Liberal Church Ideas

[Izdaari Eristikon]

Ya. Innovative rather than traditional and stodgy. Would traditional not be more Conservative?

Yeah, you'd think so. But in my experience, conservative in style and in content may or may not go together.

Earlier, I gave the example of a Baptist church I used to go to that was very traditional in style (in the Baptist mode of course), but liberal in theology and politics.

And I've been to evangelical churches that were pretty innovative in style (perhaps influenced in that by the "emerging church", which has made inroads with those churches too), but still very conservative in theology. My previous AoG church, and Mark Driscoll's Mars Hill Church in Seattle (not to be confused with Rob Bell's Mars Hill in Grand Rapids) would both be pretty good examples.

My present church is definitely on the liberal side (in line with the two mainline/liberalish denominations it's affiliated with, TEC and ELCA), and openly admits to being "emergent", but is orthodox enough on basic theology (if it weren't, I wouldn't go). The worship and music are traditional/liturgical in the Anglican style, pretty close to Catholic, but with enough modern touches to not seem stodgy at all. The music is "world fusion music" with kind of a Benedictine monastic flavor to it, and somehow it manages to sound very traditional and modern at the same time.

 

[DailyBlessings]

Ya. Innovative rather than traditional and stodgy. Would traditional not be more Conservative?

I don't think so. Jesus came to save the world; the church was never supposed to be a dismal oppressing force, but a community based on love. And though many "conservatives" feel uncomfortable around the traditional liturgies, they were built to reflect love. All this hellfire and brimstone, Antichrist and judgement, straining the Word through a mincer to milk authoritarian rules out of freely given wisdom, none of that is "traditional" to the church, but added in, bit by century, to benefit some self-proclaimed authority or another. There's no reason at all why a church would not be traditional and liberal both. It ought to be a telling sign to conservative churches that they must cling to doctrines and music only a few decades or centuries old to maintain their fearful grip. One can still be innovative though; tradition does not discourage innovation, it just gives it a healthier frame.

 

[dbcsf]

Generally, I see liberal churches as having more of a traditional worship service, albeit more relaxed in dress and liturgy, with a liberal theology and political focus. The focus is more on the Kingdom of God in the here and now than in the Kingdom of God in the hereafter--so the focus is more on good stewardship of the Earth and in social ministries than on "getting people into heaven".

Our church is growing in this direction. We have not arrived yet, by any means. But we seem to care a whole lot more about each other and the poor people in our community than what some member's theology is. We are very oriented in the here and now. Our pastor does not seem to worry about what exactly members believe, but whether we are loving, giving or sharing the love of Jesus with each other and people in our community.

We have not studied Revelation on our church since I have been there.

We are not especially liberal or conservative politically. Our services are of a relaxed, traditional style. Social and political news is fair game for a sermon or a Sunday school lesson.