Many thanks to Chris for nominating me to blog in his stead while he is away for the next few days. Having spoken with him briefly on the phone, I’ve discovered he and I see more eye to eye than I had anticipated and wherever we are not going to agree is at least an opportunity for a friendly discussion/debate.
The other night I mused upon the technical term “Progressive Protestant.” Protestant is definable in a historical-political-theological context with little trouble, but what exactly does it mean to be progressive? What is it we are progressing from and thus to? How are we going to define ourselves, not only for the present, but for the future?
The above is me merely thinking aloud for the most part :-)
I am gradually formulating my own answer to these questions in my own mind, and the rest of my thesis is a brief anthology of ideas that have come to me in recent days/weeks.
1. Progress cannot be quantified either in dollars or by a head-count. It’s not a mere matter of how much money was spent on “such-and-such program” or how many people we have “on our side.” (Progress also avoids any unnecessary creation of “us vs. them” mentality) Progress permeates in an often invisible, yet effectual manner, and often its fruit is not immediate.
2. Progress must be based on a solid, immutable foundation in order to be of lasting value. What is pop culture one day is tomorrows “retro look.”
3. Progressive Protestantism ought to find its roots in Scripture and proper exegesis thereof.
4. Progressive Protestantism ought not to be reduced to some mechanical quasi-religious fascination. It should embody and remain a bulwark and haven to a saving regenerating faith.
5. We ought to strive to be progressing towards reconcilation between one another, between different people, and between people and God (2 Corinthians 5:18-21). We should be progressing away from sterile dead religion, sectarianism, and Christianity which is only that in name. (Ephesians 4:17-24)
6. Conclusio: The first Dark Ages was one of intellectual ignorance brought upon the world by elitists. A second Dark Ages has fallen upon us today which is one of apathy, complacency, and temporal conformity. As the great humanist thinker Erasmus wrote adamantly “Monachus non est pietas (Monkery is not piety)” let us cry out in like zeal “Convenientia non est pietas (Conformity is not piety)” and embrace a Progressive Protestantism that is edifying to the universal body of believers and even more importantly, pleasing to Christ.
Posted by Kenneth Vendler at February 15, 2004 05:33 PM | TrackBack