Jason Jimenez, author of 'Hijacking Jesus: How Progressive Christians Are Remaking Him and Taking Over His Church,' discusses the distortion of Jesus by progressive churches. They explore the reimagining of Jesus in a woke context and refute false claims about Jesus propagated by progressive Christians.
Progressive Christians seek to desupernaturalize Jesus's miracles and reinterpret them metaphorically, diminishing his divinity and power.
Progressive Christians reimagine Jesus as a woke teacher, promoting inclusivity and social justice, while downplaying sin and his sacrificial atonement.
Deep dives
The Attack on Jesus's Miracles
Progressive Christians attack the miracles of Jesus by desupernaturalizing them, claiming that they were not miraculous but rather common for that time period. They argue that miracles violate the laws of physics and therefore should be reinterpreted metaphorically. These reinterpretations seek to strip Jesus of his divinity and his power, reducing him to a mere moral teacher or a social reformer.
Reinventing Jesus as a Woke Teacher
Progressive Christians reinvent Jesus as a woke teacher who promotes inclusivity, social justice, and acceptance. They reinterpret Jesus's teachings to align with contemporary cultural values, rejecting elements they deem exclusive or punitive. They emphasize Jesus's focus on love, caring, forgiveness, and reform, while downplaying sin and his sacrificial atonement. This reimagined Jesus is used to support causes like socialism, poverty alleviation, and advocacy for minority groups.
Targeting Conservative Churches
Progressive Christians target conservative Bible-believing churches as their agenda is to take over and reshape these churches according to their progressive beliefs. Many progressive Christians come from conservative backgrounds but feel disillusioned by perceived legalism, hypocrisy, and spiritual abuse. They aim to reform and liberate these churches, viewing themselves as restorers of Jesus's true message and as champions of inclusivity, social reform, and a reimagined Jesus.
Responding to Progressive Christianity
In the face of progressive Christianity's attacks and reinventions, biblical Christians can respond by countering false claims with biblical explanations, historical and theological analysis, and a clear understanding of the core doctrines of Christianity. It is essential to affirm the divinity of Jesus, the reality of miracles, the significance of sin and atonement, and the authority of Scripture. By effectively refuting progressive Christian distortions, biblical Christians can stand strong in their faith.