Progressive Lent: 5th Principle of Progressive Christianity

Lenten Online Series
by Pastor Durrell Watkins
March 14, 2010

This Lent, Sunshine Cathedral is offering this free online study series, to invite us all into a deeper experience of the Progressive, Positive, and Practical spirituality that we teach.

The Sunshine Cathedral is affiliated with The Center for Progressive Christianity, whose mission is:
- To reach out to those for whom organized religion has proved ineffectual, irrelevant, or repressive, as well as to those who have given up on or are unacquainted with it.
- To uphold evangelism as an agent of justice and peace.
- To give a strong voice both in the churches and the public arena to the advocates of progressive Christianity.
- To support those who embrace the search, not certainty.

Fifth Principle of Progressive Christianity
We Are People of Action (Actions Speak Louder Than Words).
We know that the way we behave toward one another and toward others is the fullest expression of what we really believe.

Beliefs change. As we learn new information, meet new people, and have new experiences, our opinions evolve. At Sunshine Cathedral, we do ask people to believe in their own sacred value and in the sacred value of all people. But more than holding an opinion, what we are really asking is that we learn to treat ourselves lovingly and that we learn to treat others lovingly. When we give time, talent and treasure to our church and other good causes, when we show kindness, when we forgive someone, when we try again after a failure, when we use our voice, our vote, or our resources to promote fairness...we are living what we really believe. Progressive Christians live lives of hope, joy, fairness, and compassion...those faith actions do more for our world than mere theological opinions ever could.

Prayer Treatment: As I live joyously, love abundantly, and work for justice in my world, I am expressing my deepest, truest faith...a trust in the goodness of life and a desire for life's goodness to be experienced by all people. Amen.