Comments on: YOU ASKED FOR IT (Question 2 - Can Christians be “liberal?”)

By: Doug Meikle

Doug Meikle — Mon, 25 May 2009 05:01:08 +0000

Again, I still think Christians have to deal with the very practical problem of how to achieve political ends which are often necessary and good extensions of their Christian life and walk. If I want to run for a school board position being an “independent Christian” gives me little chance of success. I need a tag that I can live with and other people feel happy voting for.

I dont agree that you can keep politics and religion apart. It is the nature of Christianity to want and desire to shape the world. That inevitably leads to political engagement.

I agree that all parties and various “isms” have a core set of beliefs that drives their actions. Collectivist or individualist it all boils down to whose beliefs system will animate your actions in the real world. We Christians should have a clear answer for that.

By: David Whiteman

David Whiteman — Sat, 23 May 2009 12:27:05 +0000

Isn’t communism considered the most extreme form of liberalism? How does communism see “individual liberty and rights to be the most important driver of political action”? Seems like it favors the collective more than the individual. When I think of individual rights, I think of the Libertarian party, because they believe small gov’t and individual rights go hand in hand.

By: Jaime

Jaime — Fri, 22 May 2009 17:04:15 +0000

I think it also depends on your definition of liberal. This has been a topic I’ve tossed over and over in my head. Generally, I’m drawn toward the republican side because of the typical bible-centered values (pro-life, etc). But I’m beginning to think that it’s more important to vote for the candidate who will best protect people’s freedoms — which might mean a more liberal candidate. Obedience of God’s laws based only on the compulsion of manmade laws is not true obedience, and it doesn’t bring non-Christians into a relationship with God. God gave us free will, but when it comes to political laws Christians would prefer not to extend the same freedoms to neighbors that may not agree with our principles. We’re worried that voting in ways that promote free will somehow condones the behaviors. By God’s example, that’s not true.

I also think Christianity is purer without politics mixed in… and I think that might’ve been God’s point when He tried to tell the Israelites they didn’t need a king.

God’s gift of free will doesn’t mean a lack of influence or opinion. God clearly made his desires and will known to us and built a close relationship with us. Christians should definitely seek to influence their communities for God’s glory, but if we look to God’s model for that, it’s going to happen on a personal, grass-roots level rather than under the constructs of a vast political system.

By: Doug Meikle

Doug Meikle — Fri, 22 May 2009 13:26:11 +0000

This is a problem where thinking in terms of priorities helps. That is, asking the question, “who has the first claim on my heart, mind, and alegiance?” If you say that it is kind of obvious the answer is Jesus.

But, if you want to get something done, you end up needing to use the political or social structures of the day. So you end up having to take the tag or conservative or liberal even if, as Franks points out, they are not particularly helpful in understanding what it really means to be a Christian.

My own sense is that a Christian can “use” the names conservative or liberal and may need both in his or her life of Christian service. But the first claim on our heart needs to be the Word of Truth. After that everything else is just back chatter.