Liberal vs. Progressive

I would say that I was 'Liberal' but I would distinguish this from being 'Progressive'. Is this a usual differentiation?

In my opinion, the difference between 'liberal' and 'progressive', while not carved in stone, is concerning the person of Jesus.

Many liberals still consider themselves to be Christians, often affiliated with mainline denominations. Jesus and his teachings are usually still quite important to them.

I've been around progressives since 2006 and, imo, that movement is drifting farther and farther away from Christianity into a more Eastern or New Age approach to spirituality that, while incorporating some of the teachings of Jesus, is more about finding one's own bliss.

Allow me to put this another way. Liberal Christians have often taken Jesus' teachings on social issues seriously. So they have advocated certain social programs and parachurch functions that try to help our world. As a result, more conservative Christians have accused the liberals of being a "social club." Progressives, on the other hand, may give a nod to social programs, but the important thing, for most of them that I have interfaced with, is finding their own personal fulfillment in their spiritual journey. As long as they have achieved their "enlightenment", that is the important thing.

There is some overlap, of course. Some progressives are very concerned about the state of our world and what we can do to make it a better place, what we can do to see God's kingdom come on earth. But most of the leaders that I know of in the progressive movement tend to stress Jesus' teachings about "inner enlightenment" (maybe even Gnosticism) and don't think Jesus' teachings about justice, the poor, the hungry, the oppressed, etc. are quite as important as finding a level of inner peace.

Just my 2c.

I would not say I'm liberal or progressive, but moderate, orthodox and emergent. Put N.T. Wright, Brian McLaren and Gordon D. Fee in a blender, and you'd be close to my theology.

Liberals believe in a tad more government meddling that conservatives, but progressives are straight up communists. Gross.

I don't really think there is a difference. I think if you want to get into semantics you can see that there is a difference, but I think they're interchangeable words.

TX_CO_Matt said:

I don't really think there is a difference. I think if you want to get into semantics you can see that there is a difference, but I think they're interchangeable words.

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It definitely sucks that they've become interchangeable over the past years, the meaning of the word 'liberal' has been so distorted from what it really means. I'd consider myself a liberal, in terms of freedom and encouragement to be your own human. I'm a registered Democrat because I was conned by Obama in 2008 to vote for him in the primaries, I was a young, naive 17/18 year old buck. Not that I'm much older now...but you know.

I was sorely disappointed with Obama when he broke his promise and did not pull the military out of the Middle East immediately.

I usually vote with my wallet, aka Republican, but I feel rather strongly on a few social issues...and many Republicans strongly disagree.

Wow, sorry for the wild tangent there. Jeez.

William II said:

It definitely sucks that they've become interchangeable over the past years, the meaning of the word 'liberal' has been so distorted from what it really means. I'd consider myself a liberal, in terms of freedom and encouragement to be your own human. I'm a registered Democrat because I was conned by Obama in 2008 to vote for him in the primaries, I was a young, naive 17/18 year old buck. Not that I'm much older now...but you know.

I was sorely disappointed with Obama when he broke his promise and did not pull the military out of the Middle East immediately.

I usually vote with my wallet, aka Republican, but I feel rather strongly on a few social issues...and many Republicans strongly disagree.

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I'm not politically liberal. I am libertarian. I was only 16 in 2008, so I didn't really vote. I voted for Rick Perry in for Texas Gov. in 2010 (his opponent Bill White was the former mayor of Houston who was a terrible mayor).

My first answer was purely about theology, since I thought that's what the OP meant. If we're talking politics, I'm not liberal at all in the modern sense, or progressive either, but a moderate, pragmatic libertarian.

William II said:

Liberals believe in a tad more government meddling that conservatives, but progressives are straight up communists. Gross.

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I'd classify myself as progressive (politically), and I'm not a communist.

Libertarian is just another word for 'selfish'. People who vote with their wallet are not being exactly Christlike.

Izdaari said:

My first answer was purely about theology, since I thought that's what the OP meant.

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It did

artybloke said:

Libertarian is just another word for 'selfish'.

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Nonsense!

From what I've noticed, Liberals changed on cue and started calling themselves Progressives a couple of years ago, just to shake off the bad associations most voters have with "Liberal." As some have noted, it used to be the case that Progressive meant Marxist, but most people these days don't remember that. Historically, the two words mean quite different things, but in politics it's whatever sells.

artybloke said:

Libertarian is just another word for 'selfish'. People who vote with their wallet are not being exactly Christlike.

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To correct that, Libertarian is just another word for allowing the people the freedom to be selfish--or completely altruistic--as they may choose, just so long as they do not tread on other people's rights. It does not imply that the person who is a Libertarian is either one of those.

Albion said:

To correct that, Libertarian is just another word for allowing the people the freedom to be selfish--or completely altruistic--as they may choose, just so long as they do not tread on other people's rights. It does not imply that the person who is a Libertarian is either one of those.

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Exactly!

Libertarians are comfortable with letting people be however they want to be. If I think people should be less selfish (and I do), the best way to accomplish that is not to use the heavy hand of government to force them to share, but to tell them the Good News about Jesus the Messiah.

And a libertarian is very similar to a classical liberal

Libertarian means the poor will always go hungry, the profiteers and the bankers will always swim in money and capitalism will continue to kill millions of people in the name of Mammon. It has nothing to with Christ, or the Biblical preference for the poor.

It does nothing but promote selfishness and greed.

"Classical liberals" were nothing but capitalists with a nice smile.

And "the Good News about Jesus the Messiah" has done nothing to stop the rich getting richer, the poor getting poorer; and if all you're doing is promoting pie in the sky when you die, then you're not preaching the Kingdom: which doesn't start in heaven, it starts now, when we decide that it's OK to pay taxes to support the poor, or to stop global warming, or to make an environment in which everyone is secure and valued, and a child of God.

Beneath libertarianism is nothing but a boot in the face for the poor.

And while we're at it, this is the result of 'liberarianism':

Michael Rosen: 'Good for the economy' means 'good for the rich'

artybloke,

Do you think that any religion or denomination really promotes Jesus' view of the kingdom?

It's my suspicion that while they may start out as grassroots movements to make a difference in the world, they quickly turn into institutions that seek to ensure their own survival and to gain or wield more power.