Christianity’s real crisis isn’t atheism — but a far more sinister deception

When Baylor University returned a $1.65 million LGBTQ+ grant last month — 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.

God’s word doesn’t change. His standards don’t evolve with the culture.

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. And in my heart, I believe it’s more dangerous than atheism. At least an atheist is clear about what he believes. Progressive Christianity, on the other hand, 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.
• Downplay the exclusivity of Christ for salvation.

It often affirms the cultural moment over the eternal word. 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.

For anyone unfamiliar with this movement, here’s a biblical breakdown of progressive Christianity that explains how it departs from the true gospel.

Why progressive Christianity is more dangerous than atheism

It might sound extreme, but I truly believe this: Progressive Christianity is a greater threat to the gospel than atheism ever was.

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.

RELATED: How JD Vance exposed the convenient theology of progressive Christians

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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 “The Chosen” seemingly partnering with people 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, progressive Christianity molds faith to fit culture, rather than calling culture to repent and follow Christ.

A personal word on compassion and conviction

Let me say something from the heart: I have many friends who consider themselves Christians and also identify as gay. Some are even politically conservative. They love Jesus — or at least they think they do. But they’ve been taught, as I once believed, that God affirms their same-sex relationships as long as they’re “loving” and “monogamous.”

I understand the desire to reconcile faith and desire. I lived in that space for years, trying to convince myself that God was OK with what I wanted, as long as I was sincere.

But sincerity doesn’t save us. Jesus does. And He doesn’t just meet us where we are — He calls us to repentance, to holiness, to transformation. That’s not cruelty. That’s grace.

God always preserves a remnant. But it’s time to wake up.

So while I’m deeply compassionate toward those who are still working through these things, I cannot affirm a version of Christianity that leaves people where they are instead of leading them to the cross.

That’s what progressive Christianity does — and it’s why it’s so dangerous.

What the Bible really calls us to

True Christianity isn’t comfortable. It never has 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 feels 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.

This article is adapted from an essay originally published at Arch Kennedy’s blog.