Icthus has proposed a progressive Christian Bloggers network, which is a great idea. Since November 2nd, I have felt that we “unright” (to use Richard Hall’s term) Christians need to organize better. Unlike the Christian Right, whose objective for political organization has been power, the Christian unRight should organize to make ourselves heard as an alternative Christian voice. Where the right seeks to rule, we should seek to minister, to evangelize and to serve. And this requires that we work together to make ourselves and our faith better known.
In Brain Shavings’ post about getting your blog noticed, he recommends blog alliances, and has links to several. Richard’s unRight Aggregator may be a basis for a Progressive Christian Bloggers Network, as well as any Christian bloggers spinning off from the Progressive Blog Alliance.
Update: The Progressive Christian Bloggers Network has been created.
Glad the rambling post helped. Let me know if you get the alliance together. I’m pretty conservative, but even though I won’t join it, I’ll read it.
If you call yourselves “unright” then you’re letting them define you. The problem in our society right now is that there is the right and the rest. Don’t do the same with religion.
I sorta kinda agree with the last post, about the Christian Right defining us. It’s important to be revolutionary, not just reactionary… but I am very excited about the project nonetheless. Keep us updated!
Good point about letting the right define us. As I posted earlier, this issue of labels has been a quandary for me. I have embraced the term “progressive” to define my beliefs, but there are those more moderate than I that may not be comfortable being defined by that term, but are still not on the right. “Unright” seems to be more inclusive than “progressive”, but perhaps “moderate-to-progressive” would avoid defining a group by what they are not.
As someone who’s just now returning to blogging after quitting in frustration at the lack of progressive Christian voices, all this is immensely heartening. (I’m also glad to not be the only progressive Lutheran anymore!)
On the question of labels, I think that’s a major problem for the left generally. One of the reasons Barack Obama has been so immensely successful and appears to be all things to all people (he’s a progressive! he’s a purple moderate! he’s really a Republican!) is that he espouses a positive vision for America rather than simply reacting to the Left. We’ve got to get better at doing this, especially progressive Christians. I hope to learn how to do this myself and change what my own blog is about—perhaps we progressives can start a conversation about this and maybe blog some relevant books (Lakoff’s Don’t Think of an Elephant, for instance).
Tired of blogging without being noticed?
Ah, the vagaries of unrecognized blogging brilliance. So you’ve taken Hugh’s advice and started a blog, and nobody’s noticed you? Welcome to the club. Almost all of us start at the bottom, unless we’re already well-established authors or pundits or…
I’m really glad to see the Progressive Christian Bloggers Network — great minds think alike! The “UnRight” label is intended ironically, when I set it up originally it was for my own benefit. Anyway, PCBN and UnRight Christians are natural allies I reckon, and when I get a minute later I’ll be contacting Ichthus to see what we can do.
There is no Christian Right.
There is only a group of people who have been deluded into thinking that God wants war, death, and elimination of Civil Rights.
But a Progressive Christian Blogger’s Network is a step in the right direction.
Avoid generalities. You drop phrases like: “whose objective for political organization has been power” a serious accusation against a fellow Christian, and fail to cite examples. I have been reading Christian “Left” blogs now for three weeks and have yet to find bases for some of the hateful speech and accusation.
Oh, and one more thing. The Christian “Right” has been serving, giving and loving for centuries. My church alone gives over $10,000 a week to foreign missions, we have a food bank, a myriad of community service projects, not to mention volunteer work inside and outside our community. Is it about power? You accuse some very good, very sacrificial people . And you call yourself “Christian”…hmmm…
I’ll echo Jack. There are some folks who are as Rovian as you’re implying, but there are others who have an honest difference of opinion with you on how to best enable that abundant life that Jesus wants for us. I sincerely hope I’m in the latter group.
That God for this place. I find myself torn between progressive views and the Christian “think they’re right” so it is great to find a place like this on the web.