How many progressive Christians here follow traditional theology? [View All]

[DerekG]

Many of the progressive Christians I speak to echo the sentiments I find in Quaker and Unitarian literature: that is, Jesus was not so much the only Son of God; rather, he was the most enlightened of God's children. In a sense, their perception of Jesus is akin to Jefferson's: Jesus as the best of moral teachers, who offered to the world an ethos that would be tragically perverted by Paul. Our duty is to follow Jesus' cue and recognize, and embrace, our inner light.

I myself once subscribed to this, reckoning that Jesus was but a wisdom teacher, and that it would be best if we eschewed the dogma, ritual, and, dare I say, mythos.

Oddly enough, as my liberalism gave way to socialism (that is, I veered sharply to the left), I would discover that believing Jesus to be a "nice guy" was inadequate. It wasn't enough that Jesus was a healer, a social prophet, (the aforementioned) wisdom teacher. It wasn't enough that he was my brother; no, I needed (H)im to be my savior. Indeed, the only way the Christ narrative could survive for me was if its central figure actually *was* Christ ("the annointed one"). I turned to reverence; I turned to the notion I long resisted: that 2000 years ago, God incarnated, and served as the Paschal Lamb for the children He loved so dearly--whose sorrow so saddened Him--that He would endure all the agonies of the world and snatch victory from Death's arms. I needed this love story to be true, and I now find myself exhilarated, and, even as I remain an advocate for religious pluralism (there are many paths to the Divine), I have become ever more fastened to my faith.

I am aware that the word "virgin" is a mistranslation of the Hebrew word 'Alma (young woman/maiden); yet despite this, I believe in the Virgin Birth, and honor Mother Mary.

I am aware that the oldest of the gospels, Mark, wasn't even written until at least 40 years after the death of Jesus; yet despite this, I believe the gospels are the living witness to Jesus Christ.

I am aware that Jesus never even referred to Himself as Messiah in the narratives; yet despite this, I believe Jesus to be the Messiah.

I am aware that there is scant evidence to suggest that Jesus gave sight to the blind, healed the lame, turned water into wine, raised Lazarus from the dead, and transcended death himself; yet despite this, I believe Jesus was the human incarnation of God.


Chalk it up to a fool's faith, but faith is what it is.


Who here embraces "traditional" (for lack of a better word) theology?