Why Call Ourselves Progressive?

There’s been a lot of conversation recently about whether we still need to use the term “progressive” as a qualifier for Christian.  As a movement, we’ve been using the label for about 3 decades, and with so many cultural shifts, it’s only natural to raise the question of whether it still fits.  It is a particularly valid question, especially as others who have traditionally been more conservative theologically—like exvangelicals—become more drawn to engage with progressive social causes and have adopted some Progressive Christian ideals.

In one sense, the term “progressive” has always been an odd fit, because what we’re really doing is looking backward to the teachings of Jesus to inform our theology and our positions on social issues.  All Christians do this, of course, but progressives take a different stance from other Christians by acknowledging that the Jesus of history—the actual person who lived, breathed, walked, and talked on this earth—and the Christ of faith—whom the Church invented to worship—are different.  Progressives take our lead from the historical Jesus and not the Christ of faith.  By doing so, we recognize that the real Jesus taught much more about how we are to treat each other than he ever did about what we are supposed to believe.  He lived his life standing up for the oppressed and marginalized while claiming loyalty to God over empire…and it got him killed.

By looking back to the original teachings of an authentic Jesus, we are encouraged to notice the injustice in our world and then to look forward—to make progress—because so many of Jesus’ teachings have ethical implications that are progressive in nature.  He wanted to make progress toward the radical vision of the future that he called the Reign [Kingdom] of God, where there was enough for all, oppression ceased, all were welcomed, and the world was permeated by God’s peace.

“Progressive” carries with it a connotation of both theological and political assertions that are incongruent with how most Americans think about Christianity.  The Religious Right has so controlled the cultural narrative that many Americans don’t think you can be politically or theologically liberal and still be a Christian.  Whenever people hear the word “progressive” in front of “Christianity,” it automatically sounds a bit odd to their ears, and they know that we’re talking about a different kind of religion.  Let’s be honest, the most vocal Christians in the U.S. over the past few decades have taken positions on a number of issues that are downright regressive theologically and socially.  Because fundamentalist Christianity has become synonymous with Christianity as a whole, the “progressive” qualifier has become even more important today than it was 30 years ago when we first started using it!

The Pew Religious Landscape Study that measures US religious affiliation continues to show that while fewer people attend church, most still identify as Christian.  Why?  Because they notice the incongruity between the Jesus they read about in the Bible and the Jesus that the Religious Right proclaims.   The two most frequent reasons given for leaving the Church are 1) Christianity’s perceived stance against LGBTQ+ inclusion and 2) Christianity’s perceived stance against the reality of climate change.  The term “progressive” carries both political and theological weight, but that’s important because there are theological and political dimensions to the great exodus from churches in the U.S.  Progressive politics works for justice for LGBTQ+ folx and an end to climate change.  So does progressive theology.  By placing progressive in front of Christian, we are signaling an alignment of values between ourselves and those who have felt ostracized by the Church.

Could we call ourselves something different?  Maybe.  What about “Authentic Christians?”  But don’t all Christians claim to be authentic disciples?  And who decides who’s really “authentic?”  Perhaps we could call ourselves “Followers of the Way” which was the earliest descriptor for Jesus-followers.  But does that tell others anything about how we’re different from those who control the cultural narrative?  How about “Jesusians” instead of Christians since we look to the historical Jesus instead of the Christ of faith?  But would anyone have a clue what that meant?   Probably not.  In my opinion, if we were to use a qualifier that doesn’t carry the theological and political weight of the term “progressive,” we do a disservice to what we are trying to accomplish.  Many other names require a ton of unpacking for people to understand what we mean.  In short, Progressive Christianity is different than other forms of Christianity—even those that are liberal socially, but more willing to accept orthodox creedal Christian theology.

So, if we continue to use the term “progressive,” what are we progressing toward?  How will we know when we get there?  We are progressing toward the Reign of God.  We want a world that is more like the world that Jesus dreamed of and preached about.  We yearn for that world to be made more real.  As antisemitism grows, the number of hate groups rises, white Christian nationalism festers, school shootings remain at an all-time high, hatred against the LGBTQ+ community runs rampant, climate change spirals out of control, xenophobia keeps people in camps at borders, books are banned daily, and reproductive rights are assaulted, can we really argue that we don’t need progress?  Jesus dreamt of a time when God reigned and these issues faded into a distant memory.  We need to progress toward Jesus’ vision.  How do we know when we’ve arrived?  To be honest, I’m not sure if we will ever get there completely.  Maybe we will, but there are significant obstacles that must be constantly overcome.  One thing’s for sure, even if we do progress closer to the Reign of God, that kind of world is fragile.  There will always be people who are more in love with money or power than their neighbor.  That’s why the teachings of Jesus are so powerful.  Jesus encourages us to constantly be at work in the world by transforming it with love, forgiveness, and compassion.

Should we still call ourselves “Progressive Christians?”  Yes!  I enthusiastically embrace the title.  I have no interest in being associated with the regressive Christianity that currently dominates the United States’ cultural conversation and is fueled by hate.  I have no interest in being a part of status quo Christianity which accepts the creedal Christ that has been handed to them without examining the life and teachings of the historical Jesus.  I’m interested in following the progressive Jesus or no Jesus at all.  Luckily for me (and for all of us), Jesus was a progressive!  To use modern vernacular, we might even say that Jesus was “woke.”  He was awakened to the needs of others and the world.  The core of his message was about awakening oneself in the same way, so that we could all live lives that bring us closer to God.  So, let’s continue the progressive charge and progress closer to God’s Reign of Peace, Love, Inclusion, and Justice.  May it be so.

~ Rev. Dr. Caleb J. Lines