Living the Questions, by David M. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy

On more than one occasion, pastors and laypersons from progressive congregations have confided in me, “We are a little weak in our theology; we know what we don’t believe but have trouble articulating our own faith to one another and to newcomers.” They recognize that a vital faith lives by its affirmations as well as its negations, especially in times of crisis and uncertainty.

The Living the Questions DVD series, created by David Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy, was intended to inspire theological reflection among mainstream and progressive Christians, and it has succeeded in providing a platform for theological alternatives to the popular messages of conservative and fundamentalist writers, preachers and televangelists. Felten and Procter-Murphy’s Living the Questions: The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity provides in book form the insights of Living the Questions 2.0: An Introduction to Progressive Christianity, a DVD and Internet program the authors also created. The volume reflects a few of the challenges facing progressive Christianity in its mission to “rejuvenate the faith and illuminate a lifelong spiritual path for thinking Christians.”

The book is divided into three sections: “Journey,” an overview of progressive Christianity; “Reconciliation,” focusing on healing the relationship of God, humankind and the planet; and “Transformation,” a spiritual pathway for progressive Christians. The first section, “Journey,” is primarily deconstructive in approach. Although it clearly and accurately depicts the profound differences between fundamentalist and progressive visions of Christianity, its theology is vague and takes second place to a celebration of the virtues of theological ambiguity and openness.