Likewise, in the particularly contentious ranks of theologically minded Catholics, or perhaps in the polemic-weary ranks of mainline Protestantism, there are those who have surrendered the label of orthodoxy to conservatives, either because they no longer have the energy to protest or because they have concluded that the whole idea of orthodoxy \u201d\u201d correct doctrine or right belief \u201d\u201d is too encrusted with questionable notions to be worth defending.<\/p>\n
But the existence of such minorities hardly justifies the automatic assignment of patriotism or orthodoxy to whoever is first and loudest in claiming it.<\/p>\n
Instead of simply describing Joe Churchman as an orthodox believer, journalism would do well to follow its established forms and describe Joe Churchman as a man who calls himself an orthodox believer.<\/p>\n
When it comes to nomenclature, writing about religion is of course a minefield. Terms like \u201cconservative\u201d\u009d and \u201cliberal,\u201d\u009d \u201ctraditionalist\u201d\u009d and \u201cprogressive\u201d\u009d are almost unavoidable shorthand, though they suffer from their origins in political categories and almost inevitably oversimplify and dichotomize religious realities that are multifaceted.<\/p>\n