What is Progressive Christianity? with Alisa Childers

Navigating a faith crisis after doubt and deconstruction.
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What defines Progressive Christianity? In this episode, our host Oliver Hersey and producer, Kelsey Bowse explore that question with Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospel: A Lifelong Christian Seeks Truth in Response to Progressive Christianity. She was also a member of ZOEgirl, a Christian band that toured from 1999-2013, with bands like Natalie Grant, and TobyMac.

Childers argues that Christians should be able to give an “apologia,” or defense for their faith. She said “every Christian should have a working knowledge, for at least the resurrection, and some basic Biblical reliability issues.” She drew attention to 1 Peter 3:15 (ESV) always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

Her book, Another Gospel includes nine denials that define Progressive Christianity. In this conversation, Childers outlines the following denials:

  1. The authority of the Bible.
  2. The sin nature of man.
  3. The reality of sin that separates us from God.

When asked about Hell – she cited J.I. Packer ‘Hell is the negation of fellowship with the Lord, the negation of pleasure, the negation of any form of contentment.” Childers also added “if someone doesn’t like God now, they’re not going to want to be with him for eternity.”

Her friend J. Warner Wallace outlines three things that take ministers down: sex, money and power. She indicated that Progressive Christians like Nadia Bolz-Weber are telling people “you can have all of those things.” That’s why, for some people, this message, is appealing – even though it’s antithetical to the Gospel.

You can also listen to the Alisa Childers Podcast.

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Produced by Kelsey Bowse, edited by Alex Carter

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