Evolving Christian Faith

I am a Progressive Christian and a Democrat—There I Said It Out Loud Why It’s Healthy to Adopt and Nurture Political and Religious Identities in a Divided World

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙮, 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚.

I’m telling you what I value, who I protect, and where I stand when the vulnerable are at risk.

Here’s why Christians need more honesty about that…

I am a Progressive Christian and a Democrat—There I Said It Out Loud Why It’s Healthy to Adopt and Nurture Political and Religious Identities in a Divided World

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚: 𝙄’𝙢 𝙖 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝘿𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙩.

Not because I’m loyal to a party, but because I’m loyal to the well-being of people.

If that feels “divisive,” maybe we should ask what unity we’re protecting.

Sermon—Where is the Hope? Weekly Reflection

𝙈𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙛𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙛 “𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨.”

We’re afraid of tomorrow’s rent.

Tomorrow’s groceries.

Tomorrow’s world.

So, what now?

Where is the Hope? Weekly Reflection

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙗𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙨, 𝙙𝙞𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣, 𝙛𝙚𝙖𝙧, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮…

I used to think he was exaggerating.

Now it sounds like today’s headlines.

Here’s the part of Jesus’ message we desperately need right now.

You don’t have to believe everything in the Bible to be transformed by it.

Faithful reading begins when you stop using it as a weapon and start letting it lead you deeper into yourself and into the God who resides in your heart.

Next Lectio Divina Online is Sunday Evening, November 16th (RSVP) Lectio Divina Online Event

There is still time to RSVP if you want in on this.

Christian mysticism teaches us how to "let go", how to self-empty of the ego, which includes...

fears
pains
dreams

Christianity now has to learn to let go of

superiority
certainty
power

Maybe it's time for the institution to pay attention to a mystical truth:

God meets us in the letting go.

𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙣 "𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡" 𝙛𝙖𝙞𝙩𝙝.

One "believes" inasmuch as one embodies love for others.

And this love for others turns out to be a dual love.

Inasmuch as we are loving others, we are loving God through them.

And God is loving them through us.

Live in faith. Embody Love.

𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙙𝙤𝙡𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙥𝙪𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙨.

Empire hates living faith because it shines a light in the darkness and confronts it.

Living faith overturns imperial tables and says,

"You don't get to treat people like that."

Then it sets a rival Table.

What Gavin Newsom Just Did Is What Christian Justice Looks Like It’s Not about Politics — It’s about Boundaries, Consent, and What It Means to Love Your Neighbor in Public Life.

𝙄𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙: “𝙂𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙨.”

What followed was a moral showdown over democracy itself.

And somehow, it turned into a lesson in Christian Justice.

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/how-califo...

You're welcome. I look forward to seeing you there! :-)

Mainline Christianity Is Becoming Something New—And It’s Beautiful Standing on the Precipice of a Trans-Traditional Christianity, Part 2

Is there a silver lining to the fall of institutional Christianity?

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/mainline-c...

Asking the Wrong Questions Watch now | A Spirtual Reflection

What happens when you get trapped in asking the wrong questions spiritually?

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/asking-the...

Excellent! I hope you're able to make it.

Next Lectio Divina Online is Sunday Evening, November 16th (RSVP) Lectio Divina Online Event

If you are a contemplative, we would love to have you join us for Lectio Divina Online this Sunday.

If you are not a contemplative and would like to learn more about it, you are welcome to check join us as well!

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/next-lecti...

𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪.

God isn't distant.

God is found in the depths of Love, Justice, and Being Itself.

The Kingdom is where Love and Justice reign.

And that's precisely what sends shivers down the spines of the powerful.

Asking the Wrong Questions Watch now | A Spirtual Reflection

𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨.

It really all begins with asking questions.

But...

Is it possible to ask the wrong questions?

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/asking-the...

𝙅𝙚𝙨𝙪𝙨: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙.

Where do we find the sacred?

Too often we look in special times and places.

But what if we were to retune and realign?

Then we can see that the sacred is buried in the ordinary bits of everyday life just waiting to be discovered.

Asking the Wrong Questions Watch now | A Spirtual Reflection

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙩𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙪𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙮.

But the flame dies when we keep asking childish questions of what is meant to become an adult faith.

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/asking-the...

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙛 𝙂𝙤𝙙 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖 𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙤𝙧.

It’s a radical vision of a world where...

-the last are first
-the poor are lifted up
-power serves the people, not itself

But here’s the thing…

Visions only matter if those who accept them actually believe in them enough to realize them in this world.

Mainline Christianity Is Becoming Something New—And It’s Beautiful Standing on the Precipice of a Trans-Traditional Christianity, Part 1

𝙈𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙙𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜.

Something new is taking shape beyond denominations—where traditions blend, justice unites, and possibilities emerge.

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/mainline-c...

Christianity is in crisis. It’s future is uncertain.

It prays for renewal…

But clutches tradition like a golden calf.

You can’t follow the Spirit into new life while worshiping comfort.

Sing it with me...

"Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea."

Mainline Christianity Is Becoming Something New—And It’s Beautiful Standing on the Precipice of a Trans-Traditional Christianity, Part 1

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙗𝙚 𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡.

It’ll be "trans-traditional". It will be a faith that moves 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 traditions and 𝘣𝘦𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘥 them.

evolvingchristianfaith.substack.com/p/mainline-c...

"Blessed are the peacemakers."

Most People Think They’re Wise—Here’s How to Know If You Actually Are If my work brings insight, encouragement, or challenge to your spiritual journey, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

The fool looks in the mirror and sees a sage.

The sage looks in the mirror and sees a fool.

Learn the marks of real wisdom.

Most People Think They’re Wise—Here’s How to Know If You Actually Are If my work brings insight, encouragement, or challenge to your spiritual journey, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

The line between sage and fool runs through each of us.

Here’s how to see which one is steering your life.

Most People Think They’re Wise—Here’s How to Know If You Actually Are If my work brings insight, encouragement, or challenge to your spiritual journey, please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

𝙒𝙞𝙨𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙤𝙪𝙙. 𝙄𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚.

But it 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 leave clues. Here’s how to recognize them.

Should Christians...

-support stricter gun laws?
-support health care?
-offer free lunches?

Very often the question of faith shouldn't be "Does the Bible teach it or allow it?"

The real question is...

"Is this the most compassionate thing to do?"...

Regardless of what the Bible says.

Here's a question for you...

I plan to write an article about the various forms of religious fluidity we see in America.

So, I'd like to ask...

Do you add anything from other religions into your religious practice?

If so, what? And, how do you reconcile it with your tradition?

(Ex: A Christian doing yoga or meditation.)