Radical Christianity is about encountering the God of love. It is first and foremost rooted in the discovery of a universal and unconditional source of love at the heart of reality and within each person. God is the name we give to this source of love. It is possible to have a direct and real personal encounter with this God through spiritual practice. We encounter God, and are nourished by God, through the regular practice of prayer, or contemplation.
Radical Christianity is about following a man called Jesus. It is rooted in the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, a Jewish prophet living under occupation of the Roman Empire two thousand years ago. It understands that's Jesus' message was the message of liberation. His message was that when we truly encounter God, and let God's love flow through us, we begin to be liberated from the powers of empire and violence and encounter the "realm of God" - an alternative spiritual and social reality rooted in love rather than power, and compassion rather than violence.
Radical Christianity is liberating. It understands that the practice of Christian faith is the practice of liberation. It understands that Christian spiritual practice liberates us personally - from anxiety, hatred, and greed; and liberates our society - from harmful economic systems, from poverty, from racism, sexism, homophobia, classism and all forms of oppression. It understands that Christians have not always worked towards this liberation, and at times have actively worked against it. Radical Christians repent of when Christianity has not been on the side of justice, and continue to commit to make amends and to practice a justice-centred faith.
Radical Christianity is evolving. It understands that God is beyond our language, that finding truth is hard, that faith is mysterious, that we do not have all the answers, and need to keep reforming, learning, and listening to others. It is rooted in a tradition going back to Jewish prophets of thousands of years ago but is constantly trying to learn from science and culture, use the thinking mind, listen to personal conscience, and discern truth in dialogue with others.
Radical Christianity works with others. We accept the fact of religious and cultural diversity and seek to build coalitions with people of all faiths and none in the work of liberation. We embrace the reality of Christians as a minority in society and do not wish to impose our faith on others through coercion. We condemn Christian supremacy as a form of oppression and violence.
These words are my own attempt at expressing the nature of Radical Christianity, but they draw on historic and contemporary traditions and communities including:
The Anabaptist Mennonite Network
The Center for Prophetic Imagination
The General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
The Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)
The Progressive Christianity Network
The Unitarian Christian Association
The Universalist Church of America
as well as various traditions of Liberation Theology.
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