A few weeks ago, I posted about someone’s ten misconceptions regarding the church today. I felt the author lived in a dark closet and was out of touch with the real world, so I responded with my own blog post about them.
I then decided to create my own list of ten misconceptions, which will come in future posts. But first, let me give you some background.
I have spent my entire life in the church. The first seventy-five years were with the Episcopal Church, but my progressive theology outgrew it.
For the past eighteen years, the United Church of Christ has been our church home. It is one of the few remaining progressive Christian denominations, but our local UCC congregation is hesitant to make the necessary radical changes.
What happened that made me become so progressive? Let me share some of the factors:
- I live in the information age, where yesterday’s truths have been replaced with the new truths of today.
- Space exploration has radically changed what we know about the universe, and, as a result, my theology.
- In 1975, when the church refused to hire me, I was liberated to think outside the box without worrying about any financial consequences.
- When a fire engine broadsided me and killed my friend, I was forced to rethink the concept of God, which in turn forced me to rethink my beliefs about Jesus and the ancient theology of my church.
- I attended a liberal seminary where questioning and doubting were honored, not frowned on.
- In the late 1950s, Pope John XXIII radicalized the Roman Catholic Church, paving the way for ecumenical thinking and collaboration.
- In the 1980s, the Westar Institute began and introduced me to the historical Jesus, causing another major shift in my theology.
- In the 1990s, I began associating with very progressive Christians who opened the door to my rethinking everything about the institutional church.
- My early educational background was in the liberal arts, where I learned the art of critical thinking, which can be a blessing or a curse and is still part of my daily living.
- I have written books and am still writing blog posts, both of which demand that I stay current with progressive thinking.
- I live in Southern California, where the atmosphere is open and people are willing to listen to different points of view.
- I am surrounded by progressive forward thinkers who aren’t afraid to discuss
- The institutional church is currently undergoing a Reformation, even though most churches aren’t aware of it. We can see this quiet process as churches struggle to pay their bills, watch their attendance drop, and close.
Having given you this introduction, I will use my next blog post to discuss something I believe is more a product of imagination than reality, though because of what’s happening in our world today, I will occasionally deviate from my ten misconceptions to share some other ideas.
Stay tuned.
PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness
Bil
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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.
Photo courtesy of Janice Carriger (Pexels)