Val Webb UK Speaking Tour

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" Progressives ... In England's Green and Pleasant Lands"

Dr. Val Webb

In June 2013, I did a speaking tour of progressive groups in the United Kingdom, arranged

by Rev. John Churcher, a Methodist minister and former chair of the Progressive Christian

Network in Britain (www.pcnbritain.org.uk) and by Peter Gibson from the Open Christianity

network in Ireland (www.ocnireland.com). Groups around the country were informed of my

availability over a few weeks and a tour of twelve lectures in sixteen days was organized - Belfast

and Dublin in Ireland; Dundee in Scotland; Kendal, Sheffield, Stockport, Harrogate and St. Albans

in England; and Barry in Wales. The tour was billed around the updated version of my book In

Defence of Doubt: an invitation to adventure (Melbourne: Mosaic Press, 2012) but at some places

I also gave presentations on "Talking about God" from my books Like Catching Water in a Net:

human attempts to describe the Divine and Stepping out with the Sacred: human attempts to

engage the Divine . In each place, Maurice and I were hosted by wonderful progressive members

which added so much to our experience.

The Belfast meeting was held in St. George's Church of Ireland (Protestant), a progressive

city church welcoming of GLBT people. Its non-stipendiary curate Rev. Dr William Odling Smith

is a retired surgeon, ordained when the Church of Ireland began ordaining people to work within

their secular profession. His wife, Anne, is chair of OCN Ireland. The Dublin meeting was at

Taney Parish Church of Ireland (Protestant), chaired by Andrew Furlong, an Anglican priest who,

in 2002, was charged with heresy for denying the divinity of Christ, the first heresy trial in one

hundred years in the Church of Ireland (Andrew Furlong, Tried for Heresy: a 21st century journey

of faith (Hants: O Books, 2003). Numbers at the Dublin meeting were swelled by an advertisement

in a Catholic newsletter Women Spirit which brought some younger Catholic women not

previously familiar with the progressive group, but very excited with the discussion. It is evident


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that the Catholic-Protestant divide still underscores most things in Ireland, adding an extra context

to the role of the progressive movement there.

In Dundee, Scotland, Angela Smith, current chair of the Progressive Christian Network in

Britain, organized two gatherings in the downtown West Dundee Parish hall (Reformed

Presbyterian Church of Scotland), one of few progressive churches in that denomination. The

informal afternoon discussion on "God" gathered a small but well educated group keen to talk.

This continued at the restaurant in the church's basement, followed by an evening meeting with

coffee, wine and goodies. Angela described how the Dundee group ebbed and flowed, providing a

place for people to ask their questions but not necessarily remain long-term. In time, another

bunch of people build enthusiasm again as they also experience the need to ask questions.

We hired a car in Scotland and drove the rest of the trip with boxes of my books for sale on

the back seat, supplied by my British publishers. The group in Kendal in the beautiful Lakes

District was relatively strong and established, with good ties with the Kendal Ecumenical Group.

We had an afternoon session on "God" in a lovely Manor House Hotel in the country, followed by

an evening meeting in the Kendal United Reformed Church (Presbyterian and Congregational

union). There are quite a few Quakers in these progressive groups, finding such places of silent

meditation more conducive to progressive thinking than liturgies and sermons in churches

promoting traditional theology. This group were especially thankful that we had come to this

regional location as most overseas speakers pass them by.

In Harrogate, the meeting was in the downtown Wesley Chapel where there was a strong

progressive group drawing from neighbouring areas as well. Three young people who saw the

advertising came for the first time. They were studying theology and philosophy and were very

pleased to hear the discussion, especially as they had attended another church group the previous

week promoting a seven day creation! One was studying feminist theology and writing a project

on it - very gratifying. Given the usual lack of young people in such groups, they were welcomed


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about images of God but not as much about going beyond any idea of God at all. Most were still

faithful in their churches, but struggling with traditional rigidity. Their progressive groups offered

places to share with like-minded people and with those who have given up and left the church.

As for the usual question "Where are the young people?" there was a feeling that, since

they had not been indoctrinated as had the older generation, they did not have the same questions

or, at least, did not feel bound to stay in outdated world views. We need to stop thinking about

bringing young people into the church, one person said, and learn from them out in the world. At

the suggestion that we had failed our children's generation, one younger person spoke up, "You

didn't fail us. You gave us what we needed -- permission to think for ourselves -- and we did!"

Talking with different groups every evening, I became aware that progressive Christianity

is, in many ways, a remedial movement. We become so concerned about the lack of young

people, without considering that our questions and concerns are from our generation raised in the

Billy Graham era. Most of our children were raised in a different era of Sunday School curriculum

where more was said about God is love than about heaven and hell. Answers that liberate us do

not have a corresponding question in their experience. We need to be thankful that liberating

progressive theology is available to our age-group and not feel guilty all the time if it is not as

relevant to the next generation. Permission to doubt, however, is something we can pass on by

personal example. In a post-modern world, however, most learn this along with their toddler

cereal.

The people in UK progressive groups ranged across the spectrum - the second woman

moderator of the Presbyterian church in England, Scotland and Wales; clergy of various

denominations, active and retired; Billy Graham converts; ex-missionaries and non-government

international workers; university professors and engineers; the widow of a well-known hymn

writer; people not raised in churches. Most groups had some clergy support and some were

organized by clergy. The majority of members were still in their churches and many attendees,


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given publicity about the event, were new to progressive thought. They are not dismissing God as

much as looking for fresh and authentic ways to talk about God. They enjoy the deconstruction

but do not see the need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. This is a lesson to progressive

groups whose leaders try to push their group further than the group is prepared to go. We have to

think carefully about group hospitality to those just starting the progressive journey.

There are some 55 small, independent progressive Christianity groups across the UK reading

similar authors. This as a contrast to the Australian scene where most progressive groups are in

capital cities or larger regional towns and progressives travel to bigger centres for events. This

struck me as something to develop further in Australia - a network of small independent groups in

country towns and rural areas supported and linked by the larger network. Such small groups

could be encouraged by visiting progressives travelling and talking in their retirement. We tend to

dismiss "country" churches as conservative, but people ask questions wherever they are. We need

to encourage doubters in small towns to get together, regardless of numbers -- the "where two or

three are gathered" principle. As anyone knows, enough small ink drops on a map eventually join

up into one large pool!

Val Webb UK Speaking Tour

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