Evangelical vs Progressive Christianity
What do they actually believe?
Part three: God’s Relationship With Humanity
It’s worth noting that I do not believe in the creation story, nor the myth of Adam and Eve. It is not my intention here to get into a debate about the apologetics of creation. For me, the myth of the creation story and what supposedly took place in the Garden of Eden is irrelevant for this discussion. However, both of these congregations do believe in these stories. So, what matters here is how each congregation views…
God’s relationship with humanity.
Evangelical: We believe God wants to bring about a new humanity by redeeming every part of us and our stories. We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, free from sin. Humanity (Adam and Eve) sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death (which is separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race. All human beings are born with a sinful nature and are alienated from the life of God and incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition apart from divine grace.
Progressive: We believe that… when God created the world, and human beings in particular, God said, “This is good.” Our origin story is one of goodness. We believe this goodness applies to all of humanity.
Let’s break down the evangelical statement to see if we can decipher what they are really saying.
Evangelical: We believe God wants to bring about a new humanity by redeeming every part of us and our stories.
New humanity? Huh? What exactly does that mean? I googled “new humanity” and found lots of christian sites that referenced that expression, however none of them made sense in the context of this statement. Also, what does it mean to “redeem every part of us and our stories”? Once again this is so vague as to be worthless in application.
Evangelical: We believe that man was originally created in the image and after the likeness of God, free from sin. Humanity (Adam and Eve) sinned and consequently experienced not only physical death but also spiritual death (which is separation from God). The consequences of this sin affect the entire human race.
So, we are back to original sin, are we? How curious that it’s the corner stone of christian dogma and yet it is not named, stated or taught anywhere in the bible, The concept of original sin wasn’t even developed until the fourth century CE by Saint Augustine.
The doctrine of original sin is not named, stated or taught in the Bible.
I have been skeptical of “original sin” for as long as I can remember. Even when I was actively involved in evangelical circles, I did not accept the concept that mankind was condemned from birth. I addressed this opposition in an earlier blog of mine titled “Why I Let Go of Christianity.”
One week, the message from the pulpit was that “in our natural selves dwells no goodness at all, that apart from Christ, our best deeds are no more attractive than soiled, puss drenched rags. Before Christ, goodness is cosmetic, badness is defining.” The pastor went to great lengths to explain that the god of the bible hates mankind but if we joined the Jesus Club, he would like us. Yipee!!!
I never returned to that or any other church. It’s been several decades, but the message is still the same.
Evangelical: All human beings are born with a sinful nature and are alienated from the life of God and incapable of remedying his lost and depraved condition apart from divine grace.
Let’s see if I uderstand this correctly. All human beings are born morally corrupt and wicked because of something some guy named Adam did 6,000 years ago, (which God can’t let go of) and the only way to get back into God’s favor (and not burn in hell) is to join the (very exclusive) Jesus Club?
Compare that with how progressives view God’s relationship with humanity.
Progressive: We believe that… when God created the world, and human beings in particular, God said, “This is good.” Our origin story is one of goodness. We believe this goodness applies to all of humanity.
I like that view of God’s relationship with humanity. I contacted my friend at the progressive church and asked him if his congregation believed in “original sin”. This was his reply.
No! We believe in original blessing, that is, that everything God has brought into being is already beloved. It always has been. We do not deny the reality of sin in the world, but we talk about it as everything, whether personal or systemic, that moves us away or interferes with us living to the fullest as God’s beloved children.
Hmm, let’s see… “born lost, depraved and separated from God” or “born blessed and beloved by God”? Unless you’re an evangelical, this is an easy one.
Another point for Progressives 3-0
Coming up next
Nature of Salvation
Evangelical: We believe that salvation from the guilt and condemnation of sin is possible only as the gift of God’s grace and that whoever by faith receives Jesus Christ as His Savior becomes a child of God. His salvation is not the result of any human effort or merit, rather it is the work which Christ accomplished through his life, death, burial, and resurrection that purchases salvation.
Progressive: The teachings of Jesus have led us to believe that… Christ died for all the world and God’s love is accessible and available to everyone, everywhere. The embrace of God is an inclusive, unstoppable love that calls us to believe and bear witness to the belovedness of every human being. God’s love is eternal, always welcoming, and does not require any transaction on our part.
From Where I Stand
Dale Crum
mt.toll@comcast.net