The most progressive Christian Denomination?

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: sao123

Originally posted by: swbsam
I was born into a very, very Christian family (my grandfather was a minister), but have always been personally very left leaning. I gave up on Church during high school but now I'm coming back around. Now that I'm married, I think faith and a belief system's important to especially children, but I refuse to go back to a hate spewing, alarmist Church.

I'll stop being blunt, homosexuality is an issue that I hear mentioned at Churches far too often, and I really don't want to be a part of an organization that spews hate of any kind. I'm not looking for a hippy church, per say, but so many churches seem to take an active role on this issue. I'm ok with ambivalence, I just don't like the hate talk.

Are there any options out there?

EDIT

Also, I'll add that I actually enjoy going to Church now. It pumps me up for the week ahead and helps put my life in perspective, with the understanding that something larger exists than just myself. But, after visiting 6 churches in 2 months, I'm noticing either a lot of cult like conformity or hate, but I KNOW there must be something out there for centrists who like to think for themselves.

There is a difference between hate and disapproval. some churches do not understand this. some church patrons do not understand this.

It is possible to have a zero tolerance toward homosexuality without resorting to hate.
I question any church which does not oppose homosexuality, since the bible is quite clear on this subject. I also question any church which also refuses to seperate an individual from their actions. Jesus gave compassion to the prostitue mary, our churches should do likewise. The church is not here to condemn homosexuals, but to offer compassion and salvation. However, the homosexual also has the responsibility to realize his actions are sinful, he must repent and turn from those ways.

the bible also tells you not to eat pork or shellfish or flightless birds or to do your wife on her period, so hopefully you don't do those things either

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: evident
i was born and raised roman catholic and i can say that if you can find there are alot of elements that are very progressive, which is why im still in the church.

Yeah, the Roman Catholics were stuck in the 8th Century up until a few years ago, now they've progressed to the 11th. Sadly though, most of their progress has been in the man-boy love area. They still hate pretty much everything else. "Very progressive"????? ROFL!!

At least the Catholics/Pope recognize that the Earth is more than a few thousand years old & recognize that evolution is responsible for the variety of life we have today.

I taught in a Catholic school for 1 year; it wasn't bad at all. I went to a church service with a friend (because there was a concert at her church - good concert too - and I prayed "Dear God, get me the hell out of here and away from these whackos." (The sticking their hands out/ waving them, "I feel him!" and "passing out" back into their chairs cult members.)


But, having been to a few different church services, I think that for many denominations, it really depends on the father/minister/priest. There are a few denominations that should be obvious to you to avoid, or at least far more likely to contain extremist positions.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: TehMac
Lutheranism--Very liberal, maybe too much.

Actually, now that I think about it, the service I attended at a Lutheran church was the least nutty of them all. That was about 12 years ago.

 

[jonks]

Pastor Steve Anderson runs a very progressive and feel-good church. Give him a call.

http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node/19782

 

[Phokus]

Episcopalians seem to be fairly liberal:

On race

* In 1976 the Convention called for an end to apartheid while commending the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (formerly the Church of the Province of Southern Africa) for its ministry.[79]
* In 1979 the Convention condemned the Ku Klux Klan and all similarly racist groups and called on church members to oppose them.[80]
* Between 1982 and 1985 equal opportunity employment and affirmative action were first implemented within the church.[81][82][83][84][85]
* In 1991 the Convention declared 'the practice of racism is sin' and called on all church members to work to remove racism from the US.[86]
* In 1994 the Convention condemned "the racist and unjust treatment" of immigrants.[87]

[edit] On economic justice

* During the Great Depression, places like the Cathedral Shelter of Chicago served the poor.
* In 1991 the Convention recommended parity in pay and benefits between clergy and lay employees in equivalent positions.[88]
* Several times between 1979 and 2003 the Convention expressed concern over affordable housing and supported the church working to provide affordable housing.[89]
* In 1982 and 1997, the Convention reaffirmed the Church's commitment to eradicating poverty and malnutrition and challenged parishes to increase ministries to the poor.[90]
* In 1997 and 2000, the Convention urged the church to promote living wages for all.[91][92]
* In 2003 the Convention urged legislators to raise the US minimum wage and to establish a living wage with health benefits as the national standard.

 

[p2daall]

I'm sorry. I didn't read through the entire thread. I just wanted to say that the denomination isn't the true problem. The problem lies within the physical church. Each church is its own. One Presbyterian church can be very different from the next.

Also, no matter what church you go to you will eventually run into something that you may not like. It is up to you to speak your mind and question the pastor. Hopefully this will generate a good discussion. Changing churches at the first sign of confrontation is not the answer.

 

[Bignate603]

My wife is episcopalian, they're pretty easy going. I go with her once and a while and tend to enjoy listening to the priest there. He's pretty laid back and runs the non-denominational chapel at the local university. If you're there and want to talk about religion he's always been happy to have you.

 

[Platypus]

troll troll troll your boat

 

[Daverino]

I'm a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and we're very progressive (which makes me happy). Lutheranism does not have a centralized governing body, so there are very conservative branches of the religion. But the most common ones are extremely progressive.

 

[sandorski]

Originally posted by: tealk
The claim that a church can both condemn and bless homosexual relationships with equal faithfulness falls false on its face. Worst of all, it sows a disastrously deadly confusion about the nature of sin ? a confusion that subverts the Gospel and brings eternal consequences. Should homosexuals repent of their sin, or come to the church for the blessing of their homosexual unions? There can be no multiple-choice answer to that question?Woe unto those who cloak such decisions with the disguise of faithfulness.

Woe unto you for Fail.