Question from an unbeliever.

[Alhazred]

Is a "liberal Christian" one who does not believe in Hell?

 

[Rochir]

Not necessarily. Some liberal Christians do, some don't. Personally, I do not believe in hell!

 

[JustBoo]

'Liberal' is a term that's hard to give a definition to . . . but I certainly don't think beleiving or not beleiving in Hell is the defining factor.
'Liberal' can refer to your politics - so you could be a 'typical' orthodox christian , beleiving in mainstream theology and doctrine but be politically liberal. Or it can refer to how you appoach the Bible and theology , how open you are to change and re-examination of historic understandings . . .

I still don't know where I stand on Hell and I would call myself politically ( mostly) liberal but theologically moderate . . .?
I dunno what I'd call myself anymore to be honest . . .

 

[Im_A]

Is a "liberal Christian" one who does not believe in Hell?

no. the belief in regards to the afterlife isn't something that dictates one as liberal. there is too much to give signs of liberalness, just as there are too many signs to be conservative. one issue doesn't dictate one in any manner.

 

[Catherineanne]

Is a "liberal Christian" one who does not believe in Hell?

Depends what you mean by hell. I certainly believe in the hell that exists here on earth, for many millions of good people. But the lake of fire? No.

I would say a liberal Christian is one whose belief in God's love, mercy and compassion is not followed by 'but' and then lists of condemnations; all conveniently for other people and other denominations, and never for 'us'.

It is a paradox of our faith that those who believe the way into eternity to be almost impossible to achieve, nevertheless believe themselves to be pretty well inevitably going there. As if the one and only requirement is a willingness to notionally damn 9/10ths of the world's population along the way. How on earth this can be reconciled with Christ and his example I cannot say. Logic would surely entail that those who follow the 'eye of a needle' version of eternity would accept that they might well be on the outside, on statistical probability alone.

So, that kind of elitist Christianity I can do without. I see it the other way round. If I can enter eternity (and I am certain I not only can, and indeed already have) then anyone can. And I don't care how many are before me, as long as I get in somewhere, sometime.

 

[amadeus2]

Is a "liberal Christian" one who does not believe in Hell?

Look a little farther!

 

[progressivegal]

Depends what you mean by hell. I certainly believe in the hell that exists here on earth, for many millions of good people. But the lake of fire? No.

I would say a liberal Christian is one whose belief in God's love, mercy and compassion is not followed by 'but' and then lists of condemnations; all conveniently for other people and other denominations, and never for 'us'.

It is a paradox of our faith that those who believe the way into eternity to be almost impossible to achieve, nevertheless believe themselves to be pretty well inevitably going there. As if the one and only requirement is a willingness to notionally damn 9/10ths of the world's population along the way. How on earth this can be reconciled with Christ and his example I cannot say. Logic would surely entail that those who follow the 'eye of a needle' version of eternity would accept that they might well be on the outside, on statistical probability alone.

So, that kind of elitist Christianity I can do without. I see it the other way round. If I can enter eternity (and I am certain I not only can, and indeed already have) then anyone can. And I don't care how many are before me, as long as I get in somewhere, sometime.