First, we believe that theology is best understood in conversation. A website page certainly isn’t that. Second, we say we are a progressive church. Though we know Progressives land on a wide spectrum when it comes to theology. And to be clear, there is a spectrum even in our own community. So, some of what we say below could probably be said better. And it doesn’t cover everything. But our hope is to give you a sense of where we stand on several issues.

God

We believe in God as Trinity. Existing in an eternal dance of mutual sharing and submission. We understand this trinity as God our Father and Mother, Jesus the Christ (Messiah and savior), and Holy Spirit. God is then for us and with us and within us.

We believe that God is creator. That all that we see and touch comes from God. The Bible says that “the invisible things of Him are clearly seen” in creation. Therefore, we do not see science at odds with God. To study our world is to study God. And when science discovers something like evolutionary science, we celebrate it as a further revelation of God. And when science warns us of something like climate change, we pay attention. We take our task to “steward” the creation seriously.

Bible

We take the bible seriously! Seriously enough to question everything it says and we’ve been told it says. We believe the Bible is a deeply historical book. Taking place in times different from ours. They had different ways of thinking and writing. In a sense, the Bible is an “incarnate” book. Ideas of God entering into human contexts and languages. God didn’t suddenly involuntarily take over someone’s body and force them to write things or deliver a complete draft through some heavenly email system. So the Bible may be for us but, it wasn’t written to us. This is why we place a high value on scholarship. We welcome insight from those who have studied the times and places and people of Biblical times.

The Bible is then incarnate but also “inspired.” This idea involves the breath of God. The same idea is used to describe what God does to Adam and Eve in the story of creation. He “breathes” or “inspires” them, giving them life. Adam and Eve (humanity) were given the ability to think and grow and change and reflect on who God is, while also reflecting God to others. The Bible does this is as well. It has the capacity to show us who God is. It has the power to change us and our world.

We believe that the Bible shows us what God is like, what humanity is like, and what humanity thinks God is like. One of our primary tasks is to determine which is which as we read. This means wrestling and digging and questioning.

We believe the Bible functions primarily as a STORY. It unfolds and develops and changes. Even in the New Testament, we see that early community of Jesus followers wrestling with what Jesus means in their world. What he means to their understanding of their scriptures. What he means to their communities. And often they disagreed. And then we see their understanding grow and change throughout the story. They were called to “bind and loose” as their story unfolded. We believe we continue in that story that is still developing and changing. And though things continue to change and the Spirit continues to reveal, just like another Movement to a larger symphony, it should flow naturally out of the previous stories. You should recognize the melody even if the harmonies or instrumentations or arrangements are different. Change is not a threat but an invitation.

We believe Jesus is the “Word of God.”

No, we didn’t use inerrant. It wasn’t an accident.

Jesus

Jesus is our “Sola”, our only. Jesus is our center. Jesus binds us together. He is the well where we gather. And we believe that having that strong center is enough to create community. You don’t need fences when you have a well. Without that strong center, we see division. Other things will naturally become center.

We believe Jesus is the WORD of God finally revealed. God finally visible and understood in details we could barely see when looking through the previous fog. Jesus is the very form of God. Jesus is the very same thing as God. And so God is JUST LIKE Jesus. Jesus functions as our hermeneutic, our way of understanding the Bible and God and our world.

We believe Jesus is the one who was born, God in flesh. He lived among us. Teaching and showing us what God is like. Despite radically loving others, Jesus was still a threat to the powers. Both political and religious. They would kill Jesus on a cross. But God would raise Jesus. Death did not and does not have the final say. Neither does violence or fear or greed or jealousy….or sin. The Church has spent the last 2000 years trying to figure out all that happened on the cross or in the resurrection. And we will likely spend the next 2000 doing the same. But we know that no matter how it happened, a revolution started. A revolution of forgiveness and grace and love and welcome. A revolution of justice that we are invited into TODAY.

We believe the primary call of Jesus then is to FOLLOW him. We are committed to the WAY of Jesus. In fact, before Christians were called Christians, they were called people of “the way.” So to be Christian is first and foremost about living a certain way. We seek to be pressed into or conformed into the likeness of Jesus.

Salvation &/or Gospel

We believe in “good news.” Recently, the church has a lot of news to share but many wouldn’t call any of it “good.” Jesus said the gospel was, “turn back to God, the Kingdom has arrived.” For the King has arrived. This good news, this Kingdom, looks like captives being freed, foreigners being welcomed, the poor cared for, the blind healed, and the excluded welcomed. It looks like all people, “sons and daughters” and “jews and gentiles” speaking and living on behalf of God in a community centered around Jesus. It means that those the world sees as the lowest are in fact the ones most likely to be blessed by God. Not because their pain is a good thing. But because God is in the business of seeking those the world doesn’t seek. It is a grand reversal. It is the proclamation that God considers us friends and even more than that, his children. His beloved children.

And yes, we believe it means forgiveness. Not because God has stood at a distance shaking his head in utter disgust but because he came near and close and ate with us and drank with us and walked with us and talked with us. The church has hyper-focused on little “s” sins. Did you lie? Did you cheat? Did you get a little drunk? Did you get angry? Or even did you watch a rated R movie or have a beer or swear while golfing. And it isn’t to say that none of our daily choices matter. But salvation and forgiveness come for the big “S” sin. And so we turn back to God. Again and again and again. The good news…the message of salvation is that God has NEVER turned away from us. He was right there. He is right here. The King has come and delivered us and called us. Not through the violent overthrow of enemies but through a poured-out, serve others, sacrificial life and death. And even in that, he shows victory has the final word. And it is our victory as well.