Progressive Christian Theology 101

“God in All, All in God”

Lesson for MCC New Haven

May 26, 2013

Rev. Brian Hutchison, M.Div.

Texts:

Romans 5:1-5

John 16:12-15

·       Progressive Christian Theology 101: Theo/Thea (God) + Logos (Word/Reason/Logic) = Exploration of God

·       Most Christian denominations are Trinitarian, though some are not.

·       Trinity: Not three gods, but rather God revealed in three persons. Traditionally “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit” (or Ghost). Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer. Source, Christ, Comforter/Helper/Paraclete. This formula is used in baptism and in blessing.

·       Hebrew God in the Tanakh: YHWH (tetragrammaton) transliterated as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah”. It is written as “LORD” in most of our Bibles. Jews do not speak this name for God. God’s name is kept unspoken because it is too holy to speak. Many Jews write “G-d” in further respect. Jews refer to God in common conversation as “HaShem” meaning “The Name.” In prayer, they use “Adonai”, meaning “Lord” (“Kyrios” in Greek). Before the temple was destroyed in 70CE, the name was pronounced, but only in the Holy of Holies by the priest.

·       Hebrew names of God:

o  Elohim, “God of Power.”

o  Ehyeh asher ehyeh, “I AM” or “I AM that I AM” or “I will be who I will be.”

o  El Shaddai, “Almighty Breasted God”

o  Shekhina, God’s dwelling presence. Feminine.

·       Trinities of other religions. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva in Hinduism, etc.

·       God beyond the Trinity: What other ways do we see God? Panenthiesm: God in All.

·       What kind of God can we believe in? The question should not be “Is there a God?” but rather “Is there God?” Our answer today: Yes. God is.

·       Psalm 139: “Where can I go from your Spirit?” The answer: Nowhere!

·       The problem of suffering: “theodicy”. Especially after the Holocaust (Shoah), theologians had to change their ideas about how God works in the world. We cannot believe that God causes suffering. We hear some fundamentalists claim this, but that is harmful theology.

·       God did not cause the tornados in Oklahoma. Natural disasters are NOT “acts of God.”

·       Our beliefs inform our behavior. Believe in a punishing, angry, manipulative God, and you will be as well. Believe in the God of Love that Jesus taught about and demonstrated, and you will live a life of love as well.

·       For more info on Progressive Christianity, visit www.ProgressiveChristianity.org