The start of a new school year is the season when the children and youth in our lives get to ask lots of questions and embark on new learning experiences. But we are all lifelong learners! We can all enter this fall season asking new questions and embarking on new learning adventures. To that end, we’ve created an online resource packed with links to help you deepen the values you hold as a progressive person of faith. The truth is, deepening our faith journeys has more to do with asking the questions than receiving all the answers.
Promoting Inclusive Books and Schools
American Library Association: Banned and Challenged Books
A comprehensive website includes data and lists of currently banned books and ways you can act to promote the freedom to read. See Banned Books Week below.
www.ala.org/bbooks
Banned Books Week 2024 “Freed Between the Lines”
Hosts Let Freedom Read Day on September 28, 2024 as part of Banned Books Week (September 22-28). This year the focus will be on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, with the hope of drawing national attention to the harms of censorship. Web site is full of resources on banned books and ways to act.
www.bannedbooksweek.org/
Welcoming Schools Resources (Human Rights Campaign)
Offers resources for parents and educators on how to make our schools more welcoming to LGBTQ students. Includes reading lists for elementary and secondary education.
www.welcomingschools.org/resources/elementary-booklists
Deepening Your Progressive Values
ProgressiveChristianity.org
An amazing website with blogs, podcasts, sermons, articles, etc. that describes itself as “an open, intelligent and collaborative approach to the Christian tradition and the life and teachings of Jesus…”
www.progressivechristianity.org
United Church of Christ: Our Faith, Our Vote
This year’s Our Faith, Our Vote campaign asks the church to answer the call of 1 John 3:18 to “let us not love with words or speech, but in action and in truth,” by “voting with love.”
www.ucc.org/our-faith-our-vote/
Faithful America: Resisting Christian Nationalism Resource
A great educational resource on Christian nationalism
www.act.faithfulamerica.org/signup/christian-nationalism-resources/
The Christian Century
A “thoughtful, independent, progressive” magazine with free blog, newsletter, etc.
www.christiancentury.org/
Q Christian
A new resource page to support an LGBTQ+ affirming faith.
www.qchristian.org/resources/theology
Compiled by Rev. Laura Rose
