Progressive Christianity and Dr. Dobson

“Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.” -Mark 3:35

The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle editorial page recently had a great take on James Dobson's ham-handed political Bible-thump, and “signs that Christians who may not share the political views of fundamentalists...are no longer taking a back seat” (Dobson's Monopoly?, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Thursday, June 26). It was accompanied by an excellent piece by Susan Estrich (Most of the Faithful are Also Tolerant and Open), in which she shared the results of a recent national poll which showed that most Christians are far more open minded than the few big mouthed cowboys-for-Christ who always seem to find a microphone.

The upshot of the whole Dobson-related editorial was the simple fact that a few media-loving, overbearing “Christian” commentators are finally seen to be far less than the spokespeople for Christ and Christianity. It turns out Dobson, Robertson, et al. don't speak for most of us, and even many conservative evangelicals are turning away from them! WHO KNEW?!? Well, lots of us did.

Christ was the model of compassion, reason and inclusion, and progressive Christians have been a major force of positive – dare I say evolutionary – change ever since. We fight to free the oppressed. We serve the poor. We cared for the earth when green was a mere color, not the hot new destination. In this country, we were the Spiritual push behind public education, independence, abolition, temperance/women's suffrage, fair labor standards, the Civil Rights movement and so much more. We were among the first on the scene in New Orleans, China and Myanmar, and will most likely be among the last to leave. We started the School of the America's protest and Habitat for Humanity, as well as founding Princeton, Harvard and Yale Universities. Some of us are gay. Some of us are blue-eyed, or left-handed, or from Gdansk. Millions of us know our Bibles, vote our consciences and live our faiths gently, with conviction, though not necessarily in 100% agreement. Some of our brethren disown us and claim we will rot in hell, but God is still speaking to us and through us.

All of this without 1-800 numbers, the wholesale demonizing of people we don't understand, or the use of the words God and hate on the same placard. Sure, we've occasionally taken a back seat, but only to offer another child of God their rightful place at the front of the bus.

We are followers of Christ! Doers of the Word!