Is There a Line in the Sand?

There is a very interesting conversation happening on another forum regarding a United Church of Canada individual who is in paid-accountable active ministry and has a very busy speaking schedule. What is his/her topic (I would prefer not to advertise for this person)? Something called "Progressive Christianity".

This person came to our church a few years ago, because honestly, we do not exclude. We are open to new ideas and a wide diversity of theological perspectives and as such, we were willing to listen and learn.

I asked this person directly during the Q&A: "Where does Jesus fit into your Progressive Christianity?"

The response: "He doesn't."

Period.

My next question about why this movement within the United Church could possibly be called a form of Christianity when Jesus is not considered to be a part of it remained unanswered. The speaker danced around that one until I turned out the last light and locked the doors to close up for the the evening.

So my question is this: Is there a point at which a paid-accountable minister is no longer in "essential agreement" with our Basis of Union? And when that person has reached that point, should they be looking for another forum in which to preach their message? I have no problem with the path this person has chosen, because it is right for her/him. But if it is closer to Secular Humanism or perhaps Unitarian Universalist faith, would that not be a more comfortable happy place for this person to preach?

I LOVE the fact that our denomination hosts such a wide diversity of beliefs. I think it is one of finest qualities of our faith. That someone with a very-far-to-the-right conservative faith can sit in the pew next to someone with a very left-of-center ideology and theology is a beautiful thing to see. That is the United Church I love and serve within.

But it seems to me that there has to be a common thread of some kind. That thread may look a bit different to each person in the pew, but it is still there. For me, that thread needs to be Jesus. We are a Christian denomination - the largest one in Canada. Who are we if we decide that Jesus is no longer a part of it, and if this is what we believe, then how can we, with any integrity, still dare to use the word Christianity?

What the people in the pews believe is not in question. People are free to believe as they see fit. I'm talking about church leadership. If Jesus is no one special, or may not have existed at all, to the person in the pulpit - then what have we become?

As a professing and confessing church, and part of what we sign on to when we are ordained, commissioned, recognized or admitted from another denomination is that we agree - we are in essential agreement - that we believe in God, Creator, Christ and Spirit. Jesus is part of our common thread. At the level of our church Courts (Presbytery, Conference, General Council) we begin the proceedings with a statement which includes the words "...Jesus Christ, the true head of the Church."

If we really believe this, then how can a paid-accountable minister preach the non-existence and lack of relevance of this One true head of our church, and still retain the status of clergy?

Sorry folks, but I just don't get it. I don't understand.