Yes. Progressive. Progressive Christianity is characterized by a willingness to question tradition, accept human diversity, including religious diversity, seek social justice, care for the poor and oppressed, tend to the environment, and gather as a community in new ways. Want more clarity, try this list from progressivechristinaity.org Point 1: Teachings of Jesus Point 2: Pluralism Point 3: Inclusive Community Point 4: Act As We Believe Point 5: Non-Dogmatic Searchers Point 6: Peace and Justice Point 7: Integrity of the Earth Point 8: Compassion and Selfless Love VALUES Progressive Faith We don’t practice a tired old dusty faith. We are vitally engaged in the world. Doctrines and confessions? Not us. Instead we offer room to question and explore. Specifically, as progressive Christians we are willing to create new traditions, celebrate diversity, seek justice, care for the poor, liberate the oppressed, protect the environment, and always, always gather as a community in new ways.
Community Driven & Connected Community is the heart of grace-filled living. We are committed to being community to each other. In community God’s presence is most palpable to us. Community is also where the most positive change occurs both in our personal and collective lives. That is why we are actively engaged in other communities from worshipping with those experiencing homelessness, to insulating houses in Maine, to providing a thank you breakfast for hard working school staff in an underserved elementary school.
Emergent Grace displays many characteristics of "defined" emergent churches: it is experimental in worship, prioritizes dynamism over stability, and prefers stories to doctrine. At Grace we claim our emergent identity for one simple reason: we are emerging. Actively. Right now. We wrestle weekly with what it means to be a 21st century community that desires to follow Jesus. Tradition isn't on our radar screen. We never ask: What did we used to do? Instead, we are always looking toward the future. What can we do that’s new? How can we be a community better? An urgency propels us forward to find better ways of loving and new ways of being.
We often joke that we are a TOPLESS church. By topless we mean: no pope, no bishop, no institution, only real people in community. We've happily rejected religious hierarchy and control as an emergent community.