Among Progressive Christians there is general consensus on many issues:
1. The Bible is a collection of human records of men's and women's experiences of God. It is not the literal word of God and much of it is poetry and metaphor.
2. The story of Adam and Eve is a myth which was created to answer questions about human existence.
3. The angry God of the Old Testament is a primitive conception of God which projects attributes of worldly authority figures onto God.
4. The Virgin Birth is a myth which was invented to emphasize the importance of Jesus. Many ancient figures had miraculous birth stories.
5. Jesus was a human being.
He was not God incarnate.
6. Many of the miracle stories are metaphorical tales created to show the divinity of Jesus.
7. Jesus teachings about love and forgiveness are the core of his message.
8. The Resurrection was a spiritual resurrection not a physical resuscitation.
9. Jesus is not returning to judge humanity.
We are not in the End Times.
10. God does not punish us.
Therefore there can be no hell.
11. God does not reject gay people.
He accepts us as we are.
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Great stuff. I would only add a thought on #5, that he may be God incarnate, just like you and I might be. And on #8, we may not even be able to say with surety that it was a spiritual resurrection, as it may have just been nothing more than a story that was created about him.
ReplyDeleteGood thoughts.
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