Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite talks about the importance of religious education, Biblical literalism, and the emerging progressive religious movement that she calls a 'Second Reformation.'

In this new episode of Progressive Religious Voices, Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, emphasizes critical thought and thorough Bible study as the backbone of progressive religious education and talks about the "divine human project" of helping to heal the world.

Here's a short excerpt from the podcast:
That’s the divine human project, to heal the world. And you contribute your piece. King was right, it may be slow, but 'the arc of history bends towards justice.' Isaiah 58 says, `You shall be called the re-builders of the walls, the restorers of houses in ruins.’ Our country is in ruins. I mean, seriously. And so Isaiah 58 calls us, `I despise your feasts, your solemn assemblies.’ [And God says], 'What are you doing? You’re over here, you’re wasting my time with all of this religious ritual when the world is broken, and it’s the world that I care about. It’s the world I created as God, and so your job as a human being is to work with me in the re-building of the world, the healing of the world.' That’s what you’re doing. You’re trying to help with others the world heal itself. So for me, it is the healing of the world, that’s the human project.

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About Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite
Rev. Dr. Susan Brooks Thistlethwaite is professor of theology at Chicago Theological Seminary and senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She was president of CTS from 1998-2008. Her area of expertise is contextual theologies of liberation, specializing in issues of violence and violation. An ordained minister of the United Church of Christ since 1974, she is the author or editor of thirteen books and has been a translator for two translations of the Bible. Her works include Casting Stones: Prostitution and Liberation in Asia and the United States (1996) and The New Testament and Psalms: An Inclusive Translation (1995).

About the Podcasts
Progressive Religious Voices is a bi-monthly podcast of interviews gleaned from nearly 100 interviews with progressive religious leaders. You can subscribe to the podcast feed directly or on iTunes to get all the exciting interviews that we will feature throughout 2008.

Other Resources
If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also enjoy our podcast featuring Rev. Dr. James Forbes, Jr., President and Founder of the Healing of the Nations Foundation of New York and Senior Minister Emeritus of Riverside Church.

You can also read more about the growing progressive religious movement in my new book, Progressive & Religious: How Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist Leaders are Moving Beyond the Culture Wars and Transforming American Public Life.

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