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The Future of Progressive Christianity...Growing, Evolving, Teaching, and Leading.
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TCPC-Supporting the Progressive Christian Movement
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June 2008 |
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Greetings!
The following is an excerpt from TCPC President, Fred Plumer's letter, "Into the Future."
The impact of TCPC would have been unimaginable just a few
years ago. Our web activity has increased tenfold, our email has grown five
fold and the demands for speakers and workshops continues to exceed our
expectations.
What we have learned from all of this it that there is a
hunger in our society today for a tangible, viable and compelling spiritual path.
More and more people want to talk openly and frankly about faith, belief and
spirituality. The get excited about finding a place where they can talk freely about
a religious experience that no longer works for them. Most of them want not
only a healthy dialogue but they want to find solid information about the
religion of their tradition so they can choices knowing that they are making
informed decisions.
We do not need to be the leader or number one. We just need
to do what we apparently have been called to do and to do it better-that means finding
more effective ways of sharing the progressive Christian message. You are going
to see many changes over the next few months, so keep your eyes and ears open. We
have spent the last six months developing a viable strategic plan and we are in
the process of implementing it. You will see changes in the site and in the
expansion of resources that we will be offering to churches, small groups and
individuals.
We are very excited about Cross Walk America
joining us to make some of these things happen. The leaders and supporters of
CWA bring a spirit and passion to our organization and the movement as a whole that
is contagious. You can expect some significant regional walks to happen
sometime in the near future. You can expect a lot from TCPC in the future as we look forward to growing with the movement. So jump aboard folks, buckle up and hold on. We are headed into the future and the future is now.
To Read Full Letter
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CrossWalk America Merges with TCPC
We are very excited to announce that on June 1, 2008 CrossWalk America
and TCPC joined together as one organization to create a stronger voice for
progressive Christianity. CrossWalk America (CWA) garnered support and at a lot
of attention across the country and around the world for the message of
compassion and the dedication that the six core walkers shared on their walk
across the nation in 2006. For the last two years volunteers and staff have
been sharing their moving story about the walk through presentations across the
country and through the distribution of the video and books about their
life-changing witness. After taking a
long look into the future the CWA board decided that their mission to share the
inclusive message of love and compassion could have an even deeper impact by
joining a well established national organization, The Center for Progressive
Christianity.
More Info
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Featured Book
 The Emerging Church
by: Bruce Sanguin
Bruce Sanguin says that Christianity is
being reborn through the integration of an evolutionary paradigm.
"Emergence" is a term used by biologists and systems
scientists to describe the process whereby life winds itself up in the
direction of increased beauty, complexity, and consciousness. In The Emerging Church, Sanguin reflects on
what an "emergent" culture within a congregation might look like, and how we
might "get out of the way" of this expression of natural grace.
Sanguin goes beyond the neo-Darwinist theory of
evolution. He sees evolution, rather, as a Spirit-infused process. This process
is dynamically at work in our personal and our communal life - including in our
faith communities.
Sanguin offers more than just a ground-breaking theory
of congregational culture-shifting.
In a very readable fashion Sanguin:
� Guides both ministers and
congregations seeking to shift their congregational culture towards a
progressive form of Christianity
� Models what it means to be an
"emerging' congregation, and provides a map for how to get there
� Provides no-nonsense, realistic
advice on the pitfalls and possibilities of following the vision of the
emerging Christian way
� Offers insights from leading-edge
science, including the science of emergence, chaos theory and evolutionary
science.
ORDER from TCPC
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Featured Reviews
God's Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our
Most Important Question--Why We Suffer
By: Bart
D. Ehrman
Review by: Daniel Donoghue, TCPC Board Member
Simply put, the Bible
cannot make a coherent case. Nonetheless, this is a
surprisingly hopeful book and it comes at an important time. After Ehrman exposes the Bible's weak take on
theodicy, a conclusion emerges that is rather obvious, virtuous and humane. That
is, we can only rely on ourselves to relieve pain and suffering in the world.
We must be accountable for the "Kingdom" in which we live, not out of
fear of eternal punishment nor promised rewards of the hereafter, but simply
because it is the only way to make value of our brief moment in time.
READ REVIEW
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 What Does a Progressive Christian Believe, A Guide for the Searching, the Open, and the Curious
By: Delwin Brown
Review by: James Rowe Adams,
TCPC Founder
Excerpt: His chapter on the Bible describes simply and clearly how progressive
Christians can take the Bible seriously by embracing its contradictions. His
chapter differentiating "progressive" from "liberal" Christianity is a good
history lesson for those who are confused by these two terms. I also found that
I agreed with what I found in the chapter in which he shifts the focus from
Christ to Jesus. Brown's understanding of God, however, was
somewhat disappointing. He ably identifies the problems inherent with belief in
what he calls a "monarchical God", but as he goes on, the God he describes
seems to be the same old monarchical God in an attenuated form. In his words,
Brown's God manages, guides, creates, judges, heals, transforms, saves, and has
a purpose-much like the God he has successfully dethroned.
READ REVIEW
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Featured Sermon
Progressive Christianity Values Life and Liberty
by: Ian Lawton
pastor of C3, TCPC Executive Council
Briefly this morning I want to explore a progressive Christian notion of
God, the Bible, and the after life. Is that enough to bite off in 15
minutes? In the next 15 minutes you will have an authoritative answer
about God, the Bible and the after life! Yeah, right!
Topics discussed:
Who is God in
Progressive Theology?
What is the Role
of the Bible in Progressive Theology
Heaven in
Progressive Theology
"The wonderful thing about progressive theology
is that you don't need to escape this world. You don't need to be told what to
think by a priest or by divine text. All you need to do is realize that
everything you need, you already have. You are complete and whole as you
are."
READ SERMON HERE |
Featured Article
The Recombinant Imagination
From Westar's Quarterly Publication
By: Art Dewey
To Read Article
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TCPC NEWS AND EVENTS
RECENT NEWS
CrossWalk America
Merges with TCPC
MORE
Act On Climate Change, 1700 Top
Scientists Warn US
MORE
Diverse Religious Groups Pool Resources to Help
Rebuild Gulf Coast
MORE
Is Water Becoming the "New Oil?"
MORE
Common Dreams Org-Cutting Edge News and Opinions for
Progressives
MORE
Iraqis Protest Against US
Military Deal
MORE
Was Press a War 'Enabler'? 2 Offer a Nod From Inside
MORE
Jesters of Different Faiths Use Laughs to Bridge the Divide
MORE
Battle Looms for
Plan to Ban Same Sex Nuptials
MORE
An Epidemic of Extinction-Decimation of Life on Earth
MORE
TCPC Now Offers Highly Acclaimed Living the Questions
Resources!
MORE
To purchase the Crosswalk America DVD, Asphalt Gospel
UPCOMING EVENTS
Ten Forms of Prayer, from The Eastern Path to Heaven
Jun 6, 2008: Trinity Episcopal Church
Houston, TX
MORE
Westar Summer Institute-Asilomar on Monterey Bay
Jun 8, 2008: Asilomar State Beach Retreat Center
Pacific Grove, CA
MORE
Envision: The Gospel, Politics, and the Future
Jun 8, 2008: Princeton University
Princeton, , NJ
MORE
Marcus Borg's Lecture Schedule
Jun 13, 2008: All Over the States!
Your Area
MORE
Speaking on Faith Seminar with Martin & Peter Marty
Jun 18, 2008: The Center for Spiritual Development/Trinity Cath
Portland, OR
MORE
Radical Discipleship in an Unjust World with Marcus Borg & John Dominic Crossan
Jun 23, 2008: The Center for Spiritual Development/Trinity Cath
Portland, OR
MORE
The Inner Room
Jun 27, 2008: Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town
Albuquerque, NM
MORE
A Place at the Table Conference 2008
Jun 27, 2008: Sheraton Indianapolis City Centre Hotel
Indianapolis, IN
MORE
CrossRoads in the Wilderness: A New Rite of Passage for Christian Men
Aug 13, 2008: James Park, Colorado
Boulder, CO
MORE |
Quick Links
FEATURED MUSIC
Kristopher Lindquist
The Center for Progressive Christianity
www.tcpc.org
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Thank You for Your Support and Interest
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As we head into the future, we do so with open hearts, a desire to evolve and the knowledge that we are all interconnected. You are the movement of progressive Christianity and we simply hope to provide support for your journey.
We hope Spring finds you noticing the beauty around you and within you.
We look forward to sharing the next chapter of this incredible journey with you.
Sincerely,
The Team at TCPC
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| Contact Information |
TCPC Office:
253 303-0022
center@tcpc.org
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