Conservative & Progressive Christians Don’t Exist
Once a person defines themself as a “Conservative Christian” or a “Progressive Christian” you know something is awry in their priorities. It is a deceptive use of language which mostly fools the person using the label. There is no such thing as a conservative Christian or a progressive one. The phrase defies the meaning of what being a Christian is.
I can be a Christian who happens to be a conservative politically or I can be a Christian who happens to be a Democrat. I can be a Christian who happens to be a Republican, or I can be a Christian who is a Progressive. I can also be a Christian who likes the Chicago Cubs or the Green Bay Packers. But there is no such thing as a Chicago Cubs Christian or a Packer Christian. I hope you see the point.
Placing any sort of qualifier in front of the word Christian denies the entire gospel message. Being a Christian is not an identity that a political ideology can define. Once it does, then it is no longer an authentic expression of the teachings of Jesus. A conservative or progressive Christian is a counterfeit Christian. Jesus’ teachings are not politically based manifestos, but they reflect spiritual values that exceed and go beyond any political, social, or ethnic category. Jesus clearly said that his “kingdom is not of this world.”
So-Called Conservative Christians
Let’s start with the phrase “Conservative Christian” since that is used most often by the press and in many churches. It is how many Christians define themselves. It comes in several different formats such as “Patriot Christians” or “Christian Nationalists.” To say one is a patriot Christian or Christian nationalist is to prioritize the political feelings of love for one’s country, or worse the feeling of superiority of one’s country over others, over that of the universal teachings of Jesus.
Here is a newsflash for my conservative Christian friends…Jesus was not an American! And, he wasn’t white, and he wasn’t even a Christian, he was Jewish. And most of all, he wasn’t a Republican.
Using this political priority, the teachings of Jesus can either be ignored, which is most often the case or exploited to fit the political ideology of the patriot or nationalist. Christianity serves the political objective of the conservative. Citizenship in the country (United States) supersedes the citizenship that Jesus talked about which resides with no geographic boundary. But conservatives freely use Christian symbolism, metaphors, and language to bolster their political positions and worse to denigrate the positions of those who aren’t conservative using religious justification. They will often end up promoting policies and agendas that contradict the teachings of Jesus, like “love your neighbor.” It is a complete denial of the Christ narrative.
In my State of Iowa, you only need to visit a couple of websites to see the “Conservative-Patriot-Nationalist” Christian identity at work. Bob Vander Plats’ organization The Family Leader is full of conservative agenda wish lists that prioritize politics over the inner spiritual dimensions of the teachings of Jesus to realize that the priority isn’t on the “good news” but on “conservative news.” Steve Scheffler’s Faith and Freedom Coalition is more of the same. But these two organizations are conservative Republican kingmakers in the State of Iowa. The fact that people such as Pat Roberston, Mike Huckabee, Ted Cruz, and Rick Santorum have won their endorsements and then have gone on to win the Iowa Caucuses, illustrates the power of these two organizations. It is noteworthy, however, that none of these Conservative Christian picks in the caucuses has ever gone on to win the Presidency.
So-Called “Progressive Christians”
But two can play this game. So-called “Progressive Christians” sometimes work from a very similar methodology. Starting with a more liberal or progressive political agenda, they easily find Bible verses that support and provide confirmation bias for their positions. Because progressive ideology tends to be more inclusive than exclusive, there is less stridency or restriction in terms of association. In other words, progressives who are driven mainly by social justice issues will align with any group willing to work with them, atheists, Muslims, or any other group…heck even the Satanists. But the same problem arises for the Progressive as it does for the Conservative. Are their actions and policies rooted more in a political priority or the spiritual dimension of the non-physical Kingdom of God? Progressives can be just as condemning and condescending toward conservative Christians as the other way around. The game works both ways, both to the diminution of the gospel.
Here is the news flash for my progressive friends: Jesus wasn’t a liberal Democrat. He wasn’t a Progressive firebrand. Jesus was apolitical.
Results of the Politicization of Christianity
What has this led to? Currently, in a recent survey among American pastors, over 40% have considered leaving the ministry according to data released this week by the Barna Group, a research organization that monitors cultural and religious trends in America. Why? The politicization of their congregations is tearing them apart. Those pastors who feel satisfied with their vocation in the church have fallen from 72% in 2015 to 52% today, according to the Barna survey. Many report being caught between political factions within their church. They become targets of hate emails and threats. For many, it is no longer worth it.
Additionally, the fastest-growing religious groups in America are the “non-religious” or the “nones.” They currently make up roughly 23% of the American population. For context, this number was around 4% when I was a young person in high school. These are folks who were at one time affiliated with a church or religion, but now have left it behind and identify as “nothing in particular” when it comes to religion. That isn’t necessarily a bad trend in my estimation, but it does highlight the crisis within modern Christianity. The politicization of Christianity is tearing the nation apart.
If you ask any of these nones why they left the church of their upbringing, most will reply with an answer that hits at the abandonment of the church’s core mission…love. They no longer felt the church was loving everyone. They saw the church as excluding people and even bullying people. Essentially, they are observing that the church is no longer an institution based on the teachings of Jesus.
Just Be a Christian, Full Stop
So, what are those core essential teachings of Jesus that can help to overcome such polarization? I don’t purport to have the full answer here, but I’ll offer a few ideas, and end by pointing to one outstanding trend that is happening that might offer some hope.
Jesus taught very politically and culturally counter-intuitive and revolutionary ideas. It was part of the reason he was rejected by both the political system of his day, and the religious one…especially the religious one.
It is ironic how reactionary religious people are to the basic raw teachings of Jesus. One “conservative Christian” once remarked to a pastor who preached these ideas, “Where did you get those liberal talking points from?” The person couldn’t divorce themselves from a political lens when hearing the basic teachings of Jesus.
Those teachings include as an example:
“Love your enemies.”
“The first shall be last.”
“The Kingdom of heaven is inside you.”
“Turn the other cheek.”
“Blessed are the peacemakers.”
“Blessed are the meek.”
“Do unto the least of these.”
“If someone asks for your shirt, give him also your cloak.”
“Pray in private and not for show.”
“Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God what is Gods.”
“Blessed are you who are poor.”
“Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for someone else.”
“Love is the greatest commandment.”
“They will know you are my disciples by your love.”
“Show mercy.”
“Don’t judge others.”
“You can’t serve God and money.”
“Do unto others as you want them to do for you.”
It’s not a very grand political ideology, is it? It’s not supposed to be, that is the point. But what would happen if Christians began with these principles and brought them to the political arena? They should.
Revolutionize Politics
Christians are not any less a citizen than anyone else in the United States and therefore should participate in the political system. But as Christians who follow the essential teaching of Jesus, this is the starting point. Not the political ideology, conservative or progressive.
How would Christian influence and participation in the political system look different if it were predicated on these teachings? It wouldn’t be anti-abortion or anti-whatever…the Christian in the public sphere doesn’t represent a party or political ideology, that can come later. They represent the values and counter-cultural revolutionary ideals of Jesus. These values then inform the policy, practice, and behavior, not the other way around.
This is not just a pie-in-the-sky idea….read on.
There is a movement within Christianity to move those who are left in the church to a better place. Russell Moore, editor of Christianity Today, David French, Good Faith co-host and contributor to the New York Times, and Curtis Chang, author and faculty member at Duke Divinity School have come together to launch a new effort called, The After Party: Toward a Better Christian Politics. Their starting point is the baseline essential teachings of Jesus as the theological center which includes those I’ve mentioned above. It is a hopeful sign that there are people who are serious followers of Jesus in positions to make a difference. I invite you to look at this first webinar that they conducted at the National Press Club on March 29 this year. They will outline this approach much better than me.
I believe part of this change comes from observing and changing our language…if you are a Christian, there are no other qualifiers. Full stop…follow Jesus and LOVE!
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