Do regressives and progressives need each other or should we split?

Marriages, whether heterosexual, homosexual, or institutional, require and openness to compromise. If we were to form a church exclusively made up of people with whom we agree then we would...well, be just like the first century followers of Jesus. Historians tell us that in the first 200 years after Jesus' years on earth, numerous groups emerged all claiming to be the 'true' followers of Jesus. Not until around the 4th or 5th century did one group emerge victorious in claiming to be the orthodox followers. So one has to wonder, is homogenaity what we are seeking? If we form groups in which there is consensus...hasn't history shown that it is only a matter of time before some faction of the whole is going to split off as a result of a new-found belief, or a return to some prior understanding that is going through a rennaiscence? Bottom line? I don't always agree with myself, so how can I expect to always agree with anyone else? We all know what we need to do in order to make our lives a beter place (eat more chocolate, eat less chocolate, exercise more, worry less, etc), but much of the time we just do what we want to do instead.

A marriage is advance self-work. No longer does one seek only what is self-fulfilling, one seeks what is best for another--especially at those times when a sacrifice is required! Without regressives, the progressives would spin out into oblivion. So much would be changed and reformed that there is a real concern about loosing the few loose threads that offer the Christian faith continuity. Regressives allow us to grow and change with integrity to our common roots. (yes, I used the word "integrity" on purpose). Conversly, without progressives, the regressives just might be successful in divorcing the church from the Holy Spirit. The HS can often be found pushing us forward into new realms where we dared not think of going before...progresssives bring and openness necessary to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.

So we need each other, for better or worse. In the end it is not about being right, or being inclusive, or agreeing that really matters. While these things are very important...most importantly we need to be about seeking God's call and direction in the church. God's voice can be clearly heard in the balance of all Holy Children engaging in a dialogue of respect honesty.

Pax ek :)

Who is orthodox?

In the last few years the religious right has repeatedly claimed to be the arbiters of orthodoxy. Without question people in the middle and on the more progressive end have begun more and more to stand outside this bastion of "rightness". This past week as I listened to the General Convention of the Episcopal Church in the United States, and as I read a published article by a militant right wing group who claims to stand on "orthodox principles", I found myself questioning their claims. What is right thinking/orthodoxy? How is it that a group of people have come to claim this right without adhering to basic principles of faith? I am writing this blog in an attempt to sort this out. My basic premise is this:

1. Arch-conservatives are not orthodox as they consistently revise scripture to meet their own social agenda.

2. Fundamentalists do not appear to view scripture as the living word of God; rather they treat it as a stagnant, dead, literary work.

3. The tradition of organized religion as specific to Christianity has been revised and obscured by Fundamentalists and arch-conservatives.

Be it resolved (forgive me...a hold-over from convention), that the following terms will be utilized in accordance with the following definitions:

The terms "fundamentalist" and "revisionist" will be used inter-changeably given their propensity for revising Holy Scripture by relying almost entirely upon English translators and theologians for scripture study and for interpreting these revised texts based upon a ethnocentric, limited understanding.

Progressives are people looking to progress the Christian faith in accordance with the living, moving, life-giving Spirit of God.

Regressives seek to utilize the living Word of God as a tool of destruction and division and deny the power of God's Spirit as a revitalizing force in today's world.

The purpose of this blog is to renew our understanding of scripture, tradition, and reason, and to affirm our faith by delving into the reality that is Jesus Christ and the living Spirit of God.