Networking: Grassroots/Netroots

I've been wrestling with Jesus for almost 50 years.

I mean, the guy has this way of getting all over you, under your skin, moving inside your head and never letting go!

The longer I have studied, listened to and observed him in the biblical record, in terms of his historical impact and in regard to the effect he has had on my own life and world, the more convinced I am that most people don't really understand him, what he said or who he was.

Last November in D.C., during the Conference held by the Institute of Progressive Christianity and Crossleft,

I met former House Rep. and Senator Mike Gravel, who is also a

Presidential Candidate,

http://www.gravel2008.com/

In 1971, he waged a successful one-man filibuster for five months that forced the Nixon administration to cut a deal, effectively ending the draft in the United States.

Dear Crossleft Community,   The Institute for Progressive Christianity, fashioned out of the CrossLeft community approximately two years ago is a Christian think tank that ecumenically weaves together the progressive Christians of Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical, Mainline Protestant, and Liberal backgrounds.  In its two years of existence it has been gathering momentum toward a faithful, inspired, impassioned and yet reasoned and analytical articulation of Christianity as a progressive journey of greater love and justice toward others and a deeper personal communion with God.  The Academic Review Panel is the work group at the IPC charged with incubating, generating and supporting the products of the IPC.

The following is from Larry James' Urban Daily at www.UrbanDaily.org.

A Place to Call "Home"

"I sleep on the street," William told us. "I cover up with my blankets. My blankets are precious to me because of the cold. One night last week, I woke up and realized there was another person under my blankets with me! A perfect stranger just trying to stay warm. He meant me no harm at all!"

The Institute of Progressive Christianity Commends the National Association of Evangelicals on Their "Effort to Protect Creation," Challenges the Opposition of Extreme Conservative Leaders

The Institute for Progressive Christianity (IPC) (http://www.instituteforprogressivechristianity.org) both commends the courage and Christian concern displayed by Rev. Rick Cizik and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) for recommending preventive action on the issue of global warming, and challenges their “conservative� detractors who demanded Rev. Cizik be fired for spearheading the effort.

From Larry James' Urban Daily:

Bill Moyers on Democracy

On February 7, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation presented Judith and Bill Moyers the first Frank E. Taplin, Jr. Public Intellectual Award for “extraordinary contributions to public cultural, civic and intellectual life.�

As one of the panelists presenting the pro-gay marriage Christian perspective for IPC's breakthrough symposium, "Countering Fundamentalism: Christian Gospel as a Basis for Progressive Social Action," a few kernels of truth emerged for me as I listened to the other panelists and audience feedback.

First, it occurred to me that the biological argument (scientific evidence that homosexual orientation is a genetic predisposition and zoologist observations that homosexual behavior among species in the animal kingdom appears common and fairly "natural") is not a sound place upon which to base the moral and spiritually affirmative importance of gay marriage.