The Center for Progressive Christianity

In a world that desperately needs a version of Christianity that heals rather than harms, “progressive Christianity” is a promise. A promise to keep moving—toward love, toward justice, and toward the kind of world Jesus was always talking about.

The word “progressive” when paired with the word “Christianity” is a modern expression of faith rooted in the belief that Christianity is not static, it’s alive. “Progressive” here means we are not bound to dogma that no longer serves justice, love, or truth. It’s faith that is willing to grow and move forward with honesty and love at its center. 

“Progressive Christianity” doesn’t mean trendy, partisan, or rebellious for rebellion’s sake. Progressive faith evolves in response to new understandings of science, critical analysis, human dignity, and social ethics. “Progressive Christianity” isn’t about discarding the Bible or abandoning tradition. It’s about reading scripture with eyes open to context, justice, and inclusion, and deepening our lived experience by looking to the teachings of Jesus, and asking what they require of us now. 

The term “Progressive Christianity” came into wide use in the 1990s through the work of Rev. James R. Adams, founder of The Center for Progressive Christianity. He launched an international movement that today offers resources, education, and community for those seeking a more open, inclusive, and justice-centered Christian faith. The organization was one of the first to put the term “Progressive Christianity” into action, notably trademarking it to protect its use in published materials, curriculum, and branding, but not restricting the movement itself, which is broad and diverse.

Recently, the word “progressive” has been politicized and  vilified by some as a symbol of cultural decay, often portrayed as abandoning “truth” and “tradition”. For come it carries political baggage, cultural assumptions, or outright misunderstanding. But such criticism fundamentally misunderstands the meaning of progress in this context. Progressive Christianity is about taking Jesus seriously enough to refuse to leave people out. It means naming what Jesus’ teachings stand for: a commitment to a love that is active. 

Progressive Christianity refuses to sit still in the face of oppression. It’s as active outside the church as it is in. It prioritizes racial and economic justice, welcomes the stranger, affirms LGBTQ+ identities, respects women, seeks responsible environmental stewardship, and values the sacredness of all people and all creation. We are called to listen, learn, and lead with compassion and empathy.

It bears repeating: Our world desperately needs a version of Christianity that heals rather than harms. The word “progressive” is not a liability. Progressive Christianity is a promise to keep moving toward the kind world fueled by the love and justice Jesus was always talking about.