Relationship between liberal religion and politics

[Johnnie Q. Doelson]

Hello, everyone. I am fairly new here and I am on a quest of sorts, to figure out my faith (among other things). I tend to lean toward the left on the theological spectrum. I have greatly enjoyed many of the writings of the late Marcus Borg, a man I have deeply admired for years. I also enjoyed some of the writings of Bishop John Shelby Spong, though he is definitely more liberal than I am. Well, I suppose I haven't figured out enough to really determine that. But anyways, while I have found the more liberal approach to religion appealing and interesting (for example, Borg's historical-metaphorical approach to the Bible), I find myself more on the right side of the political spectrum. I haven't met, in person anyways, a person like me in that regard. The other more progressive Christians, like those at the local UMC or TEC parishes, seem to bleed blue on every issue I've heard them discuss. I feel unwelcome, especially by the comments they make about political conservatives/center-rightists. Is there something inherently politically liberal in religious liberalism? Must they be logically or necessarily related?

 

[Halbhh]

The bible is full of metaphor, most verses, but it's not all metaphor in the gospels -- i know this not as an idea, but as a surprising (to me) reality. God literally rescued me from mid air to my amazement. I fell off a 2nd story roof backwards above large rocks and woke up safe and without even bruises, after a one second prayer as I slid off the roof. Its good to realize He rose from the grave as more than only metaphor. God is better than we often guess. I was so shocked it took years to accept what it meant. Now, prayer after prayer is answered, some seeming impossible. I fear God in a good way, utter respect. Better yet than these things await us if we put Christ's words into practice.

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

I am fairly new here

with 3 posts I'd say that is an understatement

 

[Godlovesmetwo]

Is there something inherently politically liberal in religious liberalism?

I never thought so until I came here to CF. If you like to question authority and believe the power should be with the people not the leaders, then you are a liberal.

 

[hedrick]

OP: mixtures of views aren't uncommon. I think it's true that liberal theology tends to go with liberal politics. But a lot of people aren't consistent across political issues. In my view, liberals are open to evidence that would result in non-traditional views, which conservatives tend to reject it. Hence liberals accept critical views of Scripture, while conservatives tend to reject the evidence that leads to that. That kind of thing doesn't apply to all politics. But on issues such as global warming, where there's clear evidence, liberals tend to accept it.

 

[Johnnie Q. Doelson]

I never thought so until I came here to CF. If you like to question authority and believe the power should be with the people not the leaders, then you are a liberal.

I certainly do that and I enjoy doing it, too. I prefer a decentralized government, with decisions mostly decided by the local people of a community. I only like the idea of my national government performing duties assigned by the Constitution, not using judicial rulings to expand the powers that the Constitution has assigned to that government. I haven't found many self-described liberals in my community that agree with me. They seem to have a different understanding of what it is to question authority and how the people, and not their leaders, are to be empowered.

 

[Johnnie Q. Doelson]

OP: mixtures of views aren't uncommon. I think it's true that liberal theology tends to go with liberal politics. But a lot of people aren't consistent across political issues. In my view, liberals are open to evidence that would result in non-traditional views, which conservatives tend to reject it. Hence liberals accept critical views of Scripture, while conservatives tend to reject the evidence that leads to that. That kind of thing doesn't apply to all politics. But on issues such as global warming, where there's clear evidence, liberals tend to accept it.

That makes sense. And I don't, for example, deny global warming (or that it is caused by human activities). I have just found that, even as I consider the evidence on any given issue, I don't always find that the non-traditional view is the necessary conclusion.

 

[Silmarien]

I feel unwelcome, especially by the comments they make about political conservatives/center-rightists. Is there something inherently politically liberal in religious liberalism? Must they be logically or necessarily related?

I'm not sure to what extent it's just an American phenonemon. Theological conservatism paired with political liberalism is something you see quite often abroad, but I'm not sure how common the reverse is.

Sorry to hear that you've been made to feel unwelcome, though. Has this been going on for a while or did it really just take off with the election?