Am I a progressive Christian?

To follow up on yesterday's post about being spiritual and not religious (the comments on Facebook were really good) I thought that I might share a a few of my thoughts on the conclusions of Presbyterian Minister Bruce Reyes-Chow in his Huffington Post piece titled "You might be a progressive Christian if..."

You can be described, but not defined:

I think that I probably share a theological box with Charismatics, Evangelicals and Methodists. I have to admit that some of my views are a bit different though and my box may be bigger than you think. :)

You are more than a party platform:
I like to think of myself as a compassionate fiscal conservative. Yet I find myself sometimes disagreeing with folks like me almost as much as those on the opposite side of the political spectrum.

You are not just waiting for the other side to get over its idiocy:
I agree with this sentiment: "The Progressive Christian will always honor the idea that community only grows if she is open to the possibility that she might be just as wrong as the other side thinks she is."

You believe God can and does speak through disagreement:
The word compromise has got a bad rap in religious circles. I am one who thinks that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Unless we find a way to debate in love we will probably never grow spiritually.

You seek the highest common denominator:
One of my favorite sayings is "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity!" People of faith have so much in common. Sad that we spend so much time fixating on our differences.

You find God's inerrant truth in a non-literal understanding of Scripture:
I sense that this one could really get me in trouble with some. Even so I have to admit my life changed for the better when I began to let go of my bibliolatry and embrace the glorious truth that I find in the bible.

You bear with the battles:
The battles that Bruce speaks of are church squabbles and schisms. On two distinct occasions I have been able to help churches get healthy by bearing with such battles. Even so I do not consider these my greatest spiritual battles.

You are appreciate the person over position:
I find religious position to be the least effective influence in my life. The influence of Jesus in my life has always been about love and forgiveness. This type of influence is always greater than position.

You choose the middle:
These past years I have found myself drawn away from black and white thinking. I find so much vibrant color when I stay away from the extremes. Even so, I want to be a person who is passionate about loving God and loving people.

You do not demand loyalty:
The things that I have done from a sense of loyalty to church leaders have never been my finer moments. Following God is not about loyalty to leaders. Following God is all about love. His love for us and our love for him.

What about you?
Wonder what you think of Bruce's descriptive points about what it means to be a Progressive Christian. I resonated with some but think that some may not be all that much about being progressive but simply being Christian.

---