Progressive Initiatives
Growing Progressive Movement
MFSA is helping to build a growing progressive movement of United Methodists through building coalitions, sponsoring Voices of Faith conferences and organizing at Annual, Jurisdictional, and General Conferences.
Voices of Faith
Every few years MFSA sponsors a “Voices of Faith” conference which brings progressive United Methodists together to study, reflect and take action.
Click here to read about Voices of Faith 2007
Click here to read about Voices of Faith 2005
Click here to read about Voices of Faith 2003
Our next major gathering will be held together with the Reconciling Ministries Network. The event, "Sing a New Song," will be held from August 25-28, 2011 at the Sawmill Creek Resort in Ohio. More information to come.
Monitoring the Conservative Renewal Movements in the UMC
MFSA raises awareness around activities of the conservative renewal movements within the UMC, some of which are actively pursuing the option of a schism within the UMC.
MFSA has authored several articles on this subject as well as working with the Information Project for United Methodists (IPUM) to produce the book, United Methodism @ RISK. This book traces the activities and agendas of the many conservative renewal groups within the UMC. To obtain a copy of the book contact the MFSA office at mfsa@mfsaweb.org
Progressive Christianity
Progressive Christianity is the name given to a movement within contemporary Protestant Christianity. There is no one definition but those who identify with this movement generally affirm the following:
– An affirmation of the Christian faith with a simultaneous sincere respect for other faiths
– A spiritual vitality and expressiveness, including participatory, arts-infused, and lively worship as well as a variety of spiritual rituals
and practices such as meditation
– Intellectual integrity including willingness to question
– An affirmation of human diversity (including the affirmation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people),
– A strong emphasis on social justice with a focus on compassion, promoting justice and mercy, and working
towards solving the societal problems of poverty, discrimination, and environmental degradation.
– A spiritual vitality and expressiveness, including participatory, arts-infused, and lively worship as well as a variety of spiritual rituals
and practices such as meditation
– Intellectual integrity including willingness to question
– An affirmation of human diversity (including the affirmation of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender people),
– A strong emphasis on social justice with a focus on compassion, promoting justice and mercy, and working
towards solving the societal problems of poverty, discrimination, and environmental degradation.
The following websites include organizations, publications and other resources related to Progressive Christianity. On some of the sites you will find a healthy dialogue (debate) about the strengths and weaknesses of the Progressive Christian movement.
The Beatitudes Society
The Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity
The Center for Progressive Christianity
The Canadian Centre for Progressive Christianity
The Center for Progressive Christianity
The Progressive Christian Center of the South
The Progressive Christianity Network for Great Britain and Ireland
The Progressive Christianity Network for Great Britain and Ireland