Blogachute #6 - The Progressive Sphere

Thank Goodness it’s Friday! After a heavy week of doing VBS – Splash for Jesus – I need to get out of the spritual plane and blogachute somewhere in cyber-space.

This week, I’m heading out of my comfort zone and into the world of Progressive Christianity. This is not easy for me, for freefalling in this area of the blogosphere goes against everything I was trained for…ah, well here goes nothing!

Bultmanimo!

8000feet Shuck and Jive – this is Pastor John Shuck’s progressive Christianity blog. John is a pastor like me in East Tennessee. We have crossed theological swords from time to time, but without any real animosity. I think he is leading the flock under his care astray, but that’s just my opinion.

The site, however, is well written and John does a lot of progressive reading. He’s willing to debate issues of faith, and does so in a jocular manner. Currently, he’s in a theological discussion about evolution, creationism, and a whole bunch of other worthwhile topics. Be warned! – John gives as good as he gets.

7000feet Fides & Veritas – written by H.H. Patriarch Anthony, who’s in the process of raising money for an online church. I think Anthony originates from the orthodox church, so his blogs are very academic and intensely progressively theological. He suggests that his blog is like looking down the path to an unknown end. (I think that’s a pattern amongst progressive Christians – not sure of where they’re going).

Anthony has started a new job working at some building complex. His observations are startling, expecially about those who don’t look after their children.

Nice aesthetic looking site though, and the bookmarks are user friendly. Talking about bookmarks, you need to check out his current reads. Plenty of food for thought there.

6000feet The Wayside Pulpit – I liked the title of this because it reminded me of several churches who used an outside bulletin board to get their messages across to passers by. The anonymous blogger writes this about the site:

This wayside pulpit is not a space for traditional Christian beliefs and theologies, rather it is a place to press beyond these traditional views. This is a space of both play and radical exploration. It is a place to throw faith against the wall and see what sort of ink blot is left behind. You won't like all the twisted and strange shapes that emerge, neither will I, but together they'll form their own unique graffiti.

The blogger wears his/her heart on their sleeve. This week, there is a very insightful blog called “Why a god?” it seems to reflect a lot of the loneliness that Progressives encounter.

5000feet Left of Calvary – definitely not for the faint-hearted. This is the Al Franken site for progressives. A lot of anger is vented against conservatives. Presently, the blogger (Father David Jennings) is writing about the Christian protest of the Hindu chaplain praying in Senate. All I can say is “Holy Cow!”

Very thought provoking and clever thinking here.

4000feet Ponderings on a Faith Journey – Bob Cornwall is a Disciples of Christ pastor and a church historian. I like the current religious news angle of this blog. Some of the progressives I’ve read just seem to want to bash conservatives and George Bush all the time. Bob’s writings are less vitriolic and have more value because of his scholarly knowledge. This is a site that I will bookmark and visit often.

3000feet Faith in Public Life – a resource center for justice and the common good. This is a social justice site founded, as it states, by America’s diverse faith leaders to strengthen faith movements sharing a call to pursue justice and the common good.

This is Progressive Christianity at its best – a resource providing lots of information about events, issues, and ministries that seek to better society and change our world. It’s an advocacy group which seeks to bring controversial issues to the attention of Joe Public and Roger Right Wing.

Torture is the current issue, especially the continued incarceration of foreign prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. The site contains breaking news and blog links, a calendar of protest events, as well as promotions for new Progressive books. Quite an interesting site and well presented.

2000feet Street Prophets – another site not for the faint-hearted. This is a bunch of blunt Progressives who have partnered together to produce a radical blog full of articulate, opinionated left wingers. If the Right really wants to know what the left thinks theologically, then this would be a key site to read, digest, and ponder.

These guys (and gals?) base their theology on the call of the prophet Amos, who troubled the establishment and authorities in Israel. They’re busy writing about the Hindu Chaplain and advocating on his behalf, some even going as far to say that we’re all the same….but how does a person who worships God and one who worships animal deities be classified as the same?

1000feet Religious Right Watch – this site is the equivalent of jihad watch and may be considered as the theological ‘moveon.org’ site. I get the feeling that they really don’t like RWs here…the blog proudly declares that they do what they do in order to secure the blessings of liberty.

The site contains many contributions from different bloggers and a whole host of facts and figures about why the Religious Right is ruining America, especially its reputation abroad. There are the usual writings from agnostics who are unsure about God and comments on the homosexual ordination issues. It’s a clever site, but nothing really original. Maybe I’ve been in the Progressive blogosphere too long today.


Zero feet - Down to earth, with a few bumps on the way! Whew, I’m sure glad this is over. Now I can get back to ruining America by sticking to my Christian beliefs….