When Baylor University
returned a $1.65 million LGBTQ+ grant recently — one tied to DEI efforts and
LGBTQ initiatives — it sent a ripple through the Christian world.
On the surface, it looked like a victory: A Christian institution backing down in the face of public pressure from believers. But as Allie Beth Stuckey and others rightly pointed out, this wasn’t a win born from spiritual conviction. It was a calculated retreat. One that exposed a much deeper problem than any single grant. It exposed the growing danger of Progressive Christianity.
This movement isn’t just a theological shift. It’s a spiritual counterfeit — one that keeps the language of Christianity but trades the authority of Scripture for the approval of culture. Progressive Christianity deceives from the inside. It misleads under the banner of Jesus — offering a form of godliness but denying its power (2 Timothy 3:5). And it’s costing people their salvation.
What is Progressive Christianity, really?
Progressive Christianity isn’t just a more “open-minded” version of the faith — it’s a total redefinition of it. At its core, progressive theology tends to reject the authority and inerrancy of the Bible, reinterpret sin through the lens of human experience, emphasize love and inclusion over holiness and repentance, and downplay the exclusivity of Christ for salvation. In this view, truth is flexible. God’s commands are negotiable. And Jesus becomes more of a moral teacher than a Savior who calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). That’s not Christianity. That’s deception.
Why Progressive Christianity is more dangerous than atheism.
Here’s why. Atheists make no pretense about their disbelief. You know where they stand. But progressive Christians use Christian language, Scripture, and emotion to validate teachings that directly contradict the Bible. They redefine sin, affirm lifestyles that Scripture calls us to repent from, and reduce salvation to a vague message of self-love. In doing so, they lead others down a path that feels spiritual — but is ultimately separated from Christ. Jesus warned about this kind of deception: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Progressive Christianity often wears that sheep’s clothing well. But it leaves people spiritually lost, thinking they’re saved while embracing a gospel that has no power to save.
Baylor is a symptom — not the disease
The Baylor grant controversy is just one example of a larger pattern. Christian institutions across America are slowly conforming to culture while keeping the appearance of faith. Many churches and universities want the brand of Christianity without the cost of obedience. Whether it’s partnering with groups that affirm sin, or seminaries quietly shifting their theological standards, the same compromise is at work — affirming the feelings of man over the commands of God. This isn’t about one issue. It’s about all of them. Whether it’s sexuality, gender, marriage, abortion, or even the exclusivity of the Gospel, this movement molds faith to fit culture, rather than calling culture to repent and follow Christ.
What the Bible really calls us to
True Christianity isn’t comfortable. It has never been. Jesus said: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it” (Matthew 7:13). The road of Progressive Christianity is wide. It’s attractive. It’s affirming. But it does not save. God’s Word doesn’t change. His standards don’t evolve with the culture. The call to repentance, faith, and obedience is still the same today as it was 2,000 years ago. And anything less than that isn’t good news at all — it’s a lie with eternal consequences.
A call to courage
If you’re a believer who sees what’s happening in the Church and you feel discouraged — don’t be. God always preserves a remnant. But it’s time to wake up. We cannot keep pretending that agreement equals love or that silence equals peace. True love tells the truth. And true peace only comes through Christ — not cultural affirmation.
The danger of Progressive Christianity is that it speaks peace where there is no peace. It offers comfort without conviction, and affirmation without transformation. That is not the Gospel. And it’s time we say so — with boldness, clarity, and compassion.
Chaplain (Colonel-Ret), U.S. Army
Pastor, Ft. Snelling Memorial Chapel
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