What is a liberal Christian?

Sometimes word for word can lead you astray. Then, if you ignore who is speaking and to whom, the whole message is distorted. Without factoring in culture of the day, the message can be shrouded. Also, we musr determine the moral values being expressed and how those moral values apply to-day. The simple rules of basic iterpretation.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Agree Dr. Bob! Amen!

 

It is one thing to accept an ex-bank-robber into your congregation - it is 'another' to defend robbery as "an alternate lifestyle".


A "liberal Christian" is one who does not think the Bible is really "true". Someone that takes a "cut and paste" approach to it, and pretends that it does not mean what it says or that it is outdated.

In Christ,

Bob

 

I said nothing of the sort. The Bible is somewhat silent on the issue, though there are a few verses that imply such. We as Christians take our positions on abortion by way of intpretation of those certain verses. I agree with that interpretation, btw, but interpretation and doctrine are not interchangeable.

Nope, a biblical ban on women preaching or pastoring is not doctrinal. The oft-mentioned verses on the topic are not takgin within the context intended. It's no more doctrine than women wearing headcoverings. Now, since I'm a member of an SBC church, I'm bound to accept the SBC's ban on women preachers. But that ban is based on interpretation, not doctrine. Just as if I were a member of a church that required women to wear headcoverings, such would be an interpretation (not doctrine), that christians outside that church are not required to adhere to.

Doubtful, since I'm generally anti-abortion, pro-death penalty, and anti-gay marriage. I am, however, staunchly against hyperfundamentalism, which alas has been spreading in Baptist congregations like a virus without a vaccine.

 

I'm a member of a 'liberal' Christian denomination. (Of course, if you're paying attention to the headlines, you understand that a new re-alignment is coming to Anglicanism, but I digress...). I've been around 'liberals' a long time. Jesus told Nicodemus, "Unless you are born again, you cannot SEE the Kingdom of God." (Jn.3.3). And herein lies the problem, they DON'T see at all! They are wrong on EVERY issue, whether doctrinal or moral. They bring death, not life. They are (as pointed out above)not Christians at all. 'Liberalism' (sorry, Dr Bob) is dying. Their numbers are dwindling. God is purifying His Church. And the strength of the Church in this 21st Century may not be in the west at all...

http://link.crosswalk.com/UM/T.asp?A1.45.19823.4.1573549

 

The old liberalism may be dying, but I am not sure its replacement is any better. Many still cling to the historical Jesus, selective scriptures and the power of positivism. Like Neo-orthodoxy, they are couching their theology in evangelical terminology.

The Anglican Church in England and in Canada have always had their sound men and women of God and the Book. The diocese where I live has many sound men and women who stand firm for the gospel, but 50 miles down the road, there is a different story.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Hello Emily,
first let me say that there is no such thing as a "gay" christian. They are either a homosexual (gay) or a Christian, not both.

A liberal in my understanding is someone who reject that there are absolutes in living for the Lord as well as the need to repent to be saved. In many cases and possibly all cases these people are not really saved. Remember many will say Lord! Lord! Only to hear "I never knew you"

 

I attend church with at least two gay Christians. They accept the teaching that a man having sex with another man is immoral, so they don't. They live a life of abstinence. These men that I know, btw, are virgins, so there's no sexual act to repent from. They don't entertain desires they have towards people of the same gender, so there's no "adultery in the heart" to repent from. They are homosexual, and they are Christian, and they are living moral lives.

Saying there's no such thing as a gay Christian is like saying there's no such thing as a gay alcoholic.

Ya might as well try and say there's no such thing as a Christian sinner.

 

Liberals, WHERE!!

I'd have to agree that a "liberal Christian" is a curious thing. I've always connected that with the person who goes to a church but sees it more as an aspect of culture rather than a means of worship - one who is "Christian" by birth but really not adherent to any doctrines thereof.

In scholarly circles the term liberal usually refers to those who deny what we consider to be the distinctives of Christianity - the very kerygma! Some liberals in biblical studies would be John Dominic Crossan, Marcus Borg, Bart Ehrman, E P Sanders, and anyone connected with the Jesus Seminar.
Those described as moderates are usually those who adhere to the basic kerygmatic doctrines such as the virgin birth, the resurrection, and Jesus' deity - but who hold alot of other things such as biblical inerrrancy to be questionable. Such authors would include most Roman Catholics such as R E Brown, Joseph Fitzmyer, J P Meier and some other authors such as James Charlesworth.
Those described as conservatives usually hold with biblical reliability and many Christian traditions and interpret within this framework. Examples include Ben Witherington, N T Wright, F F Bruce, Craig Evans and others.
Fundamentalists (in scholarly circles) are those who hold to biblical literality and protestant distinctives above all and interpret within these guidelines only. Examples here include John Walvoord, Charles Ryrie, (ugh!) Clarence Larkin etc.