Christian Issues? | thebereancall.org

TBC Staff

Churches unite on the left

Determined not to let conservative Christians dominate the faith, 14 area churches have banded together to convince wavering believers there is more than one way to be a Christian.

Progressivechurches is the name of the new coalition, and it has taken out a catchy ad running in several area newspapers. The group also has a Web site, www.progressivechurches.org.

"Almost given up on Christianity?" it reads. "We understand."

The coalition has so far identified three common issues: the inclusion of gays and lesbians, the need to protect the environment, and a desire to be more responsible global citizens.

"We feel the primary understanding of Christianity in mainstream America is that of the evangelical right," said the Rev. Doug Long, the pastor of North Raleigh United, a United Church of Christ congregation. "We want people to know there are Christians who think of things in a different way."

The churches, belonging to seven different Protestant denominations, do not agree on all the "values" issues so prominent in the news. But that's the point, they say. They don't have to (Shrimron, News Observer, Raleigh, NC, June 3, 2005).

[TBC: The question of right-wing politics versus left-wing politics misses the point. The real question is, "is it biblical and does it conform to the revealed will of God?"]