Dr Paul Allen

I keep hearing the label “progressive Christian.” What does it mean? I answer as a theologian and scholar of American Christian varieties —ecclesiological and theological. The trouble is that there is no historical tradition of “progressive Christianity.” There are no prototypes to point back to or to now. This is in contrast to, for example, “liberal Christianity,” which is a historical-theological tradition well documented and described by theologian Gary Dorrien in his three-volume history of the subject. Unfortunately, he uses “progressive religion” as virtually synonymous with “liberal Christianity” in America. Most people who call themselves progressive Christians do not fit the liberal profile from the father of liberal Christianity, Friedrich Schleiermacher, up to his contemporary successor and interpreter, Douglas Ottati. Some do; some don’t. Unfortunately, “progressive Christian” is like Luther’s “wax nose” that can be twisted to suit anyone’s countenance. The label only has

Titlepage of the New Testament section of a German Luther Bible, printed in 1769. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) What does this word “ inspiration ” really mean as it is applied to the Bible ? Unfortunately, not all churchmen are agreed. Therefore, we have various theories of inspiration: 1. Liberal views of inspiration. The liberal theologian ’s view is expressed particularly in the statement: “The Bible contains the Word of God .” This suggests that it also contains a varied admixture of the words of men. Their position may be stated as follows: From place to place within the Book are to be found revelations which God at times gave to pious men, much as He illumines men’s minds today with insights into Divine truth. The Bible is a sort of religious scrap book in which are recorded stories, legends, geneologies, and love poems, classified, arranged and rearranged without any regard to chronological or literary perfection. The dangerous part of this view is that it places into th