An epiphany...

[Tom Wetmore]

I have long preferred the term "progressive" as being more accurately descriptive than the pejorative (strangely, it seems) term "liberal". I am not inclined to like useless and increasingly meaningless labels.

Yet I have not been as quick to find a better term for those in the Church oriented in an opposite or contrary direction. Conservative is not accurate. Too often those wearing that label, even with a token of pride, are really not about conserving anything. That would sort of imply holding steady, maintaining a fixed position. While some may well be inclined to that quality of stasis, increasingly I am seeing more of an effort to actually move away from the present state of things, but really to move the Church backwards.

Then it hit me in something I saw posted on Facebook. The better term is Regressive.

Despite what some would have us believe, this Advent Movement was from its beginning a progressive movement, forward looking, anticipating the better future, but also growth oriented, reforming and adapting to changing times and never being satisfied that we have everything just right, being open to new ideas and new light. It disturbs me to see what is a growing sentiment and driving force to move the Church backwards to a bygone era, but not one that really existed but one that is almost a cruel caricature of some vision of the past. It is regressive and those that are pushing us in that direction are not really Conservatives, but Regressives.

[Gail]

Tom, you have outdone yourself!

[Neil D]

[Planey]

Graeme

[phkrause]

Excellent thought Tom

[cricket]

What if the regression points further back in history, say closer toward Jesus' own ministry?

[debbym]

most excellent choice of a word.

[M. T. Cross]

What if the regression points further back in history, say closer toward Jesus' own ministry?

That would be reconstructionist

[Bravus]

What if the regression points further back in history, say closer toward Jesus' own ministry?

Does it?

[Bravus]

WDJD - what *did* Jesus do?

[cricket]

Originally Posted By: cricket

What if the regression points further back in history, say closer toward Jesus' own ministry?

Does it?

I don't know. I don't pay close enough attention. I was just curious as to "What if" so that's why I said, "What if".

[Gerr]

No matter the label, it would have some shortcomings. Not every forward looking change is progressive, and not every backward or regressive change is bad. There are things I want to change for the better - progressive, and there are things I wish would revert back to what it was - regressive?

[phkrause]

I like the way you worded that Gerry.

[Windsor]

Nice try, Tom. The only people I know of trying to take us back to the days of Noah are the liberals. If anything, these so-called progressives should instead be called regressives.

[Neil D]

Ut-oh...a gauntlet has been thrown down....a line has been drawn...

unfortunately, one has to just look at the topics and see where the discussions have gotten bogged down and see plainly that the ubber-conservative person has been the 'progressive' in acts of intellectual convolution and abandonment of biblical principals.

this gauntlet is nothing more than a 'straw man argument' and is being used to bolster the ego that something must be done to stop the gushing onslaught of progressive thought.....

wanna try again? this time with more conviction.....