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    • Rev. Deshna Charron Shine
    • Deshna is the former Executive Director of ProgressiveChristianity.org & Progressing Spirit where she worked 2006 -2020. She is an ordained Interfaith Minister and Chaplain (2019), Certified Healing Ritual Facilitator (2020), Certified Yoga Instructor (2000) published author, and International speaker. She has presented at conferences in Canada, Australia, Hawaii, Seattle, Portland and elsewhere. She is a Lead Author, Project Director, and Editor on the Children’s Curriculum: A Joyful Path, Spiritual Curriculum.

      Deshna is the visionary and Executive Producer of Embrace Festival, a 3 day in-city festival in Portland, OR that focuses on Sacred Community, Social Transformation and the Arts.

      Deshna grew up in an amazing Progressive Christian church, IUCC, in Irvine California as a PK (pastor's kid) and so was blessed to be involved in a community that was open, educated, innovative, and inclusive. She was involved in the church at many different levels, as a representative for youth at National UCC Conferences, as a youth group leader, and a camp counselor for many years. She went to the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she graduated with honors as a Religious Studies major and a Global Peace and Security minor. This led her to be a part of the Global Reconciliation Service in New York doing some work with the United Nations.

      She has worked in Administration for the UC Education Abroad Program, as an Infant Specialist for a non-profit organization, as a Spanish Teacher for elementary children, and as a Yoga Instructor. Deshna co-wrote a book, Missing Mothers with her mom. During her free time, she continues to write, do yoga, dance, hike, and enjoy her life in Portland with her wonderful community, her partner Jessica and her daughter, Kaila.

How do you deal with the suffering we experience as humans?

Q&A With Rev. Deshna Shine

Everything is complex and sometimes things that seem “bad” or hard, challenging, frightening, un-grounding, unknown, or tragic in the moment lead to amazing things later that we can not predict. Sometimes, the suffering in the moment leads to evolution down the line that may not even be noticed or seen.

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Do you believe in the power of prayer?

Q&A with Rev. Deshna Shine

There are also many scientific studies that show words have energy and can affect living beings being spoken to. Plants exposed to kind words grow more and are healthier than ones who experience silence or negative words.

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Progressive Christianity: Hope for the Future?

The final Marcus Borg Memorial Conference in association with the 2021 Carrs Lane Lectures in Radical Christian Faith, was held online October 19, 2021. The conference brought together two leading and younger voices for progressive Christianity in the USA and Australia.

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Beginning the journey of personal

How does one begin the journey of personal transformation?

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What are your thoughts on Divine Ground?

There are so many theories on who or what god is, or if they even exist. Whether god is in us or around us, separate from us or above us. For me the bottom line is there is more to our existence than can be explained by science.

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Life, Death, Rebirth

  As we move through the Season of Spring, we are reminded of the cycle of life. This week we will focus on the life transformations that occur in life, death and rebirth- both in nature and …

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Earth Day Liturgy

  Earth Day is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation of Earth’s natural environment. It is hoped that it will inspire people to connect more deeply to Earth and all that it provides for us as well …

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Lent Liturgy

  May this time of Lent be a time for introspective meditation, letting go, acceptance, and rebirth.   The word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for Spring, which is derived from a verb meaning: to lengthen. Lent …

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Loving Wastefully

I believe what Spong was referring to was the idea that the most profound way we can be in relationship with God (the Divine, Great Mystery, Nameless One) is to love one another and to love deeply.

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ProgressiveChristianity.org is Seeking 4 New Board Members

Are you passionate about progressive Christianity?   We are seeking 4 new additional Board members!     Join our Team!   ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Members: Meet in person once a year. Have monthly 1 hour phone calls. Are …

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ProgressiveChristianity.org is Seeking 4 New Board Members!

Are you passionate about progressive Christianity? We are seeking 4 new additional Board members! Join our Team! ProgressiveChristianity.org Board Members: Meet in person once a year. Have monthly 1 hour phone calls. Are passionate about progressive Christianity …

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Sacred Living

  “Every religion gives its prescription for bringing sacred into daily life. The Native Americans have as one of their most noble ideals that we learn to walk on the Earth in a sacred manner. Yet vast …

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Loving Wastefully

I believe what Spong was referring to was the idea that the most profound way we can be in relationship with God (the Divine, Great Mystery, Nameless One) is to love one another and to love deeply.

read more

Support Progressive Christian Curriculum!

Will you join us in making a difference for children all over the world? Today, children are seriously undernourished when it comes to spirituality. They are often either taught dogma in Sunday School or secularism at home …

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Reading the Bible and the way of salvation

Do you read the ENTIRE Bible? My desire would be that my children and grandchildren are not exposed to this belief system. It is not Biblical.

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With Gratitude We Look Forward to 2020

As we wrap up our financials for 2019, we’d like to express our gratitude for your support during our Year End Fundraising Campaign! We were able to reach 50% of our year end goal with a total amount of $35,500. You can still help us get closer by donating this month.

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We are Building a Bigger Table

These are crucial times for the planet we call home. The toxic and institutionalized systems of racism, tribalism, colonialism, culture appropriation, sexism, and the general oppression of marginalized people have been thrust to the surface of our society. While this is scary and disturbing, it is also a necessary step toward the eradication of white privilege, white fragility, and an empiric worldview.

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Bishop Yvette Flunder Interview with Deshna, Director of ProgressiveChristianity.org

Rev. Dr. Yvette Flunder and Rev. Deshna Charron Shine discuss what makes a healthy and thriving church community, how to continually feel nourished by the teachings of Jesus, and how our beliefs inform our actions.

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Is there an evil spirit (e.g. Satan) opposite to the good spirit?

My daughter and I had a very good conversation regarding my Progressive beliefs. When it came to the Good God she insisted there must be a Bad Spirit.

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Will you join us in this quest to enliven Christianity for the sake of all Creation?

********** Review of 2018 **********

When you give, we are able to continue to create meaningful children’s curriculum that has the power to shape the future of our world by impacting thousands of communities worldwide. When you give, we are able to maintain a website that is a global community and open source for progressive Christians everywhere. When you give, we are able to support authors, activists, leaders, teachers, liturgists, musicians and theologians to share their explorations and creations with a global audience. When you give, we are able to partner and work closely with other organizations making sure to support the movement — and not just our place in it. We are leading dynamic explorations in theology and sharing expansive and relevant ways to practice devotion.

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I Am Wolf

This is something I can not understand about humans. I see in humans the same fierceness as we have, but it comes from Fear. Don’t you know Fear will be the slow death of you? Truly there is nothing to fear. Death is natural, cycles are natural, sickness is natural. These things keep the balance. Like Sun and Moon, we are interconnected in a rhythmic way. You can take from us, yes. But when you take too many of us, you are only hurting all of us, including you.

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Why keep “Christianity” in our name and mission?

Progressive Christianity is a unique and beautiful movement. It is a vital landing space for hundreds of thousands of humans around the world. Though small, it is growing. And there continues to be a very large percentage of people in this world that consider themselves Christian. At some point many of those will question what they are being told in church. Many will find that the theology presented in their church does not match their understanding of science and/or their values. And they will, perhaps, consider leaving their church. But many will not if their isn’t a better alternative. People who have Christianity in their heritage, their culture, and their traditions are often not ready to straight up leave Christianity all together.

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From the Director – Why keep “Christianity” in our name and mission?

There have been many people over the years who encourage us to drop “Christianity” from our name. Here are my two cents on why I am not ok with that.

Progressive Christianity is a unique and beautiful movement. It is a vital landing space for hundreds of thousands of humans around the world. Though small, it is growing. And there continues to be a very large percentage of people in this world that consider themselves Christian. At some point many of those will question what they are being told in church. Many will find that the theology presented in their church does not match their understanding of science and/or their values. And they will, perhaps, consider leaving their church. But many will not if their isn’t a better alternative. People who have Christianity in their heritage, their culture, and their traditions are often not ready to straight up leave Christianity all together.

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Why Interfaith (and Interspiritual) Studies and Awareness are Epically Important in Today’s World

When we ponder religion and faith, we often think of their more modern day manifestations and how much devastation and destruction has been done in the name of religion. It is hard to remember that most major religions were born out of a profound mystical experience, flowing from an inner realization, which was then attempted to be shared via language and action. My own feelings toward religion have been complicated, confusing and challenging. Growing up in a very liberal, progressive Christian church, I had a meaningful and positive experience of the community that gathers around an organized religion and yet it was impossible for me to forget the vast atrocities which have been done in the name of Christianity over the last 2000 years. I also felt tired of the same mistranslated, seemingly irrelevant book used week after week, the same teacher held up on the pedestal week after week, a man who had died fighting for his cause over 2000 years before, who while an amazing human, was no different than you or I, just a man. I looked around and saw many incredible human beings doing phenomenal work in the world, affecting positive change and expanding upon some of the great mystic teachers, and yet no one was singing about them each week.

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ANA TIJOUX: ‘WE CAN’T THINK OF A FEMINISM, AN ANTI-PATRIARCHY, WITHOUT ANTI-CAPITALISM’

by Ana María Tijoux

Feminism is liberation, and for that reason we must liberate ourselves from the oppression of capital. “Another feminism” isn’t a slogan, it’s a daily act, simple but strong. It’s transformation, it’s community. It’s freedom.

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Standing Rock (Loving the Water)

“For all Children and the Next 7 Gerenations, We Stand United with Standing Rock, All Waters of the Earth, and All Life.”

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Embrace Festival – Deshna Ubeda Interview on KBOO

Listen to ProgressiveChristianity.org’s Director Deshna Ubeda talk about their exciting Embrace Festival coming to Portland, OR May 4-6th, 2017.

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Join Us At Beloved Festival 2017, 10 year Anniversary

We’re celebrating 10 years this summer, and this stunning new video has us all sorts of sentimental. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for this family and can’t wait to reunite with you on August 11th-14th for the best Beloved yet.

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Love Letters to God, Nahko and Medicine for the People, Music Video

We offer this timepiece on a day that ushers in a new era for all protectors and people alike. An era that will need music to act as the thread between front lines and front doors.
Stay in the prayer.
We stand with you.
For all our relations.

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WOMAN ~ By Jess Young and Attunement Movement

To every WOMAN near and far, this one’s for you! May we stand in our integrity, our power, our confidence & our purpose, Always. May we remember that WOMEN are collaborators, not competition. May we embrace our uniqueness & rise together, from a place of love and compassion. For, this world needs balance and we hold the key!

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CAN’T STOP THE FEELING! Justin Timberlake (worldwide dance video)

With all the tension in the world that can divide us, this video is a reminder that we are better together. We have a lot more in common, than we might think, and the differences only make us stronger. It is simple: if we dance through live together, we can live together.

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A Taste of Embrace Festival, 2017

In May 2017, people from all over the world will gather in Portland, Oregon to share knowledge and wisdom, learn from each other, celebrate, be inspired, and find the tools needed to create and enliven local movements within our communities. Together we will explore sacred oneness, Christ consciousness, eco-spirituality, social justice and the way of universal and personal transformation that honors the Divine in all.

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Yaima – Live@Lunch- Live music concert

Yaima will be playing at our Embrace Festival, May 4-6

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Religion and Politics

We have tried to remain within the theological-only realm as we co-create what being a progressive Christian means in today’s world. However, as you can see from even our older versions of The 8 Points, three of the main points of progressive Christianity have been about the importance of social justice, inclusion and environmental stewardship. Clearly those values are broad umbrellas and with our recent political arena being what it is we are finding that the issues at hand are directly affecting the rights of human beings everywhere and threatening both social justice/equality and inclusion as well as the protection and restoration of our Earth.

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Report from Standing Rock: 100+ Militarized Police Deployed Against Native American Water Protectors

Oct 17, 2016- Democracy Now: On Saturday, hundreds of people temporarily stopped work at multiple construction sites at the site of the $3.8 billion Dakota Access pipeline. One person reportedly delayed work for up to six hours by locking to an excavator. At least 14 people were arrested. Democracy Now! began covering the action just after dawn, from the main resistance camp in Cannon Ball, North Dakota.

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SAVE THE DATE- EMBRACE FESTIVAL- MAY 4-7, 2017

  WEBSITE AND TICKETS COMING SOON!   EMBRACE FESTIVAL is a 3 day, international, sacred community and social transformation event, which will be held May 4-6, 2017 in beautiful downtown Portland, Oregon for those wishing to positively transform their …

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