In a word, yes — but there is a problem.
Different people seem to have different ideas about what “liberal,” “liberal Christian” and “liberal Christianity” mean. Christ may be the greatest liberal in the history of Christianity, and I strongly believe we should follow his example. Yet, he doesn’t fit some modern definitions.
What Are the Roots of “Liberal Christianity”?
Liberal Christianity, aka “Liberal Theology” and “Christian Modernism,” interprets Christian teachings in light of “modern knowledge, science and ethics,” according to Wikipedia. (Wikipedia isn’t my favorite source, but it provides information in the straightforward language I sought.)
“It grew out of the Enlightenment’s rationalism and Romanticism of the 18th and 19 centuries. By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it was characterized by an acceptance of Darwin evolution, a utilization of modern biblical criticism and participation in the Social Gospel movement,” the Wikipedia post explained. Christian liberalism declined in the mid-20th century, but by the 21st century, it has “become an ecumenical tradition, including Protestants and Catholics.”
What is “Liberal Christianity?”
The Oxford Dictionary defines a liberal as someone who is “willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one’s own; open to new ideas.” Its secondary meaning is a person whose political and social philosophy “promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy and free enterprise.”
According to Britannica, liberalism emphasizes individual autonomy, equal opportunities and protection of individual rights. Among those rights are life, liberty and property against the state and private “economic actors” such as businesses.
The KJV Dictionary, which contains 11,000+ definitions of words used in the Bible, defines “liberal” as someone “Of a free heart…bountiful, generous….Not selfish, narrow or contracted…embracing other interests than one’s own.”
Roger E. Olson, a Baptist theologian, professor of Christian theology at Baylor University and Patheos contributor, looks at “liberal Christianity” differently in one of his Patheos blogs. He says liberal Christians tend to:
- Reduce the Bible to “the Christian classic”
- Reduce Christianity to ethics in which doctrine is “always open to revision in light of changing cultural conditions”
- Embrace “individualism in spirituality and doctrine while insisting certain controversial ethical positions…(are) beyond debate”
- Deny or demythologize miracles
- “Emphasize the immanence of God over God’s transcendence” (immanence means God is knowable, while transcendence means that he is outside our full grasp)
- Believe in humanity’s essential goodness while generally denying the existence of hell
- Believe that Jesus is different from other people, but only to a degree
- Promote Christian existence as a life of love without judgment
Can a Christian stray this far from the Bible and still be a Christian? I don’t think so. I’m not sure what these people are, but I don’t see how they can be Christian.
Who are some leading liberal Christians?
Dr. Martin L. King, Jr., was one of the greatest modern-day Christian liberals. President Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also come to mind.
Dr. King was a social reformer and civil rights activist, as well as a Baptist preacher. In a sermon from 1962, he described the feelings of liberal Christians with great eloquence. “Any religion that professes to be concerned about the souls of men and not concerned about the city government that damns the soul, the economic conditions that corrupt the soul, the slum conditions… is a dry, dead do-nothing religion in need of new blood.”
President Obama talked about his Christian beliefs in two autobiographies and in a number of speeches, yet people continue to attack his faith. The attacks were fierce during the 2008 and 2012 presidential election campaigns, with conservatives accusing him of using Christian faith for political advantage on the one hand and for being a Muslim on the other.
Prime Minister Trudeau has said, “My own personal faith is an extremely important part of who I am and the values I try to lead with.” He made the remarks after a conservative member of the Canadian Parliament questioned his faith.
Trudeau added that neither he nor his father, the late Liberal Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, saw any problem supporting things like gay rights despite their Catholicism.
Patheos contributor Keith Giles lists several leading Christian authors in his blog, “Who Are the Nation’s Top Progressive Christian Leaders?”
Among them are:
- Richard Rohr, author of The Universal Christ
- William Paul Young, author of The Shack
- Rachel Held Evans, author of Inspired and A Year of Biblical Womanhood
- Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of Jesus and John Wayne
- Rob Bell, author of Love Wins
How Does Christ Fit the “Liberal” Mold?
Christ was more than liberal. He was radical.
- He embraced society’s outcasts – people like lepers, the poor and women. He healed a number of lepers, as well as a poor woman who had a long-term bleeding condition. Such women were considered unclean, and this woman had lost her ability to work along with her reputation. She was clearly an outcast, but Christ healed her.
Women such as Mary Magdalene and Joanna were among his followers. Matthew 12:48-50, says that Christ asked, “’Who is my mother and who are my brothers?’ Pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. For whosoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’”
In Matthew 25:35-37 (NLT), Jesus said in regard to outcasts: “For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
“I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.….And I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me.”
Modern-day liberals are accused of increasing entitlements for the poor and disabled, while conservatives zealously cut those benefits when given a chance.
- Christ tells us to love our enemies. In Matthew 5: 43-44, he says: “ You have heard the law that says, ‘Love thy neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you!’” He also says to turn the other cheek.
His words sound pretty dovish to me.
- Jesus loves everyone regardless of their color, gender, class or culture. He says in John 15:12-13, “My command is this: ‘Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.’”
When he says “friends” he means anyone. Yet, humans have created barriers such as color. Our barriers have no meaning to Christ. God created all of humanity and makes no distinctions when it comes to loving us.
- Most of all, our Lord turned the world upside down with his teachings about salvation, grace and love.
I dare say many of today’s churches would reject Christ for several reasons. He was a poor, homelessness carpenter — an itinerant preacher who survived on the contributions of his followers, including women. He denounced violence, which our society glorifies. He rejected the prosperity gospel, which many mega-church preachers sell to their congregations on a weekly basis. He had no use for materialism, saying, “do not store up treasures for yourself on earth.” And he abhorred hypocrisy. Can you imagine how he would react to hypocritical church leaders and politicians in today’s world? Can you imagine how he would react to you and me?
Are Christians Trying Hard Enough?
All that said, labels such as “liberal” and “conservative” shouldn’t really matter. We are all human beings who were created and loved by God. I will never agree with conservatives on many things, but Christ tells me to love them. It’s difficult at times, but I’m trying. Are you?
What are your thoughts about the liberal-conservative divide in Christianity?
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