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Progressive Adventism Credimus

We believe in the natural constant of change over time.
Guided by traditions & inspired by our founders before us,
we lift up each other and those around us,
engaging doctrines and challenging community in growth.
We believe that genuine dialogue leads to understanding,
that consensus is often guided by human pride and
we seek not the things of this earth but of those in heaven above.
We believe that the Divine inspires all through His Spirit.
Claiming our Adventist heritage of Present Truth,
we celebrate a Christianity of inclusion and tolerance,
relating the Divine through our interactions communally and individually.
We believe that love, as taught by Jesus, is the highest of Divine Principles,
the fruit of which bears out in our interactions with each other.
We seek to understand various cultures not simply pronounce judgment.
We believe that together, in communion with God, we have been called
to a higher purpose, “testing all things and holding fast to that which is good.”
Through our forums and publications we advocate for change,
not for the sake of popularity but for revelation and understanding.
We believe that God is still speaking and guiding us today,
that the church should not put a period where God has placed a comma.
We seek to enter into a divine covenant with God, making known His will.
We believe that progression is at the heart of God’s revelation,
that He wills for His children to utilize the minds He has given them.
We believe that in affirming our traditions we have yet a responsibility
to creatively integrate our knowledge and faith.
We believe these things because He believes in our ability,
for He has given all of us the capacity to reason and challenges us to use it.
He is forever the inspiration of and the answer to our questions.
The following was written in Southern Adventist University’s “The Accent” under the title ‘Progressive Adventism.’ The poem “Progressive Adventism Credimus” was written in response to that poem.
We believe what everyone else believes
only rejecting what we once believed
doctrines are just obstacles
obstacles are just burdens
and burdens are unpreachable
We believe in making the crowd happy
telling them what they want to hear
to soften them up year by year
but not to conviction
why make them sneer when we could
have them cheer?
We believe that standards are no fun
that pushing the envelope must be done
even if we make others unhappy
exposing our agenda because
all we want to do is make us happy
We believe that every kind of music
is acceptable except for dull
hymns which cannot be accepted
music is art and art is pleasure
pleasure is desired and desire
should not be restrained
only to the point that it
doesn’t hurt anyone
to the best of our definition of hurt
to the best of our definition of definition
We believe we should be a great social club
even though we do not believe
its one worth inviting others to the fun
evangelisim is antiquated and should be trashed
other religions deserve a fair chance
even though by accepting everything
we reject anything
We believe that progression is good
what’s new is best
even though novelty itself is getting old
we should be hip and in
and preach instead of the gospel some popular trend
Now if progression has been made a god
then Christ is replaced
instead of a cross self becomes boss
leaving not a religion that is true
but one that we want
only to leave us wanting

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