Progressive Christianity is not a fixed destination but a living journey. It invites us to walk the path of Jesus with open hearts, open minds, and open hands—seeking not certainty, but deeper compassion.
Marcus Borg, one of its guiding voices, described faith as “beloving God” rather than assenting to impossible beliefs. For Borg, Christianity is a way of seeing: seeing the world through the lens of Jesus’ life—a life marked by courage, inclusion, and justice. In his vision, the Christian story is not about escaping this world, but about transforming it through love.
Progressive Christianity takes the Bible seriously, but not always literally. It honours scripture as a sacred collection born of particular cultures and histories, yet still alive with the Spirit’s breath. Questions are not threats but invitations—gateways to a faith that grows.
Feminist theology enriches this journey by uncovering the silenced stories and neglected images of God. It invites us to see the Divine not only as Father but also as Mother, Midwife, Wisdom, and Friend. It honours women in the biblical narrative—Miriam, Ruth, Mary Magdalene—as leaders and bearers of God’s vision. It reminds us that a faith which excludes women’s voices cannot fully embody the liberating gospel of Christ.
Contextual theologies deepen this inclusiveness by affirming that God speaks in every place and culture. In Latin America, liberation theology names God’s preferential option for the poor. In Africa, theology is woven into community, song, and the memory of ancestors. In Asia, Christ is imagined in harmony with interconnected life. For First Nations peoples, the Creator is encountered in Country, in kinship with land, waters, and all living beings.
Progressive Christianity listens to these diverse witnesses, recognising that the Spirit’s truth is too vast to be held by any single tradition.
This movement is committed to justice, peace, and ecological care. It welcomes science as a partner in wonder, and diversity as a gift to be celebrated. It creates space for doubt and struggle, knowing they are part of a living faith.
To be progressive is to follow Jesus into the heart of the world’s pain and possibility, trusting that love is the deepest truth of all things. It is to keep the ancient flame burning—
not behind closed doors,
but out in the open,
where its warmth can be shared,
and its light can guide the way.