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Liberal ChristianityArthur C. RugerArticlesIf we are to reform our moral and ethical practices in this country, we need to define Jesus’ Good Samaritan, Prodigal Son and Sermon on the Mount in relationship to our power as a society, our prosperity, our dominant position on a global scale, our spiritual and cultural values and our ... Walking in the Master’s Path: 21st Century Conformity or Liberty and Freedom? A personal walk in the Master’s Path is based on personal perception of how the Master viewed life and life’s questions. The notion that you are not walking that path if someone prominent or someone personally important to you disagrees with your definitions is, as I have said many times before, ... Jesus: Activist for Social Justice Many who have committed their lives to working for change and justice in the world simply dismiss Jesus' teachings about nonviolence as impractical idealism. And with good reason. "Turn the other cheek" suggests the passive, Christian doormat quality that has made so many Christians cowardly and complicit in the face of ... Those who take themselves far too seriously. The Laziness of Biblical Literalism Defenders and advocates of the aggressive Christian Right have only one shaky leg to stand on and seem reluctant to justify themselves publicly. Integrity in a Christian Lifestyle What are the most important Christian virtues? What does it mean to be Christian in America? What do sincere Christians talk about when issues of importance arise? Weeds of the Field: The Choking of the Lilies. To those who insist that America is - regardless of its cultural diversity - a “Christian Nation,” those core values must then logically be directly connected to Christ’s teachings. In previous articles I have contrasted the fundamentals of those teachings with the sort of theological rationale we have heard from the ... Jesus: A problem for the Christian Right Jesus whom the the religious right claim to follow bears almost no resemblance to the Jesus of Dominionism Hijacked: Holding the Shepherds Accountable. A followup on moral values. Those who advocated a vote for Mr. Bush and who connected Mr. Bush's election with God are morally obligated to justify their position in terms of Christian values. Article discussing post-election pundits, politicians and other experts who talk about the majority voting for moral values. What Would Jesus Do? Mark Twain's Ultimate truth about getting what we pray for. What Would Jesus Do? Mark Twain's Ultimate truth about getting what we pray for. Spiritual Constructs of Reality and Society In mortal or human terms I call that internal image of the spiritual world upon which we have based our Christian religious foundation a "mental construct" – a perceived spiritual reality. That reality - what each of us personally has imagined the spirit world and/or realm of God to be- serves ... Knowing What We Know About God - Discussing an Article by Dr. Gerry Lower. Dr. Lower has written a wonderful article that addresses, for many activists, the fundamental premises upon which activism is or ought to be based. Christian believers will be forced to make political choices in this year's election. This article discusses these choices in context of Christ's teachings. What responsibilities do we have as Christians and citizens when our political leaders invoke God as the author of a policy of war? Jesus: History, Mystery and Doubt II Discussion of historical Jesus and the modern "scientific" mode of professional research and investigation and their impact on contemporary perceptions of Jesus as a historical personage and the Christ of faith. Discussion of Christian concepts of prophecy on an institutional as well as personal level. This includes the idea of modern-day individuals with a more outward "gift of prophecy." It also includes a discussion of Prophecy and the End Times and Rapture driven currently and powerfully by the Left Behind series of ... The concept of Satan in terms of the literalist tradition and the more liberal psychological view of evil. Recommended readings are Elaine Pagels' The Origin of Satan and Scott Peck's People of the Lie:The Hope for Healing Human Evil. Liberal Christians and liberal politicians have an imperative to find harmony during this election year Guest Article -A Prodigal People A sermon on the 4th Sunday of Lent concerning the Parable of the Prodigal Son. Passion of The Christ ... I've seen the film. A review of The Passion of the Christ, a film by Mel Gibson. “The True American Holy Christian Church”: Do we want this sort of New Christianity? A brief discussion of Katherine Yurica's article from The Yurica Report "The Despoiling of America. How George W. Bush became the head of the new American Dominionist Church/State." Passion of the Christian: Literal Thinking and Violence Portrayed A commentary on the new Mel Gibson film, The Passion of the Christ. The Spirit Of God Like A Fire Is Burning: Mystical Christianity The role of the Holy Spirit in Christian Living. A discussion of the real meaning of sin and how the word impacts our attitudes. Goodness Versus Morality and the Bible The Bible contains the seeds for spiritual growth toward choosing the right things for the right reasons; for seeking the highest good of all concerned. The Christ Path: A Path of Impact The path of life taught and patterned by Jesus. EPISCOPAL COURAGE: The Right Things for the Right Reasons Commentary on the recent approval by the Episcopal Church of the U.S. of ordination of an openly gay bishop. JESUS AS MORTAL MAN: How Did He Define Himself? How might Jesus come to perceive himself and his work? Second part of a series of articles exploring what Jesus' theology of God might be. Jesus on God, Man and The Spirit-Part One Part of a series on what the actual theology of Jesus was as reflected in his words. The Religion OF Jesus - not ABOUT Jesus: Toward the theology OF Jesus Introduction to a series of articles exploring Jesus' actual personal theology based on what He actually said in the scriptures. Mysterium Tremendum Or Social Club? Is our Christian practice an actual pursuit of a personally intimate experience of God or an exercise in social business? RE-PITCHING THE TENT, a book review A review of Richard Giles book, Re-Pitching the Tent, Reordering the church buildging for worship and mission. Christian Evangelism As An Influence For Good A suggestion for effective contemporary evangelism. Jesus: History, Mystery and Doubt An essay discussing part of the challenge in the perception of Jesus' place in the Christian tradition. READING THE BIBLE AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME- a review A review of READING THE BIBLE AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME, by Marcus J. Borg, author of the bestselling MEETING JESUS AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME. A two-part discussion of feminist theology and the patriarchal God. Someone Else's Magic discusses the value of conformity to a fixed spiritual group think as opposed to independent and critical thinking. Christian Thought: Literal, Absolute or Mystical Internal debate around the future of Christianity seems to mostly centered around a position of literal fundamentalism and that of a more mystical or philosophical approach to Christian values. This artice briefly discusses the alternatives. How is the Bible useful if I cannot take it literally? An essay on using the Bible for interpretive spiritual content rather than merely as a collection of historical religious facts and prescriptions. |
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