Are Theistic Evolutionists generally liberal?

Yes, a lot depends on just what the adjectives apply to. I would say I am creedally orthodox (Nicene Creed), moderately Reformed (3 of 5 TULIP points?), and quite liberal in my approach to scripture. Although even here the word "liberal" is tricky. I'm more liberationist than liberal. I generally find, both in theology and politics, that modern "liberalism" is a warm-fuzzy without serious intellectual content or commitment. So it is not a positive term for me, and I only use it when the only alternative is "conservative".


Hmm? I wonder. Is it "liberal" to prefer spectra to dichotomies?

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Originally Posted by gluadys

Yes, a lot depends on just what the adjectives apply to. I would say I am creedally orthodox (Nicene Creed), moderately Reformed (3 of 5 TULIP points?), and quite liberal in my approach to scripture. Although even here the word "liberal" is tricky. I'm more liberationist than liberal. I generally find, both in theology and politics, that modern "liberalism" is a warm-fuzzy without serious intellectual content or commitment. So it is not a positive term for me, and I only use it when the only alternative is "conservative".


Hmm? I wonder. Is it "liberal" to prefer spectra to dichotomies?

I think it depends on to whom you talk.

My wife is a pastor so self-described conservatives tell me I'm a liberal. But I believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and I believe that Scripture is infallible in matters of faith and practice, so self-described liberals tell me I'm a conservative. Personally, I think the labels do harm and cause both groups to polarize into silly and indefensible positions in order to oppose one another. But that's just me.

As to whether it's "liberal" to prefer spectra to dichotomies, I think the word you're looking for is "intelligent."

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I can relate! I'm another who's all over the map!

I'm fundamentalist in that I accept all 5 points of the historic "Five Fundamentals".

I'm conservative in that I'm creedally orthodox (Apostles and Nicene).

I'm moderate in my hermeneutics, drawing freely from conservative and liberal scholars and insights.

I'm liberal in that I like a good many liberal and emergent writers, including Hans Küng, Marcus Borg, Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren.

And I'm politically libertarian.

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I don't really post here, but I lurk.

Like Izdaari, I'm not "technically" TE, but, siding with the Framework model of Genesis, I see no dogmatic scientific statements in Genesis and will let the physical evidence speak for itself (and I tend to agree that the physical evidence does NOT point to a young earth). Instead of science and scientifice history, I believe that the point of Genesis is to reveal Christ.

Politically, I am Libertarian, but that really doesn't apply here. Theologically I am Orthodox, and by extension, I believe that I am orthodox as well. Christ rose from the dead, therefore who He is and what He did matter tremendously. If we have seen Christ, we have seen the Father.

And if I were proven wrong about the age of the earth, then so be it. That won't change the fact of the Resurrection.

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-Ps 121:1 (LXX)



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I'm sure some are, but I certainly am not. I'm quite conservative myself.

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"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." - Philippians 1:21

"If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." -Galatians 1:10

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

I'm pretty moderate in my theology, I don't consider TE a particularly liberal belief. The majority of Christians (or at least, all that I have met bar one or two) accept TE because of it's scientific evidence. Politically I am a moderate libertarian, just a side note.

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Well I'm a firm theistic evolutionist and I'm quite conservative in my theology.

Originally Posted by Willtor

My wife is a pastor so self-described conservatives tell me I'm a liberal. But I believe in the bodily resurrection of Christ, and I believe that Scripture is infallible in matters of faith and practice, so self-described liberals tell me I'm a conservative.

That's what I've been wondering as I read this thread: what are the characteristics of a "liberal" theology and a "conservative" theology?

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"If sound science appears to contradict the Bible, we may be sure that it is our interpretation of the Bible that is at fault." Christian Observer, 1832, pg. 437

"Christians should look on evolution simply as the method by which God works." Rev. James McCosh, theologian and President of Princeton, 1890

No, I think I started off very liberal in my theology, but over the years I've become quite conservative. I prefer the church service of an evangelical congregation with it's passion and music, over a liberal christian church any day.

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Homer, the aged poet: Tell me, muse, of the storyteller who has been thrust to the edge of the world, both an infant and an ancient, and through him reveal everyman.

"the main question that troubled me greatly all my life was the existence of god. And now I have a clear and sacred symbol of my faith and it’s very simple. It’s Jesus Christ. And I believe that there is nothing (and nothing can be) more beautiful, profound, sensible and perfect than he is”
~Dostoevsky

I tend towards liturgy over the above posters choice but that's splitting hairs. Theistic Evolutionists come in all sorts of value sets.

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"Entropy wins, Entropy always wins..." --Thane, Mass Effect 2


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