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Who Are We Missing?
Skeptics, Youth, Young Adults, Disillusioned, Atheists, Agnostics, Scientists, Spirituals...
There is a Christianity for you.
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April 18, 2008
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President's Note
Greetings!
I had breakfast with Bishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama
last week. The prayer breakfast
was held on the last day of a five day event organized by a volunteer group
called Seeds of Compassion.
The statistics alone for this amazing event should cause us
all to pause and reflect. Over 150,000 people paid to attend these events over
the five day period. Over 100,000 others were turned away because the tickets
were sold out.
But I found the mix of people at these events fascinating. Not
only were thousands of school age children there, but the arena and the
classrooms were full of young adults, the kind we can not seem to bribe, drag,
scare or beg into our local churches across the country. I am so used to seeing
a grey hair like mine whenever I go to national and regional church events,
that I was almost startled to discover that I was such a minority. It was
exciting to see, however. Click here to read the full article: Seeds
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God for the Gaps
By: Brian Wilson
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Excerpts: In our parish we recently
had a discussion between some parishioners and clergy on the decline in church
attendance and the growing "Gap" between churchgoers and non-churchgoers,
between the faithful and those who are lost, strayed, or simply disillusioned.
Regrettably, it seemed to be largely a discussion about where to place the deck
chairs on the already sinking Titanic, with some of the clergy and most of the
laity acting out the part of the band, playing heroically the same old tunes as
the ship went down...
Of course the church needs
to be seen to be with people where they are, not where they ought to be. But in
the end, a plethora of small initiatives among the already committed resembles
nothing so much as the activity of a headless chicken, which rushes in every
direction but (alas!) has no idea where it is going. That I am sure is the
weakness of the current churches. In seeking to be all things to all men, they
are in danger of being nothing to anyone.
Click here for full article: GAPS
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When Less Religious Affiliation is Good News
By: Ian Lawton |
Excerpts: Among
Americans aged between 18 and 29, 25% say they are not affiliated with any
religion or denomination.
This is the way of the future. "Spiritual but not religious" is the catch cry
of a generation or more of Westerners. The church alumni, those who no longer
find any relevance in the archaic form and message of the church, but explore
spirituality on their own terms, are part of the "unaffiliated" crowd.
If Christianity is to have any sort of future in the midst of these changing
attitudes, it needs to be recast. Christianity that demands some sort of
"affiliation" by way of assent to doctrine or ritual standards is outmoded.
Christianity that fails to engage modern minds is irrelevant. Christianity that
fails to connect with the hearts and imaginations of modern people will die
off. Christianity that is soulless is redundant.
Click here for full article: Good News
Ian Lawton, Bio
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Featured Book: God without God, Western Spirituality without the wrathful king
By: Michael Hampson
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God
without God takes the atheist case against God as a premise, then
examines what remains of the western spiritual tradition when the God of presumptive monotheism is removed. It finds right at the heart of the tradition a concept of God, a concept of the divine, far more complex and mysterious than that which the atheist rightly rejects. Far from being destroyed or diminished, the tradition flourishes in its liberation.
Tackling every issue head-on, the major sections are God, Ethics, Bible, Creed, and 'Home life, Sex and Gender'. God is the ground of all being and the sum of all divinity, the ultimate reality and mystery at the heart of our existence. The ethical system is the call to full humanity: integrity and compassion in place of disintegration.
Click here for: God without God
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For Earth Day 2008
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Darwin, Divinity, and the Dance of the Cosmos
By: Bruce Sanguin
Bruce Sanguine's book is one of the most exciting books that
has come across my desk in years. This book is not just for Earth Day, it is
for every day. It is not just about ecology, it is about cosmology; it is not
just about technology it is about theology; it is not just about a theological
shift and it about a reality check; it not just about what we ought to do, it
is about an incredible opportunity for something we can do to help the human race
actually evolve and maybe save our planet at the same time.
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A note from the eBulletin editor/producer, Deshna. Are
you like me? Are you one of those people that fell through the huge
gaps that churches create with their lack of bravery, evolving liturgy,
and the same old message? Maybe you have been one of the lucky few to
find a church that you can still comfortably attend. But I am one of
those people who have been completely, utterly disillusioned by
Christianity and especially its organized religion. I am thirty,
attended church until I graduated high school and since have not been
able to, or, to be honest, have had the desire to, find a church worthy
of my time. Why? Because it feels so outdated, non-pertinent and no longer fits my reality, I have a hard time spending my precious
time-off listening to something that rarely feels relevant, challenging, or purposeful. Yes, other than that amazing church I attended for 12
years, I have yet to be impressed. Do you think your church would
change my mind? Tell me all about it! (I promise, in the true spirit
of progressive Christianity, to be open-minded.) Email Deshna your church story (may be featured on tcpc.org) 
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Thank you for your continued support and interest. The progressive Christian movement is growing, thanks to people like you. Attendance in mainstream churches may be on the decline, but we know that there are churches that are growing and evolving with the movement. There is also the exciting increasing trend of local groups forming their own progressive Christian communities. We are here to support you as the individual, the local group, and the church. We are here to offer a different Christianity that is inclusive, innovative and informed. Lets work together to make sure that all people know there is another way.
Sincerely,
Fred Plumer
The Center For Progressive Christianity
center@tcpc.org
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TCPC and Living the Questions enter into and new marketing
partnership.
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LtQ Progressive Christian Resources Available at TCPC.org at 20% Discount!
In an ongoing effort to provide the finest new resources for
our supporters, TCPC will now be featuring Living
the Questions resources on the TCPC site. Throughout the year, a
variety of LtQ resources will be offered at special rates when ordered through
the TCPC site.
A percentage of all sales through the TCPC site will go toward
the work of the TCPC organization.
To celebrate this wonderful new feature any
LtQ resources ordered in the next thirty days on the TCPC site will carry a 20%
discount. This offer will only last through May 21st so act now if you are
interested.
To Order: create a free LtQ account or login if you have one, choose purchases, then enter our discount code of tcpc0020.
What is LtQ?
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TCPC EVENTS
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Jesus Seminar on the Road
Across the United States
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The Black Madonna Study Group
Apr 23, 2008: call for location, meets Wednesday nights
Marin, CA
MORE
Who Are Progressive Chrisitans? Are We? 8 weeks.
Apr 20, 2008: Hornell United Presbyterian Church
Hornell, NY
MORE
Pluralism Sunday
May 11, 2008: In Churches Everywhere!
MORE
Speaking on Faith Seminar with Martin & Peter Marty
Jun 18, 2008: The Center for Spiritual Development/Trinity Cathedral
Portland, OR
MORE
Radical Discipleship in an Unjust World with Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan
Jun 23, 2008: The Center for Spiritual Development/Trinity Cathedral
Portland, OR
MORE
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TCPC NEWS HEADLINES
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Ways to
Save our Planet and Celebrate Earth Day 2008
MORE Religion
New Steward of Environment
MORE Reflections
on Compassion Forum
MORE Join Us
For Pluralsim Sunday on May 11!
MORE Dalai
Lama Calls for Respect, Compassion and Dialogue
MORE After 8
years Bush Finally Admits Global Warming is a Real Threat
MORE Desmond
Tutu Endorses the Next Millennium Village In Rwanda
MORE McCain
Endorser:
"Destroy Islam"
MORE Compassionate
Progressivism
MORE The
Interfaith Earth Healing Initiative & the Great Lakes 2008 Earth Day
Challenge.
MORE Spaces
Still Available for Westar (Jesus Seminar) Summer Institute
MORE
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