle humanity has to move us through the process of waking up, cleaning up, and growing up.” I tend to agree, and if true, religious leaders and institutions have a vital role to play in this next era of human history- if we do the work to prepare for it.~ Rev. Brandan Robertson Read online here About the Author Rev. Brandan Robertson is a noted spiritual thought-leader, contemplative activist, and commentator, working at the intersections of spirituality, sexuality, and social renewal and the author of Nomad: A Spirituality For Travelling Light and writes regularly for Patheos, Beliefnet, and The Huffington Post. He has published countless articles in respected outlets such as TIME, NBC, The Washington Post, Religion News Service, and Dallas Morning News. As sought out commentator of faith, culture, and public life, he is a regular contributor to national media outlets and has been interviewed by outlets such as MSNBC, NPR, SiriusXM, TIME Magazine, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Associated Press. He leads Metanoia, a digital spiritual community at MetanoiaCenter.org | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By Jennifer It seems like a lot of conservative Christians are using “Freedom of Religion” as an excuse to discriminate against others. Isn’t that the opposite of what it means? A: By Rev. David M. FeltenDear Jennifer,The short answer is “yes.” But in recent years there’s been an effort by religious conservatives to flip the original intent of Freedom of Religion to support their “war on religion” narrative that portrays Christians as the victims of oppression. Traditionally, the 1st Amendment has been interpreted to say that government won’t establish, support, or prohibit the practice of religion. Government will step in to protect the innocent victims of religion-gone-bad (like the conviction of Warren Jeffs for child rape masquerading as religious ritual in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), but other than that, hands off. Add the gravitas of Thomas Jefferson’s elaboration on the 1st Amendment, the Separation of Church and State, and you’d think Freedom of Religion was a no-brainer. Alas, conservatives have taken it upon themselves to throw a wrench in the works. They want the freedom to practice their repressive uber-piety without government “meddling” — even if their practice promotes discrimination against or harm to other citizens. They argue that religion (particularly THEIR religion) is indispensable to upholding the purity of the citizenry and that any expectation that their religion do no harm to others is a violation of their rights. They argue that the true meaning of Religious Liberty is, as Katherine Stewart has written, a “license to discriminate.” This even includes claiming public tax dollars for themselves which are, in turn, used to discriminate against a despised “other.” Earlier this year, Mobile, Alabama moved to help improve the city’s score on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index. How? They appointed two LGBTQ+ liaisons to offer an LGBTQ+ perspective on city policies and procedures. Anxious that their license to discriminate might be called into question, Southern Baptist leaders met with the city this summer and asked it to “preemptively pass a religious liberty ordinance” that “protects Christians” who are opposed to LGBTQ+ rights and same-sex marriage. The panicked Southern Baptists (the same Southern Baptists the Justice Department is currently investigating for the criminal mishandling of sexual abuse cases) whined that the city’s move to promote non-discrimination consisted of “threats on the horizon.” You heard that right. LGBTQ+ people having basic civil rights is a threat to poor, oppressed Christians (especially those who don’t want to be held accountable for their criminal misbehavior). We’ve seen it across the cultural spectrum. Fundamentalists want the freedom to discriminate against Muslims, Jews, atheists, women, and the LGBTQ+ community. From refusing to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding to refusing to consider a Jewish couple for adoption to a pharmacist refusing to fill a prescription for contraceptives to the Supreme Court condoning taxpayer-funded Christian prayers at a public high school, the incidents are increasing. The meaning of Freedom of Religion is well on its way to being turned on its head. Fundamentalist Christians not only want to impose their values on everybody else, they want approval to betray their obligation to honor the civil rights of fellow citizens. Fundamentalists in religion AND government are poised to continue undermining the 1st Amendment’s original intent in favor of establishing a shadow state religion of conservative Christianity. While Freedom of Religion is still “on the books”, the version of it that survives into the future is yet to be determined. ~ Rev. David M. Felten @dubiousrev NOTE: To stay informed, be sure to follow Americans United for the Separation of Church and State for the latest ways you can help combat the erosion of Religious Liberty in the name of Freedom of Religion. Read and share online here About the Author Rev. David M. Felten is a full-time pastor at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church in Fountain Hills, Arizona. David and fellow United Methodist Pastor, Jeff Procter-Murphy, are the creators of the DVD-based discussion series for Progressive Christians, “Living the Questions” and authors of Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity. A co-founder of Catalyst Arizona and also a founding member of No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice, David is an outspoken voice for LGBTQ rights both in the church and in the community at large. David is active in the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church and tries to stay connected to his roots as a musician. You’ll find him playing saxophones in a variety of settings, including appearances with the Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet. David is the proud father of three reliably remarkable human beings. Visit his website here. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | | | | Don't miss the next Episode of PC.org's Executive Directors Mark and Caleb on: The Moonshine Jesus Show - every Monday at 4:30pm Eastern Time – watch live on Facebook,, YouTube, Twitter, Podbean | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Birth of Jesus, Part VI. Rahab the Prostitute: The Second Woman in Matthew’s Genealogy Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong January 3, 2013The second woman mentioned in the genealogy of Matthew comes out of a story told in the book of Joshua. One can read the details in chapters two and six of that book. There are two things that are noteworthy about this woman. First, she is not a Jew, rather she is a citizen of Jericho and thus presumably a Canaanite, i.e. a Gentile. Second, she is introduced and described in a single word, “harlot,” that is, Rahab was a prostitute, she sold sex for gain. Rahab had clearly entered the folk lore of both Judaism and Christianity for there are references to her in the Hebrew Scriptures in the book of Job: 9:13 and 26:12, in the Psalms: 87:4 and 89:10 and in the book of Isaiah 30:7 and 51:9. In addition to this reference in Matthew’s genealogy, she is also referred to in the Christian Scriptures in two places, Hebrews 11:3 and James 2:35. It is difficult to establish any dependency between Matthew and these other New Testament references, so we have to assume that the story of Rahab must have been a popular one in both Judaism and in early Christianity. In this column today, I want to recount the narrative of Rahab as it appears in the book of Joshua. The context is this: Moses has died in the wilderness of Moab and has been buried by God acting alone in a mysterious and unknown grave, or that is at least the story we receive in the last chapter of Deuteronomy (34). Joshua, Moses’ number one military captain, has assumed the position of the leader of these wandering, nomadic people. As if to validate Joshua with an aura of Moses, a crossing of a body of water in Red Sea fashion has been promised to Joshua at the Jordan River. Beyond that river lay the first military prize for the invading Hebrews, the fortified and walled city of Jericho. While the people were encamped west of the Jordan preparing for that miraculous crossing, Joshua sent two men to spy on Jericho. These spies are unnamed, but they presumably managed to cross the river in daylight and enter the city, the gates of which were not closed until nightfall. They immediately went, as if by some pre-arranged plan, to the house of Rahab the prostitute. Perhaps there was some kind of prior relationship. Perhaps they sought out this house, the only local brothel, for their own entertainment. Perhaps it made strategic sense. Rahab’s house was conveniently located, built as it was into the wall that encircled the city. Certainly a brothel might have been chosen simply to serve to give the spies cover. We will never know. There is certainly the probability that this location and the service Rahab offered were well known to citizens and strangers alike. It was certainly in the “public domain.” Reality says that for a stranger to enter the city and go straight to the house of Rahab would arouse little suspicion. Whatever the reason or reasons, it was to Rahab’s house that Joshua’s spies went and there, the text says, “they lodged.” It seems that they remained there for several days. In time, their presence became known. It would certainly arouse suspicion if regular customers were rebuffed because of the presence of these strangers, and the public utterances of miffed regular customers would surely start rumors flying. In any event, their presence quickly came to the attention of the authorities in Jericho, including the king. Almost immediately they were defined as spies who had illegally entered the land. So the king, apparently knowing where they were, sent a deputation of soldiers to the house of Rahab with orders for the spies to come forth, presumably to be executed, for that was the normal fate of spies. Rahab, however, turns out to be more loyal to the spies than she is to her city, so when she gets wind of the danger, she not only hides the spies, but she lies to the king’s messengers about their continued presence. She did not deny that they had been there, since that seemed to have been a well-established fact. She admitted that they had visited, but that she had no idea where they were from or what their business was in Jericho. They have now gone, she said, telling the authorities that the two men had departed before the gates of the city had been closed when darkness fell. What might have been her motives? Perhaps she was just protecting her customers. Perhaps she had already developed a relationship with one of the spies that altered her priorities. Whatever the reason, Rahab urged the king’s representatives to pursue these spies rapidly for their departure from city, she said, had been recent and they could surely be overtaken. All the while, according to this narrative, Rahab has taken these men to the roof of her house and has hidden them under stalks of flax that were “laid in order” on her roof. The king’s men took Rahab at her word and pursued what they thought were the escaping spies to the Jordan River and across it into the surrounding countryside. When the pursuers had left the city, the gates were closed for the night. No one could now leave and the pursuers could not return until the dawn when the gates were reopened. Rahab then goes to the roof to uncover her hidden guests. She speaks to them as one who knows they are destined to conquer Jericho. She tells them that fear of the invading Hebrews had fallen upon her fellow citizens and has caused their courage to melt away. She tells them that the people have heard of the miracle at the Red Sea and of their conquest of the Amorites in the wilderness and that the citizens of Jericho feel themselves doomed. Then she extracts an oath from the two spies. As I have protected you and dealt kindly with you, she said, I am prepared to continue to serve you by helping you escape. You must first, however, give me a sign that when your people conquer Jericho, you will repay my kindness by sparing my family from death. That means, she says, not just my life but those of my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters, their spouses and children. The spies agreed. “Our lives for your life and those of your extended family” was the deal and it seemed to them a fair bargain. So it was agreed. A sign was established. Rahab was to hang a scarlet cord in the window of her house in that protective wall. This cord would be seen by all who passed by. The spies swore that all who were gathered in this house with the scarlet cord would be spared. Then Rahab made a rope and lowered each of the spies in a basket to the ground outside the wall and thus to safety. She instructed them to go to the hills through which their pursuers had already swept and hide there for three days until their pursuers had returned to the city. Their escape was successful and, after three days in the woods, they returned to Joshua with their report. The people of Jericho are faint hearted, the spies said, they know the Lord has given Jericho and its people into our hands. Rahab then disappears from the drama until the conquest of Jericho occurs in chapter six. In the meantime, the swollen, flooded waters of the Jordan have been split, in Red Sea-like fashion, and the army of the Hebrews has crossed that river bed on dry land. Then they set up siege positions outside the walls of the city of Jericho. For six days, the army would walk around those walls following the Ark of the Lord, attended by priests blowing constantly on their trumpets, which in fact were shofars or the horns of a ram. On the seventh day, the Hebrew army walked around the city walls seven times with the ram’s horns being blown constantly. When the seventh journey around the walls was complete, the trumpets blew a long and sustained blast and then the people shouted with loud shouts and, we are told, the walls around Jericho fell to the ground. Perhaps the sound vibrations from the shofars and the shouting people were more than their structures could tolerate. Perhaps the miraculous aspects of this story were enhanced with its telling as the years rolled by. This narrative, as a matter of fact, was not written until some 300 years after this event was supposed to have taken place. The important thing for our purpose is to note that this book says that Joshua and his army destroyed Jericho, putting everyone to the edge of the sword – all men, all women, all old people, all young people and all the animals in an act of genocidal fury. True to their word, however, they spared all those who gathered in the house of Rahab. Joshua gave specific orders, “Search out the harlot’s house and bring out of it the woman and all who belong to her as we promised.” The book of Joshua concludes with the story of Rahab by saying that Rahab the harlot was saved and all her household “and she dwelt in Israel until this day.” Matthew from some source declared that she married a man named Salmon. Was he one of the two spies? Once again, we will never know, but Matthew asserts that Salmon and Rahab had a baby boy whose name was Boaz and that the line from Salmon went through Boaz to Obed to Jesse to David, who became the King of the Hebrew nation, and that this line would lead directly to Jesus of Nazareth, who was of the house of David. So this is the second woman included in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. The first was guilty of an incestuous relationship with her father-in-law, the second was a prostitute. Matthew is introducing the story of Jesus’ birth. He is establishing the Jewish roots of Jesus as well as his royal roots. He is also stating in a loud and provocative way that the line that produced Jesus of Nazareth traveled through incest and harlotry. Why would he introduce the virgin birth this way? What is his agenda? What is his purpose? The story moves on and so does Matthew’s genealogy. When this column resumes, we will introduce the third of the “shady ladies” in Matthew’s genealogy. She is a seductress. So stay tuned.~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements United Church of the San Juans Permanent, Part-Time Pastor Opening Nestled in the beauty of Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, The United Church of the San Juans in Ridgway, Colorado, is seeking a permanent pastor in a part-time relationship. Our negotiable compensation package far exceeds the minimum financial requirements of our denominational affiliates, PC(USA), ELCA, UCC and UMC. This is an opportunity for a bi-vocational ministry as well. We invite interested candidates, who are ordained or accepted by one of our affiliates, to contact our Pastor Search Team via email at ucsjpst(a)gmail.com to request a ministry overview. You may also view our website at ucsjpst.com | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

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Aging Mindfully Meditation
by Blase Sands 07 Sep '22

07 Sep '22

"God is voluptuous and delicious," wrote Meister Eckhart, mystic and prophet. Do we experience God this way? Our minds keep getting in the way of us experiencing the mystery, depth, and greatness of our lives. Mindfulness is a way to slow down and taste life's sweetness and richness even if it's for 10 minutes a day. Join me for discussion and guided meditation tomorrow, Thursday, at 8 pm EDT. Register here: https://academyofthenewearth.com/sign-up-1<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Facademyofthenewearth.com%2Fsig…> All are welcome and donations are appreciated. Blase Sands 75 Haywood St Apt 904 Asheville, NC 28801 505-660-0056 blase_sands(a)hotmail.com<mailto:blase_sands@hotmail.com> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10

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9/7/22 PHOTOS—B½ OF ARCHIVE PROJECT
by Frank Knutson 07 Sep '22

07 Sep '22

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Is this ( below) happening at all in your part of the world?
by James Wiegel 06 Sep '22

06 Sep '22

Jim Wiegel “…the long work of turning their lives into a celebration is not easy. Come and let us talk“. The Sunflowers. Mary Oliver

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9/6/22 PHOTOS—B½ OF ARCHIVE PROJECT
by Frank Knutson 06 Sep '22

06 Sep '22

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9/01/2022, Progressing Spirit: Rev. David M. Felton: “OK, Guru-boy. If There’s No Original Sin and Hell, Why Be a Christian?”' Spong revisited
by Ellie Stock 05 Sep '22

05 Sep '22

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If There’s No Original Sin and Hell, Why Be a Christian?” | | | | | | | | | | Essay by Rev. David M. Felten September 1, 2022 Earlier this summer, I was called out as a heretic and accused of “sitting on Satan’s lap” courtesy of the Institute for Religion and Democracy (the fundamentalist think tank behind the schisms of many of our mainline denominations). The “Juicy Ecumenism” article (read it HERE) has sparked numerous pearl-clutching responses from various corners of Christendom (if you read the article, make sure to read the comments at the bottom – priceless!). One of those was an email from someone who (after a brief Google search) I suspect is the preacher at a large fundamentalist church in Colorado. I could be wrong, but the condescending tone of the email sounded like he’s a pro with something to prove. At any rate, below is my response with his numerous questions inserted along the way. With the hope that my answers will be encouraging to others exploring this evolving path of Progressive Christianity, here goes! Hey Jason, Thanks for reaching out. The way you phrase your questions leads me to believe that you’re a practitioner of the conventional Christianity most Americans have grown up with. But surprise! Over the last 100+ years, there’s been a whole ‘nother Christianity out there that has actively co-existed alongside the more familiar conventional/fundamentalist Christianity. You get glimpses of this alternative Christianity whenever you see Christians lending their support and lives to efforts like women’s voting and reproductive rights, the Civil Rights movement, anti-war and anti-poverty efforts, climate change action, and currently, the rights of our LGBTQ+ neighbors. In short, you’ll recognize this alternative anywhere Christians are striving to practice the Gospel “of” Jesus – where conventional/fundamentalist Christians tend to obsess over a Gospel “about” Jesus. As author Kurt Struckmeyer asks in his excellent book, A Conspiracy of Kindness, are you going to selfishly focus on believing the right stuff to win God’s acceptance and an E-ticket to Heaven or are you going to get out there and do what Jesus did, caring for the widow, orphan, and strangers among us? With that context, let me address your questions one at a time: 1) If original sin and hell doesn’t (sic) exist, then why do we need Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection to save us from our sins? Ahhh, that’s the biggie for conventional/fundamentalist Christians, isn’t it? It’s all about ME, ME, ME, a fixation on MY eternal life, and an obsession with (mostly others’) compliance with a moralistic purity culture — often to the exclusion of the very real needs and struggles of real people. So, let’s start off by clearly stating that there is no “if” in whether Original Sin & Hell exist. They don’t — at least according to the Bible. If you want the details, check out my recent sermons debunking both myths here: ORIGINAL SIN and HELL. At the heart of each of these doctrines (as conventional/fundamentalist Christians understand them today) is a thousand years of propaganda by theologians and churches who are trying to answer the same questions you pose (in classic formulaic language). You ask, “Why do we NEED Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection to SAVE US from our SINS?” Short answer? You don’t. Remember, Original Sin is nowhere in the Bible. Jesus never heard of it and would be appalled that his legacy has been so corrupted by those who claim to be his followers. Original Sin was straight up dreamt up by Augustine. Then it was developed by others to give meaning to a death they otherwise didn’t have enough theological imagination to understand. Since they were incapable of seeing Jesus’ death as an example for humanity to follow (to stay faithful to one’s convictions even in the face of injustice, brutality, and ignorance), they created what became multiple convoluted theories of atonement, including the substitutionary, satisfaction, ransom, and victory theories (see a handy summary HERE ). All of these revolve around a sensational cosmic drama about an all-loving but thin-skinned God who can’t wait to torture people in Hell for being the otherwise innocent descendants of some ancient fictitious character. Jesus’ example of obedience to death was just not enough for them. They needed a business model that essentially scared people into committing themselves not to JESUS, but to the CHURCH. So, they concocted a spiritual crisis (Original Sin) the resolution of which could only be provided by the church and then threatened the non-compliant with torture in Hell. So, your premise of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection being all about saving us from our sins is simply a red herring contrived by those looking to manipulate simple-minded people into an allegiance with a church that has for centuries prioritized power and influence over the gullible over actually doing the harder thing: doing what Jesus taught us to do. The disdain oozing from your next question reeks of that particular brand of “gotcha” arrogance I get from conventional/fundamentalist Christians all the time. It makes me tired. But let’s continue. 2) Does that make Christ-followers of your kind just members of another guru-based way of love everyone, forsake rules and truth, and then achieve karma, as in an Easter (sic) religion? Re: “Christ-followers of your kind.” I actually refer to myself as a Jesus-follower and not a “Christ-follower.” I tend to focus my life and values on the example and teachings of the pre-Easter Jesus (instead of the more theologically fraught intricacies of the post-Easter Christ). Re: “another guru-based way of love everyone, forsake rules and truth, and then achieve karma.” Wow. Contempt much? As far as “guru-based ways” goes, yeah. “Guru” is just a Sanskrit word for “spiritual teacher” — a fitting title for Jesus. And as far as a “way of loving everyone,” I think Jesus taught exactly that. Re: “forsake rules and truth” I have to ask: what is it about the conventional/fundamentalist mindset that is so worried about others not following “rules” and “truth”? I’m assuming these “rules” include everything from wedging children into unhealthy purity culture pledges to anti-science stances on the origins of the universe to prohibiting women from being in leadership in the church. As for “truth,” you assume that it is so “truthy” that I obviously should know what it is. I’m guessing this is a situation where embracing “truth” involves believing in unbelievable things (like Original Sin, Hell, the virgin birth and Jesus’ physical resurrection). Or maybe it’s about “believing in the ‘good news’” or some other litmus test. My experience is that what many conventional/fundamentalist Christians hold to as “truth” is so problematic Biblically and theologically as to be worthless. So, in the absence of any clarification as to what you think this “truth” is, I guess you’ll have to put me down in the forsaker column. Re: “and then achieve Karma” If you’re going to use vocabulary from another religion in a way that you think cleverly demeans someone else, at least have the decency to know what the concept is and not show your ignorance in using it. You don’t “achieve” karma. I think you mean Nirvana. Re: “as in an Easter (sic) religion?” Is your typo a Freudian slip? Cuz, yeah. What Christians of “my kind” practice is indeed an Easter religion — without the expectation that an Easter faith is grounded in belief in the supernatural. As far as what you MEANT to say (“as in an Eastern religion”), I hate to break it to you, but Christianity IS an “Eastern” religion. And Jesus was Jewish. Just sayin’. As you ask, “Is the Body of Christ, the Church, just another self-help group or club, in that case?”, I’m sure you’re not meaning to discredit self-help groups (are you?). You’re instead totally missing the reality that there are countless followers of Jesus out in the world who have leveled-up from the simplistic Gospel “about” Jesus (and all its attendant theological tomfoolery) and have taken on the challenge of living out the Gospel “of” Jesus. Far from being about self-help, these folks are doing the hard work of transforming the world to reflect the vision that Jesus had for the Kingdom. You may not acknowledge them as part of what you understand as “the Church,” but that’s OK. Most of them have long-since left “the Church” to be on about living out the Gospel more faithfully. You finish with “Please let me know. I struggle to understand how you, as a pastor, can preach the Bible and let us know about truth. I would appreciate hearing your basis on why one might be a Christian.” Again, I think you’d need to clarify what you mean as “truth” for me to answer your question. I’m left to assume that you mean something about beating my parishioners into submission with accusations of their sinfulness from birth so they’ll be inspired to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior (thus overcoming both Original Sin and the fires of Hell). If so, that’s not my truth or the truth of the Bible (Reminder: Original Sin and American-style Hell aren’t in the Bible). So, you ask, if it’s not to avoid the punishment of Hell, why be a Christian? The answer is simple: because I’m convinced that Jesus’ life and teachings are worth spending a life-time emulating. To shape one’s actions and beliefs motivated only by fear of punishment is what toddlers do. To shape one’s actions and beliefs motivated by the conviction that you are called to participate in making the world a better place, without guarantee of favor or reward, are the kinds of things adults do. You practice lovingkindness, you do justice, and walk humbly with God, not because of the promise of reward or threat of punishment, but because it’s the right thing to do. I may not be a very good Christian (as conventional/fundamentalist Christians count goodness) but I’m still a follower of Jesus. I’ll leave it to others to keep peddling outdated and misleading doctrines that misrepresent his teachings. As for me and “my kind,” we’ll happily keep striving to live into the Gospel “of” Jesus without stooping to scare tactics like Original Sin or Hell. I hope the above has been helpful. Thanks for your email. ~ Rev. David M. Felten @dubiousrev Read online here About the Author Rev. David M. Felten is a full-time pastor at The Fountains, a United Methodist Church in Fountain Hills, Arizona. David and fellow United Methodist Pastor, Jeff Procter-Murphy, are the creators of the DVD-based discussion series for Progressive Christians, “Living the Questions” and authors of Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity. A co-founder of Catalyst Arizona and also a founding member of No Longer Silent: Clergy for Justice, David is an outspoken voice for LGBTQ rights both in the church and in the community at large. David is active in the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church and tries to stay connected to his roots as a musician. You’ll find him playing saxophones in a variety of settings, including appearances with the Fountain Hills Saxophone Quartet. David is the proud father of three reliably remarkable human beings. Visit his website here. | | | | | | | | Question & Answer Q: By A Reader How is it best to gently question the behavior of a new pastor who seems to be fundamentalist in her thinking and does not like to be questioned? A: By Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers Dear Reader,The best time to do this is before the new pastor is hired, of course. Ideally, all candidates should be given a chance to clearly explain their theology in both written statements and in search committee questions and answers. Making sure that a new pastor’s theology fits with the mission and makeup of that congregation is crucial. If, after the pastor is hired, however, it seems not to fit, or was perhaps misrepresented, then the issue should be raised with the appropriate governing board. It may be that most people are satisfied with the pastor’s theology “as advertised.” But if there are numerous parishioners who feel a disconnect, then the pastor herself should be called into conversation about it. This would give her a chance to clarify her theology, as well as to hear concerns about it. She may have misunderstood what the congregation was looking for, or the congregation may be misunderstanding her—so respectful dialogue is always the first step. If the pastor is truly unable to be questioned about it, that is a more serious problem. Nothing is more important in church than intellectual honesty about what the pastor believes, or what people in the pews want and need. This is not to say that pastors should pretend to believe whatever it is that their people want to hear. Rather, it is crucial that everyone is clear about this pastor’s theology to begin with, and whether her covenant with this particular congregation can be fruitful. ~ Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers Read and share online here About the Author Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers is pastor of First Congregational Church UCC, Norman, Oklahoma, and retired senior minister of Mayflower Congregational UCC church, Oklahoma City. He is currently a Professor of Public Speaking and Distinguished Professor of Social Justice Emeritus in the Philosophy Department at Oklahoma City University. He is a fellow of the Westar Institute and the author of eight books on religion and American culture, the most recent of which is, Saving God from Religion: A Minister’s Search for Faith in a Skeptical Age. A feature-length documentary chronicles his work on behalf of Progressive Christianity in Oklahoma (americanhereticsthefilm.com) and more information is at RobinMeyers.com. | | | | | | | | Please continue to send us your feedback… we are listening. We aim to give voice to many different perspectives that are relevant and inspiring along this spiritually progressing path. We are not here to tell you what to believe or how to act. We are here to support your journey, to share and learn together.Thank you for being a part of this community - join us on Facebook! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | As a non-profit ProgressiveChristianity.org/Progressing Spirit rely heavily on the good will of our donors to help us continue to bring individuals and churches the messages of progressive Christians, Weekly Newsletters, along with the many other resources we provide. For years, the majority of our fundraising came at the end of the year. Looking at various ways to create a more reasonable amount of cash flow we decided rather than having a BIG ask at the end of each year, our more frequent asks give folks a chance to contribute when their funds are more flexible. We think that's a win for everyone. We also want to highlight the opportunity to become a sustaining supporter. If you are looking for the best way to help us continue to provide progressive Christian resources, become a sustaining supporter by choosing Recurring Donation. Help keep ProgressiveChristianity.org online and going strong - click here to donate today! * Another way to support us is to leave a bequest in your Will and/or Trust designating us a beneficiary. | | | | | | | | | | | Don't miss the next Episode of PC.org's Executive Directors Mark and Caleb on: The Moonshine Jesus Show - every Monday at 4:30pm Eastern Time – watch live on Facebook,, YouTube, Twitter, Podbean | | | | | | | | | | | | This Week's Featured Author Rev. Mark Sandlin Progressive Prayers for Progressive People This collection of prayers comes from a decidedly progressive Christian point of view. They are more about changing us and changing the world than about changing God’s mind and getting a particular set of actions from God. The prayers address everything from understandings of God to matters of justice to life in general. It’s a wonderful addition to your daily spiritual practices or to your list of resources for worship services or other gatherings. Read More ... | | | | | | | | | Bishop John Shelby Spong Revisited The Birth of Jesus, Part V. Matthew’s Original Story. The Prologue and Tamar, the Incestuous One Essay by Bishop John Shelby Spong December 13, 2012Matthew is the gospel writer (82-85) who first introduced the story of Jesus’ miraculous or virgin birth into the tradition. He did so with the seventeen most boring verses in the entire Bible! (See Matt. 1:1-17) These verses are Matthew’s version of the genealogy of Jesus, but we refer to them the “who begat whom” verses. Yet in these incredibly boring verses, I am convinced that we can discover clues that will reveal both why the virgin birth story was developed in the first place and why it seems to be of such importance to the author of this second gospel to be written. First, some comments on the genealogy in general. Matthew began his description of the line that he claimed produced Jesus with Abraham, the traditional father of the Jewish nation. Matthew was himself a deeply committed Jewish writer, probably a scribe, and he was writing for a traditional Jewish faith community. He was, therefore, very interested in grounding the Jesus story in the very DNA of Jewish life and history. So he made Abraham, the first pivotal person in Jewish history, the first pivotal person in Jesus’ lineage. David, who originated the royal family that ruled some portion of the Hebrew nation for between 400 and 500 years, became his second pillar in Jesus’ ancestry. The next historical marker in Jesus background that is reflected in this genealogy was what is called the Exile. The citizens of Judah, first in 596 BCE and finally in 586 BCE, after being defeated by the Babylonians, were marched into the land of their conquerors to spend the period of Jewish history, known as the Babylonian captivity, as an underclass of laborers. This Exile lasted for two to three generations and was the time in history when the life of the Jewish nation quite literally hung by a thread. The last period covered by Matthew’s genealogy was from the Exile to the birth of Jesus. Matthew suggested that each of these epochs in Jewish history had been fourteen generations long. That is the point in which every shred of literal accuracy, which people like to attribute to this gospel, begins to break down. Abraham, if he lived at all, would be dated around the year 1850 BCE. David became king of the nation, first in Hebron, about the year 1000 and seven years later in Jerusalem, his newly-conquered capitol. So, between Abraham and David, there are some 850 years. If a generation is considered to be 20 years, which actually might be far too long in that time when life expectancy did not exceed 40 years, there would have been 42 generations between Abraham and David. The time from King David to the Exile would be 400 years plus or some 20 generations. The time from the Exile to the birth of Jesus would have been around 600 years or some 30 generations. So Matthew’s scheme for dividing Jewish history into the stages that he wishes to describe breaks down quickly. To achieve his 14 generation mathematical symmetry Matthew literally had to omit the names of some of the kings in Judah who reigned between David and the Exile who are actually described in the Hebrew Bible. The next problem that gives a biblical commentator pause with this genealogy, which goes from Abraham to David to Joseph to demonstrate Jesus’ royal lineage as a son of David, is that when he arrives at the virgin birth story, his narrative completely denies the role of paternity to Joseph in the life of Jesus. The Virgin Birth story says that Joseph, the presumed male agent in conception, was replaced by the Holy Spirit. So this elaborate effort to ground Jesus in the life of the Jewish people is compromised by the account of his miraculous birth. Literalism wobbles visibly. Another unusual detail in what Matthew portrays as the lineage of Jesus is that he included the names of four women in the genealogy. In this patriarchal world that was quite unusual. Women were not thought then to be equal partners in the procreation process. In that day no one knew that women produced an egg cell and were biologically co-creators of every baby that had ever been born. Women were rather thought of only as nurturing wombs, into which the males placed the seeds of life that women simply brought to maturity. Yet Matthew included four women in this genealogy. They were not mythical women either, for the story of each of these women can be found chronicled in the pages of the Hebrew Scriptures. Their stories were known, but even if they had not been known, anyone could go to the Bible and read them. The other fascinating thing about these women was that by the standards of that day, each of them was considered and defined as a “morally compromised woman.” Please listen to the drama being presented here. In this 17 verse genealogy with which Matthew introduced the story of the Virgin Birth, he made the claim that four of the women who were in the line that produced Jesus of Nazareth, were what his generation would have called unclean or scandalous women. What do you imagine was Matthew’s purpose in opening his story this way? The first of these “shady ladies” was Tamar and her story can be found in Genesis, chapter 38. She was the wife of Er, the first born son of the patriarch Judah. Judah had two other sons, Onan and Shelah, a fact that becomes important as the story unfolds. This chapter tells us that Er was “wicked in the sight of the Lord and the Lord slew him.” (Gen. 38:7). Under the law that governed widows in Hebrew history, it thus became the duty of Onan, the next oldest son, to marry the wife of his deceased brother in order “to raise up offspring for your brother.” (Gen. 38:8). Onan objected and practiced a primitive kind of birth control that came to be called “Onanism.” This act displeased God, according to this story, and so we are told that God also killed Onan. Now it became Shelah’s turn to marry his brother’s widow, but Shelah was only a boy, about five years of age and, having seen what happened to his two older brothers when they were married to Tamar, he was eager to avoid this fate. So Judah violated the code of behavior and the demands of the Torah and sent Tamar back to her family of origin, to live under her father’s protection. In this patriarchal society, Tamar was now “damaged goods” and she would no longer be thought of as “marriageable.” Judah, seeking to perfume his behavior, promised to send for her when Shelah grew up. Some time passed during which Shelah did grow up, but Tamar was forgotten. Next, we are told, Judah’s wife died and now he was a widower. After a period of time for mourning, Judah returned to his business as the owner of large flocks of sheep and planned a trip to Timnah to talk with his sheep shearers. When Tamar learned of this intended visit, she removed her widow’s clothing, put on a veil and the clothes of a prostitute and positioned herself at the entrance of her town which was on the road to Timnah and where Judah would have to pass by inevitably. He did. Judah saw her and assuming, as she intended him to do, that she was a prostitute, he turned aside to make a contract with her. They bargained for a price and it was agreed that her payment for “services rendered” would be a “kid from my flocks,” which would be sent to her the next day. Wise to the ways of the world, Tamar, still veiled, required that Judah give her something of value, something that she would return when his payment of the lamb was received. They settled on Judah’s signet ring, the cord that was wrapped around his waist and his staff. The two of them then went off to have their tryst, after which Judah went on his way and Tamar went back to her father’s home and once more put on the garments of her widowhood. The next day, Judah, true to his word, sent one of his servants with the lamb to redeem his property. This servant, however, could not find the woman. He inquired of the people of the village as to the identity of the prostitute, who solicited business at the gates of this village. They denied that anyone had ever done that in their town. The servant returned and reported to Judah his failure to locate this woman. Judah, not willing to the subject of ridicule, decided to forgo any further effort to recover his ring, cord and staff, charging them off as “losses from a business deal,” and a number of months passed. Then Judah heard the local gossip that Tamar, his daughter-in-law was pregnant and would soon produce a “child by harlotry.” Judah was incensed at this news and now, exercising his authority over this woman he had earlier rejected, ordered her to be brought out and burned at the stake. As she was being led to her place of execution, she sent word to Judah, her father-in-law, saying, “I am with child by the man to whom these belong” and she included his signet ring, his cord and his staff. Judah recognized them as his own and publicly repented. “She is more righteous than I, inasmuch as I did not give her to my son Shelah,” he said. Because sex with one’s daughter-in-law in that day was considered to be incest, Judah did not “lie with her again.” (Gen. 38:26), but he did provide for her care and after she gave birth, married her and brought her into his harem. Tamar became the mother of twins whom she named Perez and Zerah. That is the story. Matthew, by using the name Tamar, incorporated her story into the genealogy of Jesus. He was saying through this device that the line that produced Jesus went through Judah to Perez to the son of Perez, whose name was Hezron. Here, Matthew was asserting that the Christ Child had an ancestor who was guilty of incest. It is an interesting way to open a narrative about the Virgin Birth! That, however, is only the first of the women to whom Matthew alludes in this genealogy. The other three are equally as fascinating and provocative. We will turn to each of them in detail as this series unfolds.~ John Shelby Spong | | | | | | | | Announcements A Life of Awe and Wonder Online - September 5th - 2th In this four-week journey into the wondrous, we will scout some very noteworthy elicitors of marvel that are available to everyone. Most importantly, we will seek out the particular orientation of the heart that finds awe and wonder everywhere it looks. READ ON ... | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Copyright © 2021 ProgressiveChristianity.org, a 501(3)c. All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: 4810 Pt. Fosdick Dr. #80, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 253-507-8678 - contact(a)progressivechristianity.org You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. | | | |

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