A few questions about liberal denominations...

[oobi]

I hope you don't mind. I am a reluctant agnostic - I want to believe in God, really. I am wondering - what do most liberal denominations believe about the Bible? Do they view it as divinely inspired but written by man and therefore containing errors? Do any liberal denominations view it as infallible or, conversely, as strictly allegory? What liberal denominations are most likely to accept lgbt people? Are there any particular liberal denominations that would be more likely to have a contemporary, or at least non-liturgical worship style?

 

[lux et lex]

I'm ELCA Lutheran. I believe the Bible was divinely inspired but written by man and therefore contains errors and is colored by the perspective of the author. This is backed up by my denomination. ELCA recently passed an order that openly homosexual clergy may be called to serve. The church I used to go to had a contemporary worship service, and it was a fairly conservative member of the ELCA. I'd imagine other more liberal members would have more contemporary worship.

 

[hedrick]

I hope you don't mind. I am a reluctant agnostic - I want to believe in God, really. I am wondering - what do most liberal denominations believe about the Bible? Do they view it as divinely inspired but written by man and therefore containing errors? Do any liberal denominations view it as infallible or, conversely, as strictly allegory? What liberal denominations are most likely to accept lgbt people? Are there any particular liberal denominations that would be more likely to have a contemporary, or at least non-liturgical worship style?

I'd say that a slightly flexible view of Scripture is a big part of the definition of liberal. However most liberals you find here regard Scripture as either inspired or (very similar) as human beings reporting their experience with God. Because humans don't always fully understand what they've seen, it may have some errors. But we still consider Jesus teachings and the teachings of the prophets as authoritative, so the extent that they are correctly reported and interpreted. Paul's status is more ambiguous in many liberal churches.

In a few groups (e.g. Unitarians) you'll find some who consider large parts of the Bible as fictional. But if you're looking at the "mainline", groups like PCUSA, Methodists, or ELCA, that's unusual. However liberal churches often have a variety of members. A PCUSA church recently accepted an atheist as a member (although that caused a lot of negative reaction, and some procedural changes have been made to make it less likely in the future), and most of our churches have some pretty conservative members, and in fact whole conservative congregations.

The attitude towards LGBT depends upon the congregation. In most of these churches there are annual battles at the national meetings, but specific congregations usually have a specific approach. My own congregation (PCUSA) is quite accepting. We had a gay pastor for years (although I'm not sure how widely that was known outside our church). That's common in the Northeast, but there are PCUSA churches in the South that are accepting as well. In denominations like ours where the national policy doesn't permit ordination of gays (although it's not clear whether this is still true for the PCUSA), accepting churches will often label themselves in some way so you can tell.

Actually, conservative denominations have tended to lead in contemporary services. Many of the mainline have traditional services. It's common, but far from universal, to have more than one service of different styles.

[For the PCUSA, the big debate is ordination of homosexuals. The reason it's a big deal for us is that our local leaders are all ordained. So it's not just pastors: in principle gays can't be deacons or elders, although we'd have no problem with them participating in commissions or service work without being formally ordained. However the exact situation in the PCUSA is currently in flux. The national body has said that churches may decide to ordain gays. This could be reversed by the permanent judicial commission, but it would likely be reinstated by the next general assembly. Unlike the Supreme Court, in our system the PJC doesn't necessarily have the last word.]

 

[oobi]

Thanks both of you. I actually emailed a few local churches earlier in the week specifically asking if they accept gays and lesbians, as worshipers and/or members. I have yet to hear back from any of them.

 

[Merlin Athrawes]

Few denominations are liberal as such but most have at least a smattering of liberal congregations. Your best bets generally would be either the United Church of Christ or the Episcopalians. If there is a Unitarian-Universalist congregation in your area you might want to try that too.

 

[Supernaut]

I highly recommend the United Church of Christ (UCC). They are very much like the ELCA that Lux et Lex described in an earlier post in this thread. A very popular UCC slogan is "don't place a period where God has placed a comma." It speaks volumes!

Also, the UCC has been at the forefront of LGBT and Women's rights now for decades! Longer than any other denomination for LGBT support.

Most UCC congregation strongly welcome and affirm all people no matter they are or where they are on life's journey. You will be very welcomed there. Your questions would be met with praise (we love freethinkers) and the answers would be found in more than just one book.

 

[John S]

Jesus Christ was/is a liberal. If you believe in His liberal words and follow the liberal examples that He set, then you will also be a liberal - regardless of the denomination that you choose. SIMPLE.

 

[fieryphoenix]

I hope you don't mind. I am a reluctant agnostic - I want to believe in God, really. I am wondering - what do most liberal denominations believe about the Bible? Do they view it as divinely inspired but written by man and therefore containing errors? Do any liberal denominations view it as infallible or, conversely, as strictly allegory? What liberal denominations are most likely to accept lgbt people? Are there any particular liberal denominations that would be more likely to have a contemporary, or at least non-liturgical worship style?

I recommend the United Church of Christ. They have a campaign called "Open and Accepting" in which some of the churches specifically welcome gay and lesbian members. The ECLA and Episcopal churches also welcome GLBT.

The Unitarians are a whole different animal. Some are Christian but most are atheist, agnostic and pagan.

Liberal Christian denominations tend to emphasize the general principles that we should take from the bible as opposed to conservative Protestant churches, which emphasize biblical inerrancy.

You have to look at individual churches to find contemporary worship.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I hope you don't mind. I am a reluctant agnostic - I want to believe in God, really. I am wondering - what do most liberal denominations believe about the Bible? Do they view it as divinely inspired but written by man and therefore containing errors? Do any liberal denominations view it as infallible or, conversely, as strictly allegory? What liberal denominations are most likely to accept lgbt people? Are there any particular liberal denominations that would be more likely to have a contemporary, or at least non-liturgical worship style?

In addition to what others have said, you will find some liberal attitudes and practices in denominations that are normally considered conservative. I.e., Assembles of God, Pentecostal and conservative evangelical. But my particular AG congregation in Seattle (a very liberal cosmopolitan port city, which I'm sure is a factor) is Emergent-friendly (the pastors are fans of Rob Bell and Donald Miller) and we have a very contemporary worship style. Some of us even attend Episcopalian services on occasion (Seattle's St. Mark's Cathedral has an awesome Sunday night Compline service, and quite a few of us enjoy that).

 

[Evenstar253]

I recommend the United Church of Christ. They have a campaign called "Open and Accepting" in which some of the churches specifically welcome gay and lesbian members.

I'd like to add that many UCC churches are welcoming of gays and lesbians even if they're not specifically labeled "Open and Affirming." Although I'm not gay, the UCC's stance on lgbt issues is one of the factors that drew me into the denomination.

 

[Supernaut]

I'd like to add that many UCC churches are welcoming of gays and lesbians even if they're not specifically labeled "Open and Affirming." Although I'm not gay, the UCC's stance on lgbt issues is one of the factors that drew me into the denomination.

Agreed. Open and Affirming even goes beyond sexuality. It means that the doors are open to everyone and that everyone will be affirmed as a child of God "no matter who they are or where they are on life's journey."

Remember kids, "God is good, all the time."

 

[hedrick]

[This is for "someonestupid", who I believe is moving to this thread.]

The PCUSA isn't dead, at least not as you mean it. (We are losing members, but that's true of all the liberal churches and is starting to be true even of some conservative churches.)

Most of the moderately liberal churches have a range in their local congregations. PCUSA are often the kind of church I think you're looking for, but we have a number of more conservative churches. The same is true of similar denominations, e.g. ELCA, Methodists, Episcopal, UCC, and Disciples of Christ. To get a denomination that's guaranteed to be liberal, you may have to overshoot, e.g. Unitarian/Universalist.

If I were you I'd try all of those churches in the area. If they have websites, you can sometimes tell their focus from that.

The PCUSA, like many churches, is having a problem keeping members in their 20s. Historically there's been a tendency for people not to go to Church in college, and come back when they have kids. But the coming back is getting a bit less common. A lot of it seems to be an aversion to being part of a church, and specifically to meetings, including getting up early on Sunday morning. But there ought to be some group, if you can just find it. You're right that it would be easier in a more urban setting.

If you don't care about traditional ideas such as the Trinity, even in a kind of flexible form, then the most liberal groups such as the Unitarian/Universalists, and the Friends (Quakers), become something to look at.