As we commence our 23rd year of sharing worldwide progressive Christian thinking, we look forward with hope, based on the growth of interest and support, for the continued transition away from the worst of the past and the adoption of the best of the present and past practice. We acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers and our thinking so often needs critiquing. We have learnt so much from each other, the scholarly work of others and the life experiences of some.
Much of the Church is changing slowly as it faces the big challenges of the era and collaborates with the major global movements for social justice, economic development, industrial ecology, environmental policy, developmental consciousness, and the sharing of and sustaining of resources.
Although a significant number of our subscribers have walked away from the Church, we have many friends active inside the Church making a great impact on where the Church is going. It is generally understood that change is often resisted and there is comfortableness in complacency. Two thousand years of an institution established and locked into governance and doctrinal models by the Romans and living with the tensions of the teachings of Jesus means that much of the change and reform will be resisted. But there are new imperatives that make this resistance futile.
These imperatives include the threat of a diminishing role for individual humans with technological superhuman powers, the escalation of political crises, the search for effective leadership, the acceleration of greed and how to address Jesus’ goal of heaven on earth.
Collective intelligence is the greatest resource available to us. The combining of spirituality and science is transformative and helps us to find meaning. It also helps us to address the imperatives and make sound judgements. It gives us better ways of discovering truth and thinking through the complex issues of our time. It makes the Christian (Jesus) notion of humanity even more significant than ever before.
Many young people are expressing and demonstrating strong moral values about the future of humanity. I am optimistic about the future of the universe in their hands. There is much to discuss and even more to do. I hope our many Explorers groups will continue the discourse and experimenting with applying new understandings.
Happy New Year!
Paul Inglis
oOo
I share your optimism, Paul, about the future in the hands of young people with strong moral values. This was reinforced for me on Xmas Eve when I chatted constructively with a charming and engaging young couple, a 22 year old architecture graduate and a 25 year old physics grad. The later was working a university lab assistant, while the former worked part time in a New Balance store and part time in some research aspect of her profession. Our topics ranged from the Voice and Taliband footwear to whether ten-pin bowling was an obsolete “sport”. They were also good listeners to my old man stories.
Hey Tim how about ‘elder older man’ stories!!!!!! ha good one good to hear ciao paul ps elders matter (still)
Very good article and greatly relevant to our current situation. I too am optimistic about the future and wish everybody an inspiring and meaningful 2023.
Thank you for a concise meaningful summary Paul.
Sadly I struggle to remain optimistic about the UC in its current form.
Paul,
Beware of optimism based on what other people will do.
Looking no further than 2023, the tragedy will be the failure of the VOICES referendum – at the rate we are going.
i’m not sure this is relevant to to UCforum.
When progress is so slow, it
must take a huge commitment
to continue to work towards it year after year.
People who do this, deserve a
high commendation. It wouldn’t be a small thing to steer a whole denomination in a better direction.
Hi Paul,
Your emails from 23rd 28th 29th December are definitely “Keepers”. And “Quotables”. Thank-you.
Lesley Shaw .
Best wishes for continuing good work (s) in 2023.
Please keep me on the mailing list.