Progressive Christian Alliance
As per request:
The Progressive Christian Alliance aims to be both a "denomination" and a network of allies.
To accomodate that more inclusive vision, we welcome:
1) Allied individuals. Persons who have a progressive ethos; be they unaffiliated with a church, or ffiliated with a church that does not share in their ideals. An Alliance with PCA then would allow these
individuals an opportunity to join their voices with other progressives as regarding issues of concern.
2) Allied congregations who may be more progressive than their denomination, thereby giving them an opportunity to have a stronger voice in the public forum.
3) Affiliate clergy and congregations. There are quite a few independent, nondenominational clergy and churches in existence. Many of these are non-denominational because they do not feel comfortable with the
concept of "buying into” the dogma and polity that a a typical denominational affiliation would require.
The denominational polity (as it were) of the PCA allows almost complete congregational autonomy. PCA Affiliate congregations must basically operate within three basic guidelines:
a: Have a concern for social justice
b. Respect theological diversity
c. Welcome all God's children.
Beyond that, the PCA makes no real demands on the congregations as regarding liturgy, polity or dogma.
The PCA affirms the right of each affiliate congregation or clergy person to act according to the needs of the communities they serve and the guidance of the Spirit as they percieve it, provided that those action or ministries are in keeping with our foundational principles.
Three Presbyters General were elected, to serve as the public face of the PCA, and handle inquiries about it, as well as adress any issues of misconduct that may arise. (although we aim to be strongly democratic, in the interest of preserving some discretion, better to have a small council, rather than have the entire body be made aware of situations that might require disciplinary action or cause undue controversy)
The PCA aims to break a lot of the established rules of what a denomination is. That's the point. Too often we get into debates such as Trinitarian Christology versus Unitarian, or validity of ordination (apostolic succession or not), or (fill in the blank). In order to be truly progressive, truly inclusive;
we must be able to overlook those sorts of differences and work toward a common goal, that of spreading the gospel of love to the masses and working toward working toward positive changes in the world around us.
It is our hope that the PCA can be a vehicle for that "down to basics" approach, respecting the dignity of all created beings and the diverse ways that the Divine has made itself known to them.
Currently, the PCA is quite small, with a few allies , and 2 full affiliate congregations. These congregations are fairly theologically diverse, but we have come to an understanding that there is truly more that unites us than divides us; therefore we have linked arms and joined voices.
Will it work? Is there too much autonomy in the congregations? Is it too radical a concept? I don't know. This is the vision and desire that was given us, so we proceed as best we can and remain open to the
opportunities and blessings that come our way. To paraphrase Gamaliel from Acts 5 "For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God."
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What makes a church a church?
Rev. Roger et. al.,
If we want to determine what makes a church, we first must ask ourselves why form one. It's nice and very comforting to share time, energy and thoughts w/ fellow seekers after the truth, and to define for themelves what those truths may be. So IMO the 1st reason for forming a church is emotional, the need to feel safe, to feel the love and care of fellow beings. For many it is the regaining of the security of their lost childhood family. The 2nd reason is to explore truth as we each see it, to grow from the stimulation of new ideas, to hear how others have learned and how to serve others.
If anyone wants to found a church, I would refer them back to the beginning. Jesus walked this earth sans any formal structure, in fact, IMO, deliberately avoided same. He did not feel the pull of the "edifice complex". He had some truths to share, invited others to join him and proceeded to walk amongst mortal beings healing them both spiritually and physically (in fact achieved the latter, the physical via healing them spiritually). He needed no physical space other than an outdoors setting large enough to accomodate several dozen persons.
I've seen so much energy put into a structure or place to meet, so much time of the leader lost to raising funds to maintain the place their salaries. Small congregations do have the advantage of lower maintenence costs and yet still eventually feel the pull of the "ediice complex".
So what are the truths a Progressive Christian Alliance holds now, what truths seem lost and in need of regaining? Is it to find just the pure cornels of truth as espoused by Jesus? One of his disciples, a latter leader, or what.
Personally I am very attracted to finding just what Jesus said, to focus on what he said rather than who we have been told he was, the circumstances of his birth, who is earthly parents, how and why he died, etc. What was his message?, how does that bring comfort and understanding to me, how do I apply it daily.
No longer members of a congregation my wife and I spend our Sunday mornings reading from and reflecting upon the wisdom we find in Stephen Mitchell's "The Gospel According to Jesus". I've also begun to read John Shelby Spong's "Jesus for the Non-Religous". All we desire and require are those cornels of truth these learned men have sifted out from the Bible, much as Thomas Jefferson did. As the eldest of a family of "preachers kids", my wife has seen first hand the impact a ministry has on the ministers family and is still "recovering". We seek only the message, and actively avoid getting caught up in the mythology that has grown up around that most loving Jewish rabbi of 2,000 years ago.
In essence wae have formed our own 2 person congregation. We seek to know what was His message and how does it serve us today?, how can we use this wisdom to serve our fellow humans being? If serve others we serve ourselves.
If we could find a church such as you describe we might join, or maybe just be content being individul members of your new alliance. We are always open to new avenues of truth, new experiences.
Rich
Good questions
Rich,
Here is my concept of the reason for church.
1) Communion
As you stated so well: "It's nice and very comforting to share time, energy and thoughts w/ fellow seekers after the truth, and to define for themelves what those truths may be ...the 1st reason for forming a church is emotional, the need to feel safe, to feel the love and care of fellow beings"
2) Learning
Again, well put: "to explore truth as we each see it, to grow from the stimulation of new ideas, to hear how others have learned and how to serve others"
3) Service
Taking what we have learned and gaining strength from our communion, we are called to live out our faith on a daily basis, whether we are at home, school, work or play; ever working to be a blessing to those around us and effect positive changes in the world around us.
The problem, as I see, it is that oftentimes churches concentrate almost all of their efforts on reasons 1 and 2, and only pay lip service to 3; or if they do perform some sort of outreach, it is geared towards increasing the community within the walls of the church. Unfortunately, without service; communion and learning are merely mental masturbation, serving no real purpose to those who we are called to serve.
Furthermore, where a church's heart is, there her treasure lies also. A church that is more concerned with communion and learning than service is obviously more succeptible to "edifice complex", than one whose main mission is equipping and encouraging those who seek to live their faith in the world, day by day.
That type of service-related focus is a major part of what the Progressive Christian Alliance hopes to reclaim. In addition, with our stated respect for theological diversity, we hope to escape some of the vacuous arguments that seem to demand so much of the church's time that could be better spent sharing the message of Jesus rather than defending the myth of Jesus.
Pesonally, I lean toward a more Unitarian concept of God, than Trinitarian, but if Trinitarian thought speaks to you, who am I to demand that you share my understanding. What is true to me may not be so applicable and true to you. The joys of individuality there... Even better is if we can agree to disagree and open our minds to the wisdom of others, and learn from others who have a different understanding. To quote Rev. Wright "different is not deficient".
Amen, Brother Roger!
Rev. Roger,
Amen! Yes, service is key, it is the living expression of our faith. I'm so glad you reminded me of that. This is what I hear Ben's church doing so well. It is taking the words of Jesus, the bones, and putting flesh on them. And it is more than just service to the poor, as much as they may need it. Jesus came to serve ALL members of the human family. On one hand it's relatively easy to serve the poor, they are quite visible (for those with eyes to see). On the other it is a huge challenge to serve the wealthy, for they perceive that they have "made it". They have their earthly rewards, but "what treasures have they laid up in Heaven?" They become arrogant and detached from the realities of the lives of struggle 90% or more of the rest of the human family deal with daily.
They percieve no need for church blessings, they see their lives blessed all around them. So our challenge to them is this; to warn them, as Paul did in 1 Timothy 6:9&10, about the love of money being the root of all evil. Read 1 Timothy 6:9&10. Can you not see the fall of Enron, Bernie Ebbers, Jack Abramhof, Tom DeLay etc. there?
While we may serve the poor best by teaching them to fish for themselves, how does a progressive Christian church serve the wealthy, especially if the wealthy are supplying much of the where withall to "render unto Caesar", support the edifice complex, pay salaries and the like?
It's relatively easy speaking in ways to comfort the inflicted, but IMO we need to inflict the comfortable, remind them of their humanity, that they have been blessed and challenge them to lay up some treasures in Heaven by sharing their wealth in ways that empower the poor to help themselves. BTW my philosophy towards taxes is "those who benefit the most, should pay the most".
As science tells us we live in an intimately interconnected, interactive and interdependent Universe. When the wealthy empower the poor they empower themselves by creating customers for the goods and services the wealthy draw their sums from. The universe truly is a infinite cosmic web, a vast sea that swims in itself, a book of wisdom that writes itself.
When I write these words I feel the heat from the coals in Jim's belly. Social Justice is the cause he serves, very clearly. Amen Jim! That is what draws many folks to the CrossLeft community.
So shall we inflict the comfortable, the wealthy amongst the human family? A thought. Maybe that's what we might call the Theology Panel - The Inflictors!
As for my concept of God (which I call Our Creator) I am like you, I very strongly hold to a unitarian view. When I was, as a young man just entering college, admitted into the Lay Ministry of the Methodist Church I got hung up, big time, on the Trinity, especially the "Holy Ghost" thing, which I now see as holy spirit. When I found a nearby Unitarian-Universalist church I suddenly felt very much at home theologically and quietly dropped out of the Methodist church, my mothers spiritual home. Being near a college is a natural location for U-U's. Emerson, the great Transcendentalist of the mid 1800's, referred to them as "God's Frozen People", quite passionate people - about social issues, just don't ask them how they feel inwardly. They look at you like you're speaking a foreign tongue!
As I believe we were gifted by Our Creator with two powerful sources, or channels, of wisdom; our intellect and our intuition, we need to employ both. We need each one to run our inner engine on both cylinders. For me it's reason and faith, science and religion. That's why I refer to myself as a Deist. I lost my faith as a young man and science brought me back to it. I traveled from a being a nominal theist (I believed 'cuz Mom said I should) thru an Agnostic phase to an Atheist phase (how could a loving Creator allow bad things to happen to good people) and back to a theistic phase, my current Deist place, where I am now very comfortable. I feel I've found the spiritual temple I have long sought.
So let us explore together, all of us, shall we?
Further re-visioning
Nancy,
Thank you for those warm words and bless and your continuing ministry.
The question that arose as I was reading your response was this: What makes a church a church? What is there to say that a body of worshippers gathering together in a church building at an appointed time to worship and learn is more "a church" than a body of like-minded people gathering at a home or the local Starbucks for the express purpose of worshipping and learning about God? I say there is no real difference other than convention. Convention says that "a church" must meet in a deddicated facility at a dedicated time for the purpose of worship. Perhaps as a part of this "re-visioning" process, we also need to re-vision what a church is. Perhaps we need to buck conventional wisdom in that respect and re-assert our own heritage. In the early history of the church, adherents to "The Way" often met in homes and other non-dedicated facilities for the purpose of worshipping and learning about God. That is a proud heritage that we should in many respects reclaim. I say to you Nancy, that the spiritual growth classes that you teach in your home should take their rightful place alongside the great cathedrals as a place of worship. Reclaim our heritage. There is no shame in that. Jim, you spoke of considering "starting a Progressive Christian talk group, with the possibility of it evolving into a church"; I say start the group, and you have the church. If the Spirit has led, or is leading, you to create something different from the established "norm" for the express purpose of worshipping and learning, voila! You have a church in the truest form. Go with it, embrace the leadership of the spirit as she calls. I happen to know of a small denomination that will support you fully.
Another thing, too often the institutional church is in an economic sense wasteful, as the dedicated facilities are maintained at a considerable cost-to-use ratio, and the vast majority of the efforts of the paid staff are centered around those few hours that the church is "open". In many respects I believe this leads to a sort of impotence in the church. "I don't want to make too many waves or offend anyone, lest those who pay the bills (and my salary) start withholding their donations" Small churches, with unpaid (or poorly paid) ministers do not have that concern so much. Rather than worrying about offending someone or hurting their feelings; we can then instead challenge them to greater growth. We can then freely give "spiritual meat" to those who are willing to recieve it. We can then speak out with the bold, prophetic voice of our forebears....
Those who have ears to hear, will hear (eventually). Those that do not will travel their own path. And you know what? I believe that is as it should be.
Church or Worship?
Good observations on church. Rhetorically, the church is often defined as the body of worshipers. I'd like to move this in a bit different direction by asking what is the purpose of worship?
Here I refer back to James: "Pure and unadulterated worship before God the Father is this, to care for the orphan and widow and remain unstained from the world." (or something like that, I'm going from memory) As I tend to paraphrase: making a real, tangible difference in this world. So, when is a church not a church? Perhaps when it does nothing but sit on its corporate ass and do nothing but sing happy-happy-feel-good songs in the name of God. Or perhaps something else.
I find the PCA info intriguing. I have a couple of concerns. First, the name. There is already a PCA out there. And it's probably not a desirable to be associated with the acronym. Second, I believe denominations are on the way out. It seems to me that denominational structures are becoming more and more at odds with the postmodern structural narratives. I do like the idea of a network. A while back, I was considering working in that direction myself. The goal was to have the networks commonality, communication, and symbolism wed to the online experience (much like we see with CrossLeft). Meanwhile, there would be cell groups on the ground for the face to face relationships. So, my suggestion for the PCA (though unsolicited) would be to change the name/acronym and move beyond the denominational paradigm.
An inspired ministry
Rev. Roger,
I think you and your wife are operating on the level of divine inspiration. I do believe all churches will move more in your direction, IF they want to continue. The year I pastored a church, some of the most dedicated members were begging for more spiritual meat. They knew I knew more than I could say in church and begged until I finally started a small group. That came under so much criticism that we disbanded. My heart has ached ever since for those who want to remain in a church, but in doing so end up starving spiritually.
Following that year's internship, I returned to teaching spiritual growth classes in my home. At the end of the six weeks class period, the members never wanted to leave. They so wanted a place to come for spiritual nourishment. Most felt they could never return to a church and be content.
I find it so very sad that churches have not learned that spiritual growth and learning is a continuous process ... the more we learn and grow, the more we want to learn and grow. Spiritual growth and learning is the most exciting adventure human beings can have.
I still tear up whenever I attend a church service because I love the concept of a spiritual community meeting together each week ... yet, each time I come away knowing that I can never return to an environment that restricts my search for Truth.
So, once more, I say, "Bless you, Roger, and your wife."