Comments on: What is a potential Christian?

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 03:35:36 +0000

Have you looked at Orthodox Christianity? www.antiochian.org for example? You may be surprised what you find!

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:35:36 +0000

Have you looked at Orthodox Christianity? www.antiochian.org for example? You may be surprised what you find!

By: Love, Equal Rights, and Gay Marriage

Love, Equal Rights, and Gay Marriage — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:16:39 +0000

[...] he did so without judgment and with pure love in his heart. In the past, I have written that I am a potential Christian and a practicing Buddhist. Today, after the election season in California, much of my bitterness [...]

By: Jim

Jim — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:19:09 +0000

I, too, am reluctant to call myself a Christian, remembering that “By their fruits shall ye know them.”

Thanks for the thoughtful post.

By: Kenley Neufeld

Kenley Neufeld — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:26:41 +0000

Thank you to Mystical Seeker and Lauren for posting. I had not considered the world view of growing up in the West as influencing a cultural value system, but it certainly does make sense.

Another friend of mine wrote back via email and suggested The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. My friend wrote “an interesting read to see how he is living his life as a practicing Christian…not a complacent wannabe.”

Readings by Dorothy Day could also be fruitful.

By: lauren

lauren — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:47:06 +0000

I’ve had several conversations along these lines lately. One of my Unitarian Universalist friends suggested that anyone who grew up in a western setting (with western parents) is essentially Christian. He argued that it wasn’t about religious belief, but instead about the value system that is inherent in a Judeo-Christian culture. He also thought that even if raised in an atheist setting in a Judeo-Christian culture, there is a shared cultural story which leads to a fundamentally specific, Christian, worldview. I’m not totally sure I’m with him on the entire argument, but it’s an interesting one. One I’m still thinking about much later (as I do my own reading of Thich Nhat Hanh, et al). Interesting post! Thanks!

By: Mystical Seeker

Mystical Seeker — Wed, 07 May 2008 15:12:42 +0000

Trust me, you aren’t alone. I am also a fan of Marcus Borg and would love to find a church that was not so steeped in traditional orthodoxy, but I haven’t had much success. I’ve looked at the website of “The Center for Progressive Christianity” for potential churches to try out, but even a lot of churches that are affiliated still seem too orthodox for my tastes. Also like you, I can’t bring myself to calling myself a Christian.

I get the impression that there are churches out there that do really allow ambiguity of belief to flourish, but I think they are hard to find.