Was anyone else raised in a very liberal Christian Church?

[cally]

I was. I attended Presbyterian churches. The sermons reflected the times. We were taught to love our 'brothers and sisters' (we are all children under God), to protect and defend God's creation (we must be environmentalists), and to give to those in need. It was not perfect because their was much anti-semitism but the church was struggling with that.


A few memories: Our church was not surviving financially so we kept getting advanced seminary students as ministers. These men, yes all men, really taught me about faith because they were struggling with their own and shared their struggles. We talked about how best to serve and what church rules meant. This was a minister who shocked the entire congregation by sleeping with his fiance in his van alone during a church ski trip.

I attended church camps. We had 'new games', diverstiy training, and lessons in tolerance. I'm saddened that these same techniques are often suggested as new in educational circles.

Then there was the sense of community. We went camping together, had parties together, went on ski trips together. I wish I could find a similar church now.

[LeighAnn]

1. Not me

In my church, our Sunday School teacher decided who was going to say the prayer using the old "eenie meenie miney mo" technique. And so on.
:(

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

2. I was raised in a very liberal Baptist church

Although I was not Baptized . I learned what being a missionary and helping people was all about . I no longer go to church myself - I have my own beliefs . ;)

Too bad the church split up and now they are hypocrites - sort of like freepers but they still vote Democratic .

[cally]

4. It's awful what's happening to most of the Protestant

denominations. I hope you didn't think I was in anyway implying that the Presbyterians were the most liberal. They are not and I'm appalled by many things they do. My church just happened to be Pres.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

8. Yeah it is a shame that a lot of Protestant demoniations are breaking up .

I thought that was only in my area . Its almost as if every neighborhood has created their own " religious denomination " . It gets very confusing so I just stay away . And no I did not that think that you were in anyway implying that the Presbyterians were the most liberal :)Its cool ! ;) I still don't know what the difference between the denominations are . I thought they were all Christians lol . I am " a humanist " myself :)

[demosincebirth]

13. Seems that many church goers,

if they don't agree with what they are hearing from the pulpit grab their bible and start their own church. I know couple of gentlemen who never steped inside a seminary, but pastor a fundamentalist church.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

14. Exactly ... thats like the new profession .

Usually it was go and start your own business , now its go and start your own church .

[LynneSin]

3. Another Liberal Christian here

:hi:

But after my pastor had left, a real right-winger came in and is moving my old church to the right. The pastor I had while I was growing up pushed the 'helping others/reaching out' theme and never brought such wedges issues into the church such as choice, homosexuality, school prayer etc. But the new guy came in and was shocked to see that our church members didn't do anything about these issues and did his part to start pushing the issue onto the church.

I told my mother I refused to go back ever again and I've kept my word for over a decade

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

9. Yes ! That is what happened at my old church !

Amazing how people can change .

[LisaM]

5. Yes!

Liberal Catholic churches in college towns. We learned about activism, progressivism, listened to "Jesus Christ, Superstar" (in place of catechism class!), had priests who wore fringed boots and played guitars, etc. I went back to one of those churches a few years ago and they were advocating women priests and married priests.

[aePrime]

6. Sure, I suppose

My mother and one of my brothers are both United Methodist ministers. They're strong Democrats, believe in *gasp* evolution, think gay marriage is fine, etc... . My mom has three masters degrees, and my brother two. My parents have been married forever. My dad is just as liberal as everybody else in my family, has a professional degree, and is a science freak who goes to church several times every Sunday.

Oddly enough, we all live in Idaho. I'm a fifth generation Idahoan. How we became liberal is hard to say.

[demosincebirth]

15. For some, it takes education to be enlightened,

others(like me)were just born to be democrats

[aePrime]

17. Hey now...

That's borderline offensive, not to mention arrogant.

[demosincebirth]

19. Oh, lighten up!

I thought only republicans don't have a sense of humor.

[DeadHead67]

7. Episcopal Church here . . . .

We're the ones that ordain women as priests, and just consecrated Gene Robinson as Bishop of New Hampshire. He's an 'out' gay man in long term committed relationship with another man. NOT all Episcopalians are progressive. My parish is largely republican, but nationwide I think the majority in our church take Jesus'teachings and the 'Beatitudes' seriously. I don't know which Bible the literalists(Iprefer that term to fundamentalists) are reading. MOST of the words of Jesus have to do with the poor, the sick, those in prison, and questions of justice, NOT SEX!

[ghostsofgiants]

10. ...

I was raised in a quite conservative Pentecostal church. My grandparents epitomize the religious right.

I'm pretty much the complete opposite.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

18. Welcome to the DU primate1 :)

[VOX]

11. I was - Westwood United Methodist in L.A. Still a center of activism...

Arianna Huffington and Mike Farrell show up pretty regularly.

From the church's Web site:
We welcome and affirm our ministry with all persons,regardless of age, race, ethnic origin, economic status, disability, gender, marital status or sexual orientation; from first-time visitor to lifetime member.

We draw from the resources of work, play, creativity and love for the ministries to which we are called.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. Mainstream Lutheran (LCA)

My father was a pastor, and while he preached on "accepting Jesus Christ as one's Lord and Savior," he was not a fundamentalist. Sometimes members of the church would pick up fundamentalist ideas from their Baptist friends, and he would have to explain that the Bible isn't a science book, that Jesus did drink wine and that the Last Supper could not possibly have included grape juice because they had no refrigeration 2000 years ago, and that God gave us brains to figure out the world so nobody should accept anything without question.

We were never taught to hate atheists or people of other religions or to consign them to hell. As mainstream Lutherans, we weren't even that big on evangelism.

We had wonderful traditions around each of the major church festivals, with dignified liturgies and timeless music--non of this contemporary Christian pop.

I've been part of liberal churches for most of my life, and one of the best things about them is the way they create a sense of community and mutual caring among very diverse people who would not even encounter one another anywhere else in the normal course of things.

[TrogL]

16. United Church of Canada

They got a little too liberal (at least liturgically) for my taste.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. I did! United Church of Christ denomination

My church was from the congregational side of the UCC traditions.

Quite liberal church. My minister when I was a young'un marched with MLK, Jr.

I've stayed with the UCC my whole life.

I, too, had ministers like you did - speople who struggle; who don't have answers, but help find questions; love your neighbors, be fair to everyone, remember the poor and needy and disenfranchised.

The UCC (going way back to the Congregationalists) was one of the first to ordain women, and was, I'm pretty sure, the first church to ordain an openly gay person. Now we have lots of women clergy, and a fair amount of gay and lesbian ministers.

I love my church! Unlike some others, which I could name but won't, we follow Jesus, as best as we can, and as challenging and difficult as it might be.

[daligirrl]

21. Oh yes. . .

I was raised in a UCC (United Church of Christ, not to be confused with Church of Christ)church. The UCC is non-denominational and very liberal. My church was founded by ex-slaves in 1875 and now has a wonderful mix of people. My church is really just shy of being Unitarian. Bible study there is very Christ-oriented and focuses on the positive aspects of the gospel. They also love to have speakers from other religions. They definitely fostered my liberal Christian attitude.

[jpgray]

22. Yo

Very progressive Catholic priest where I grew up.