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Mar 25, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Karl J. Forehand |Progressive Christian
A Course Correction for Deconstructing Evangelicals“You are not lazy or unmotivated or stuck. After years of living your life in survival mode, you feel exhausted. There’s a difference.” – Nakia HomerAfter leaving religion, I quickly realized that I had unresolved traumas I didn’t know how to face. For 20 years, we operated at full throttle, striving to do “God’s work” as if Jesus were returning tomorrow. We acknowledged our issues while also recognizing the efforts we needed to make.
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Mar 11, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Henry Karlson |Progressive Christian
Despite Gnosticism being understood as a heresy which rejects many basic teachings of the Christian faith, many of its dangerous elements have been embraced by Christians throughout the centuries. They never seem to be completely overcome. Someone or another will pick them up and use them in their thought, sometimes doing so in such a way, elements of Gnosticism can even be said to have influenced (and tainted) the development of Christian thought.
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Feb 25, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Karl J. Forehand |Progressive Christian
Finding Comfort in Solitude“Loneliness expresses the pain of being alone andsolitude expresses the glory of being alone.”– Paul TillichWe used to advise young married couples, “If you can’t be alone, you shouldn’t be together.” This conveys that understanding our identity and self-awareness is essential before merging our lives with others.
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Feb 23, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Karl J. Forehand |Progressive Christian
This phrase is the title of an episode of Rob Bell’s podcast, The Robcast. In it, he asks, “In the home you grew up in, did you hear the message, ‘Life is an adventure you’re invited to experience’ or ‘Life is a burden to bear’?” Reflecting on this question enables us to evaluate whether we are still affected by negative environmental messages. To move forward, our perspective is vital for uncovering new insights and breaking free from harmful messages and conditioning.
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Feb 17, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Henry Karlson |Progressive Christian
My father was a law professor, and because of it, I was taught to respect the rule of law. He believed in it. However, as I studied philosophy, theology, and history, I came to understand the limitations with the rule of law. Law is meant to help in the promotion of justice, and with it, the common good. Sadly, that often does not happen.
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Feb 9, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Henry Karlson |Progressive Christian
In the Sundays preparing us for the Great Fast, the Byzantine tradition gives us various themes for us to contemplate, such as the one given to us today, the Sunday of the Publican and the Pharisee. Each of these Sundays gives us examples of those who have done good which we should imitate, even as they show us people who represent the worst instincts which most of us have and must fight against.
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Feb 6, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Henry Karlson |Progressive Christian
Often, I see people online asking what happens to their beloved pets when they die. They care about the fate of their pets thanks to the bond they have with them. This helps them know that something would be wrong for their pets to just vanish out of existence. They intuitively understand the problem inherent in annihilationism of any sort, even if it is a limited kind of annihilationism which relates to non-human forms of life.
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Feb 2, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Karl J. Forehand |Progressive Christian
“Ours is a justice system that harms peopleto show that harming people is wrong.”~Bryan StevensonIn his famous Letter from The Birmingham Jail, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.”[1] Most segments of our population cry out for justice in various ways.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Ken Chitwood |Progressive Christian
Reporting on Religion with Balance, Accuracy and Insight in Polarized TimesAt the end of 2024, members of the Religion News Association named the re-election of Donald Trump, along with other dynamics and demographics related to the election, the top domestic U.S. religion story. They named Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza the top international religion story of the year. These storylines are ongoing, sure to continue capturing headlines and causing conflict in 2025 and beyond.
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Jan 14, 2025 | 
patheos.com | Karl J. Forehand |Progressive Christian
The smart ones ask when they don’t know. And, sometimes, when they do. ~Malcolm ForbesI continue to ask these questions. While some might believe they create bitterness or conflict, I hope they will lead us to a greater understanding. Stepping outside organized religion has enabled me to connect with the universe’s subtle messages and rhythms, allowing me to embrace the peace and solace I discover.
