What does Progressive or Liberal person of faith mean in the way you apply it to yourself?

[GreenPartyVoter]

Are you coming from a political or theological point of view? (For myself, I would say it's both.)

[xmas74]

1. I would say it's the same for me.

Both politically and on a theological level I view myself as a progressive.

I'd love to see what others say about this!

[demilib]

2. It would mostly be from a political point of view for me.

Theologically, I would probably be a moderate-liberal if there is such a term.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Thank you for joining in! This conversation has me realizing just how useless labels are, because

who knows what any of us are actually trying to express with them?

[Swamp Lover]

4. Not sure how to answer.

My progressive liberalism is all a product of my faith.

[hrmjustin]

5. Theological!

Jesus said treat people like you want to be treated. Jesus said that to care for the poor for you never know when it is an angel of the lord coming to check on you. My political views are formed by my faith.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

6. Both

Liberal Catholic and liberal politically.

[turtlerescue1]

7. Both.

Like its synergism. Both blend. There's no conflict, which at my age is just wonderful.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

8. I'm progressive politically, and a moderate to liberal Catholic

Theologically, I am liberal on some subjects, such as priestly celibacy and contraception; conservative on others, such as dogmatic theology; and middle-of-the-road on still others, such as the Bible. In the unabridged version of T H White's Once and Future King, Gueneviere goes into a convent after Arthur’s death, where "she was one of those religious people who are better in matters of theology than they are in matters of faith." That’s me as well.

[Tigress DEM]

9. My theology would not be in conflict if the Church hadn't changed/abandoned "God is love"

My theology would not be in conflict if the Church hadn't changed/abandoned "God is love" as it's core belief.

I grew up Catholic after Vatican II and in California no less, so my initial spiritual life was very progressive and clear to me.

God is Love and even when He disciplines us it is for love of us, to see us become better people, live closer to the truth, learn the deep mysteries of life, gain compassion, learn humility and such. Basically the worst is when God just let's us experience the natural consequences of our own or other's stupidity.

I've always thought of micro-management of the spiritual life as the path the Pharisees took and failed miserably. Then the Church seemed to veer back that way and I left it for my own sake and because I didn't want to be identified with the Catholic Church as it had been pre-Vatican II. I could not honestly say, that only "Catholics" would go to heaven.

Our parish had been involved in ecumenical movements that filled the 40,000 seat Melody Center (I think that's what they called it, out by Knox Berry Farm in Anaheim.) HOW could I go back regressive thinking I'd never known in the first place just because the Church flip flopped?

[okasha]

10. For us traditional (ie.,pagan) Native Americans

the two are pretty much inseparable.

[deutsey]

11. For me, my liberal theology informs and defines my progressive politics

Theology speaks to larger and deeper aspects of existence for me than politics do.

Although I currently attend a UU fellowship and personally find meaning in Taoism and Hindu Vedanta, I am at heart a very theologically liberal Christian, I suppose.

Ironically, it was the Unitarians who first espoused "liberal Christianity" back in the 19th century. The following definition, in fact, is from The Manual of Unitarian Belief, by liberal Christian minister James Freeman Clarke in the 1880s:

Liberal Christianity, or freedom in religion, does not mean liberty to believe what we choose, but freedom to seek the truth anywhere, everywhere, and always. It means that we should not only be willing that others should differ from us, but ready to help them to inquire freely, even if their inquiries lead them to believe what we consider erroneous. It means that we are not to judge each other (Matt. vii. 1-5; Rom. xiv. 1-23), nor to submit our own belief to the judgment of any church or any human authority.


The complete manual can be found here:

http://www.americanunitarian.org/manual.htm