James Forbes (1)

This is billed as a “Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism.” (PP) As such, I was expecting to be lead through an exploration of what PP is, how members see the Bible, how they deal with conservative members of their sects, their declining numbers, mission work, and so forth in addition to progressive stands that they take. This book has only the last, consisting as it does of a series of essays on various contemporary issues. (See table of contents, below.) I should probably explain that I am an atheist, so while I don't have issues with most of his positions, their Christian perspective doesn't move me.

So moving along to what it is, instead of what it isn't. I found the essays somewhat mixed in their effectiveness. I have to say that Forbes is quite a wordsmith. At times the essays, particularly the one on environment, seemed more aimed at church leaders rather than congregants. If the reader if looking for specific advice on how to live on a day-to-day basis, it isn't here, rather these are about the attitudes and principles that should inform behavior.

I thought that the essay on sexuality was extremely weak. Forbes has changed his mind about same-sex issues and now supports full admission into the church and the clergy. He doesn't explain his thinking, though, which might be valuable to someone trying to engage opponents. In particular, he might advise them of how to deal with someone throwing Romans 1 at them. More generally, despite his ringing phrases, he really doesn't have much to say about Christian sex and marriage. “I would like to see a coming together of perspectives that honor both the traditional values of fidelity, commitment and responsibility and the mature progressive understanding that challenges society to embrace more inclusive values that reflect the fresh winds of the Spirit.” Meaning what – I hope that the value of responsibility in particular is not to be abandoned. Forbes doesn't seem to know. He speaks of having checklists, like those in bridal magazines, to guide people as to whether they are ready for sex or marriage, (and children, what about children?!) but that is for the unspecified future. Too bad if you're trying to make a decision now.

This reflects a problem that I have with ethical systems. They are full of high-minded, ringing phrases, but it seems to me that when it's time for the rubber to hit the road of reality, there is no tire. I was in a car accident once. At issue was both fault and whether or not the other person was injured. If I am guided by Jesus' teaching about giving my coat to the person who sues and takes my cloak, does this mean that I should have given the person the money he wanted, or perhaps double the money, if he had won the case? (I speak of myself as giving the money, since my insurance company was quite firm about contesting the issue.) I have often been told that ethics do not require me to be a patsy, but they tend to be rather vague about reconciling principles with practicality.

I found the essay on war unconvincing – again, a formidable example of wordsmithing. But when I was a teenager, I read the first five books of the Bible and was so distressed by the God-sanctioned violence that I was unable to sleep, and had to abandon any further reading at that time. So I'm not at all sure that war offends God. Again, this is on point when it comes to ill-considered adventures like invading Iraq, but not so much when it comes to defending, say, victims of genocide.

It's hard to comment on the other essays, since I generally agree with the concepts, but the Biblically-based arguments don't resonate. Nice to know that there are other people who agree with on the general issue, though. I was amused by the essay on the environment. Forbes began it by alluding to Martin Luther King, Jr.'s comment about religious institution being tail lights rather than headlights to social change. It happens that someone once challenged me to come up with a moral stand in the West that did not originate in Christianity, and I picked environmentalism.

Contents:

Introduction -- A lifelong course in sexuality -- Gender equality ; for God's sake and ours -- Which Gospel do you believe about race? -- Economic justice : are all the children in? -- In war : which commandments are broken? -- Critique, confession, and ecological consciousness.… (més)