Douthat rightly acknowledges the social contributions that liberal Christianity has made in the 20th century, from women’s suffrage, to fair labor laws, to civil rights. It has been doing the same for the rights of gays and lesbians. And he cites historian Gary Dorrien in reminding us that leaders of those earlier social movements had “deep grounding in Bible study, family devotions, personal prayer and worship.” The Christianity that is emerging from this time of transition promises to embrace just this holy union””of love of God and service to humanity and the world.
Controversies over social issues and theological conviction will persist. But the hunger is real for a way of being Christian that recognizes that understandings of scripture and church teaching must evolve over time, and that to be a Christian is to have an inquiring mind and a discerning heart.
Christianity is being revived but not in our tradition. We reject much of what has been going on for the last half century. Just sayin.
…conservative in its core convictions and progressive in the patterns of worshiping and engaging the culture.
Wouldn’t that be evangelicalism?
The Rev. Mr. Lloyd blithely glides over that part about where the serious social action of earlier generations was grounded not in a revised theology, but in historic Christianity. An earlier generations of Episcopalians in Austin, Texas build a hospital – St. David’s – and schools, as did many Catholic nuns, brothers, and priests. I was a member of St. David’s parish in the mid-70s and assure you that the generation passing away at that time was not revisionist. Mr. Sumner, rector there from 1939 to 1975, routinely preached for making a decision for Christ, as well as instituted healing services and a chapter of the Order of St. Luke’s.
It seems to me that “liberal” religion today – Catholic, Protestant, whatever – has replaced the hard work of social action with advocacy, which is getting other people (mainly the government) to do what you want done.
Satan blinded these people to the truth at the time the Holy Spirit left their churches.