AIDS.

When the facilitator at a recent conference of Progressive Christians asked the group to vote on the issue of gay marriage there was 100% approval.

This was extremely significant.

It seems that the development of Progressive Christianity was triggered by the AIDS crisis.

When AIDS struck the gay community in the 1980's the overt reaction of the Churches was to say that God was punishing us for the abomination of homosexuality.
They quoted the Bible and threatened us with hell.

But.....

Within the western Christian Churches there was an undercurrent which was uncomfortable with the official reaction of their Churches.

This group of Christians were moved to reconsider much of what they had been taught in the light of the treatment of homosexuals by the Churches.

It stemmed from this basic conflict - how could a loving God punish one group of men for something which was not within their control - i.e. homosexuality?

It called into question many of the orthodox doctrines of the Churches.

Once this process was begun it progressed to other issues and has resulted in what is now a call for a New Reformation of Christianity.


Photo Credit: AIDS Services of Austin via Compfight cc