Our History
In 1994 ProgressiveChristianity.org began as The Center for Progressive Christianity; in 2010, we changed our name to ProgressiveChristianity.org to better reflect our web-based, global presence.
We were founded by Jim Adams, the rector of St. Mark’s Church on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. At that time, there was no known organization, scholar, or church leader publicly using the term, “progressive Christianity.” Our purpose was to serve those individuals and churches who call themselves Christian but who do not accept conventional beliefs and doctrines. Jim’s vision was to create a non-profit organization that encouraged churches to focus their attention on those for whom organized religion had proven to be “ineffectual, irrelevant, or repressive.” He was convinced that if churches would become bolder about professing their progressive tenets, they could thrive.
Adams and a small group of peers agreed they needed to provide a way to help “open and progressive” churches identify as “progressive.” This was the genesis of the “Eight Points” defining progressive Christianity. By listening to our readers and the ongoing discussions in churches, seminaries, and universities, the “Eight Points” has gone through many revisions over the years – the latest version in 2022 updated the name to “The Core Values” defining progressive Christianity.
By the year 2002, only eight years after its creation, the term “progressive Christianity” had become a common term that was being used by scholars, the media, and other Christian organizations, not only in this country but in the Western world as a whole. We have helped form an international network of autonomous progressive Christianity networks that includes South Australia, New Zealand, Britain, Ireland, and Canada. In 2019 ProgressiveChristianity.org Trademarked the term Progressive Christianity.
From its inception, the focus of ProgressiveChristianity.org has been primarily about rethinking and re-conceptualizing the theological and Christological foundations of the Christian faith. The leadership of the organization has remained convinced that our supporters and readers are expressing a deep desire to find resources and constructive ways to understand and teach what the newest science, biblical, sociological, and historical scholarship has to say about the Christian religion and ways to integrate that information into one’s faith and to create healthy, dynamic Christian communities.
We continue to provide resources for progressive churches and individuals and are committed to expanding those resources each year.
- We publish a companion Study Guide for the Core Values defining progressive Christianity.
- We maintain a website directory of progressive churches that individuals can use to find a church that might suit them.
- We publish “The Weekly Recap,” a newsletter that provides up-to-date information on issues affecting progressive churches and individuals, showcasing progressive articles, books, videos, liturgies, sermons, and events.
- We publish Progressing Spirit Newsletter, a forum that challenges some of the world’s top progressive writers to offer their best insights about what’s happening on the leading edge. Progressing Spirit is also the archive of Bishop John Shelby Spong’s weekly essays going back to 1991.
- We have an extensive “liturgy project” on our website — providing timely materials for worship services.
- We have completed the third year of our highly praised A Joyful Path Children’s Curriculum.
- We have expanded our internet presence by engaging on Social Media like Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- We offer Round Table Discussions on “Things That Matter,” short video responses by members of our Board of Directors called “Ask a Progressive Christian”, and a weekly Podcast called “Moonshine Jesus Show.”
We continue to grow as an organization and expand our offerings while we aspire to be the global portal for progressive Christianity, providing resources and support for encouraging the education, growth, and creation of progressive Christian communities all over the world.
