A Good Enough Theology: Evangelical Passion (Bruce Epperly)

What is a "Good Enough Theology?"  And in defining this notion of theology, where might evangelicalism fit?  One of the things about evangelicalism, is that it is a hard term to pin down.  I'm a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, an evangelical flagship institution, but Fuller is quite different from other institutions in the evangelical community, such as Dallas Seminary or even Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  There are conservative evangelicals and there are those, like me, who want to retain our connection with evangelical sensibilities and would be comfortable with the designation "liberal evangelical."  Then there are those who see themselves as "evangelical liberals," a designation that Bruce Epperly, the author of this series of posts, is quite willing to affirm.  If you are a liberal or progressive Christian, what might you take away from the evangelical mindset that can broaden and deepen your faith?  That is the purpose of Bruce's essay today (and next week he'll be bringing in fundamentalism). 

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A Good Enough Theology: Evangelical Passion

Bruce Epperly

For the past two weeks, I have affirmed that a good enough theology has the stature to embrace diverse theological and spiritual approaches. We can compare theological wholeness, or stature, to a balanced diet – recognizing favorite foods, but also including side dishes that not only add flavor but vitamins and minerals. We need basic foods, good theology, but also good seasoning, liveliness. As a progressive Christian, I recognize that I need to include the heart as well as the mind, contemplation as well as action, passion as well as intellect, to have a complete and balanced theological diet. Last week, we reflected on the gifts of the Quakers: the vision of God’s presence in everyone, the importance of contemplative prayer, and commitment to action for justice based on recognizing God in every face. Today, I will reflect on the evangelical passion for a personal relationship with God and Jesus.

Recently, I had a conversation with a member of a liberal/progressive congregation. He commented that although his pastor is a good preacher, he virtually never mentions Jesus in his sermons. I have heard this observation/critique many times from liberal/progressive congregants. They hear Jesus occasionally mentioned as the example of a “way of life,” but seldom as a contemporary reality - a personal reality - that can be experienced in daily life. While liberals and progressives are rightly concerned about making an idol of Jesus, seeing Jesus solely in individualistic terms, or promoting a relationship with Jesus that leads to denigrating other religious traditions, I believe that the evangelical passion for Jesus, for a personal relationship with God, contributes energy and vitality that balances and adds life to intellectual and contemplative faith experiences.

Now, many liberals are uncertain about using the word “evangelical.” For them, it connotes social and theological conservatism, televangelists, and religious exclusivism. In contrast, I like the word “evangelical”: perhaps, because I was raised in a small town Baptist church, perhaps because it points to the importance of passion in faith, perhaps because it reminds us that we have good news to share. While labels can be limiting, I am particularly fond of descriptions such as “evangelical liberals” and “spirit-centered progressives.” I claim them both, and believe that there is good news to be found in embracing both evangelical and Pentecostal perspectives as part of a good enough theology. (We will speak of spirit-centered faith next week.)

Anne Lamott uses the term “Jesus-y” to describe her faith, and that works for me. As a progressive-oriented Christian, I claim that Jesus is alive, not just as the proponent of a way of life, but as a personal reality within the dancing (perichoresis) trinity of divine creativity and companionship within God, us, and the world. In unity of spirit with God, Jesus is as intimate as our next breath. Yet, Jesus’ intimacy invites us to a global spirituality. As our companion on a holy adventure, Jesus calls us to “follow” him in growing in wisdom and stature – in embracing God’s presence in the outcast, the diseased, the stranger, and the enemy. Jesus says “I am in the least of these” and you love me best by loving them. Jesus “walks with us and talks with us” in the midst of life’s challenges.

Loving in the spirit of Jesus means a lot of things, too, certainly it means hospitality and healing; it also means sharing “good news.” And, sharing good news involves both a “what” and a “how” – as progressives we can be as passionate about our faith as those who call themselves evangelicals because we have good news to share. Just look at Eric Elnes’ Phoenix Affirmations or the principles of progressive Christianity, articulated by the Center for Progressive Christianity; just look at my Holy Adventure (Upper Room, 2008) and you will discover that we have a faith we can share, a faith that changes lives. Claiming the following visionary affirmations can change your life and the lives of countless seekers:

God loves us and is present in our lives.

God wants you to have abundant life.

God rejoices in your creativity.

God’s grace embraces, forgives, and makes whole.

Jesus shows us a way to healing of mind, body, spirit, and the planet.

Wherever there is truth, God is its source, in all its many forms.

Jesus is your companion in life and death.

God’s spirit is constantly inspiring us.

God wants us to be partners in healing the world.

This list is far from exhaustive and you can make up your own progressive affirmations of faith; but one thing is clear, living with any one of these affirmations will change your life. These affirmations “preach, teach, and transform.” They call us to a full-voiced Hallelujah!

And, they call us to share our faith in the spirit of hospitality, healing, and respect – learning as well as proclaiming in the spirit of young Jesus at the temple. We can have passion, share good news, and also listen to the gifts of others as part of our affirmation of God’s global and graceful presence.

We progressives have a theology that transforms: if we can personalize this theology, experience it through contemplative practices, and embody it in socially-transforming actions, we can proclaim faith with passion. We can be evangelical as well as contemplative and theologically open-minded. A balanced theological diet of mind, heart, and hands gives life, vitality, and witness to the world, and us.

Bruce Epperly is a seminary professor and administrator at Lancaster Theological Seminary, pastor, theologian, and spiritual companion. He is the author of seventeen books, including  Holy Adventure: 41 Days of Audacious Living, a response to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. His Tending to the Holy: The Practice of the Presence of God in Ministry, written with Katherine Gould Epperly, was selected Book of the Year by the Academy of Parish Clergy.  His most recent book is From a Mustard Seed: Enlivening Worship and Music in the Small Church, written with Daryl Hollinger.

Revive Us Again! Passionately and Progressively?

Cane Ridge Revival 1801

Last week I posted an essay by Professor/Pastor Bruce Epperly entitled "A Passionate Progressive Christian Revival," and in that essay Bruce argued that progressives need to experience a passionate revival.  I was thinking about what such a thing would look like as I participated in a revival at a Black Disciples Church in Detroit last night.  

It was my first revival in a Black church, and I must say -- I came home moved, revived, and restored.  There was music and prayer and preaching.  The guest revivalist, Pastor George Davis, stirred us with his message out of 1 Chronicles 7:14 -- the first of three messages.  The choir and the praise team sang (and that was enjoyable).  And Pastor Rufus Lewis sang "I Won't Complain" in honor of a beloved church member who had died that day.  After the preaching, Pastor Rufus called up the pastors in the house, and several of my colleagues and I went up front, and we prayed with those wishing prayer.  It was a unique experience that was spiritually uplifting.  I must say, I was warmly received and greeted by all.  Indeed, that might have been the most moving part of all -- the warmth of the fellowship.    

So, what would a progressive revival look like?   Would it look like a bible lecture?  Would it stir the souls?  Would it call out from us a deep sense of need for the presence of God?  Would it exude love of neighbor?  Further, if, my congregation were to hold a three night revival with a guest preacher, would the people come out?  As a Disciple I know that our roots go back to the Second Great Awakening.  Barton Stone, one of our founders, was host to the famous Cane Ridge Revival - an event that was anything but a rationalist experience for participants.  So, my question goes forth.  How might the Spirit move in our midst in a way that when we go forth we have been revived and restored? 

A PASSIONATE PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN REVIVAL? (By Bruce Epperly)

I have asked Dr. Bruce Epperly, a Disciples/UCC pastor and professor at Lancaster Theological Seminary to write a series of guest postings.  This is the first of those postings.   Keep an eye out for the next offering as it will follow up on this most important piece.

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Recently, I asked my theology students the following questions: “What would you think of Christianity if the only Christian you heard in the public sphere was Pat Robertson asserting that the earthquake in Haiti was the result of divine punishment? If that’s all you heard, would you want to have anything to do with Christianity?” After a spirited discussion, I reminded my class that for most people, especially persons who have not grown up in the church, Pat Robertson, Fred Phelps, Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, and religious spokespersons who denounce the theory of evolution and evidence of global climate change as demonic are the only Christian voices they hear! Progressive and moderate Christians seldom get a hearing in the public sphere, nor do we often share our witness with passion and clarity.

I spent part of Good Friday in conversation with a pastor who believes that the current political and religious context is calling for a moderate and progressive revival, a 21st century progressive Great Awakening. Yes, I said “revival!” She had been mulling over a documentary, chronicling Billy Graham’s career as North America’s premier evangelist and wondered if progressives shouldn’t initiate such a spiritual revival in our time. Her words, to use the language of my evangelical friends, “convicted” me. They reminded me that we are involved in a type of spiritual warfare and that we, as progressives, haven’t yet gathered a strong team of peaceful warriors to get our message out in the theological, spiritual, political, and public sphere. We seem content with slow decline, when we should be moving forward to take a central place in North America’s future spiritual landscape.

There is a gathering cultural and religious storm in the United States: we see it in the racist and homophobic epithets and death threats directed at members of the House of Representatives; the rise of Christian militia groups; the apocalyptic language invoked by the more radical members of the Tea Party movement, some of which is encouraged by the inflammatory language of media personalities and conservative political figures. Some of this is not new, but the volume been raised and has virtually drowned out the voices of progressive and moderate Christians in the public sphere and on cable television news.

One thing I appreciate about many of my conservative friends is that they are quite emphatic about what they believe. They recognize that the stakes are high, and they want to shape the outcome of the political and religious battles of our time. Perhaps, we progressives need to inject greater passion in our theology and spirituality, so that people will know that there is a Christianity that is open-spirited, welcoming of diversity, spiritually dynamic, supportive of the scientific enterprise whether it involves the theory of evolution, genetic research, or the recognition of global climate change. We need to make our witness known in the public sphere because, more often than not, most people outside of the church are amazed that it is possible to be a Christian and believe that:

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  The universe is fourteen billion years old.
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  Evolution is compatible with faith in God.
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  Humankind isn’t necessarily the center of God’s plan and that other species matter as well.
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  The bible is inspired but not infallible.
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  Faithful persons can have serious questions about their beliefs.
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  Persons of other faiths also receive revelations from God.
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  Non-Christians, atheists, and agnostics can be “saved.”
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  Progressives have a prayer life and believe in divine healing.
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  Persons of faith are interested in saving the earth.
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  God treasures ethnic, sexual, religious and cultural diversity.
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  Persons can disagree without hating one another.
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  The Bible supports an ethic of social concern supports the rights of immigrants and the recent health care initiatives.
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  Jesus’ had female followers and these women were given the Great Commission before their male companions.
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  Christianity is a diverse and multifaceted faith.
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  God is alive, present, and moving in our lives.
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  God wants us to be free, creative, and adventurous.
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  God does not cause earthquakes, cancer, or tsunami.
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  God is into love and not punishment.
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  We have a role in shaping the future of the planet.

A few days ago at the Easter Service at Disciples United Community Church (http://www.ducc.us/) in Lancaster, PA., the members of our open and affirming, progressive, spirit-centered church, shared seeds of resurrection. Their words witnessed to God’s seeds of resurrection growing through:

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  Trust in everlasting God’s care for a relative who died in a sudden accident.
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   Recovery from addiction.
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  The first steps toward universal health care.
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   The movement toward marriage equality.
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   The power of prayer to change lives.
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  A relative coming home after a two month absence.
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   Family reconciliation.
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   A healthy pregnancy.

As my evangelical friends say, “that will preach,” and it preached at Easter in our small community of faith. When we boldly give our testimony, our progressive witness does preach – it is good news of affirmation, revelation, healing, and love that embraces all humanity and welcomes diversity. It is good news that God never gives up even at the moment of death. It is good news that small beginnings can lead to great adventures. It is good news that God loves diversity, cherishes multiplicity, and encourages creativity.

We progressives have a witness that we can be passionate about and can share in heartfelt ways at church, in the public square, and in the media. Nearly a hundred years ago, William James spoke of the “moral equivalent of war,” that is, the willingness for persons to become “peaceful warriors,” energetically and ardently committing ourselves to a great cause. As progressive and moderate Christians, we don’t need to demonize or demean those who take different political or religious pathways, but we need to be strong in our witness, faithful in our quest for justice, dedicated in our spiritual practices, and active in our political involvement. Perhaps, we need our own “revivalists” today – on line, in the community square, in the media, and in our pulpits, for the great cause of healing this good earth and its peoples.

In concluding today’s thoughts, let me ask: What would a passionate, progressive revival look like? Where and how might we get involved in shaping such a revival? What are our “seeds of resurrection?” What words do we need to say and whom do we need to challenge? What role might we play in a theological, spiritual, and political revival today?

Bruce Epperly is a seminary professor and administrator, pastor, theologian, and spiritual companion. He is the author of seventeen books, including Holy Adventure: 41 Days of Audacious Living, a response to Rick Warren’s Purpose Driven Life. (http://www.bruceepperly.com/)