MY FRIEND, THE LIBERAL
My pastor friend Harry, down the road, is a liberal. Harry does not identify
himself as a liberal. To Harry, labels like "liberal" or "evangelical"
are divisive. Harry asks,'Why can't we all just be Christians?" Harry evidently
is not aware that such talk, where distinctions are blurred in the name
of inclusiveness, is the talk of liberals.
If he must live by a label, Harry prefers "middle-of-the-road." Harry
votes with the majority at the district board of which he is a member.
He does not understand why anyone would criticize the denominational Sunday
School materials, or want to attend an institution other than the Church
of the Brethren seminary, or be upset with the Brotherhood's General Board.
He is not sure, at the present time, that the church is ready for the ordination
of practicing homosexuals, but, as he argues, he is "open" and his mind
could be changed.
In short, Harry is "middle-of-the-road" because his point of reference
is the limited, liberal, mainline world. He is quite oblivious to the greater
part of Christianity-fundamental, evangelical, pentecostal-which exists
quite unrelated to Harry's training and denominational experience.
Harry is suspicious of hard edges. Talk about original sin, and substitutionary
atonement, and hell, sounds harsh to him. His sermons are essays about
God-in-general, faith-in-general, and doing better. The exception is when
Harry comes home from a preacher's conference. Then he gets prophetic and
talks on saving the whales or expresses deep concerns about United States
foreign policy.
Consistent with his desire to be always relevant, Harry experiments
with whatever is in style at the moment, whether it be spiritual formation,
or liturgical dance, or defense of the environment, or Native American
spirituality. He works hard to make sure his language is always "inclusive.
On the district's Ministry Commission, Harry is more concerned about
whether candidates for ordination know how to think, than in what they
believe. Faithfulness (to Harry) means loyalty to the denomination rather
than to the God of historic Christianity. Doctrinal standards are not of
great concern to Harry. When he rails, it is not against unbelief, but
against rigidity and intolerance, as in the view that the Bible is the
written Word of God and that salvation is only in Jesus Christ. If his
congregation is sometimes disappointed in him, it is because of their undue
conservativism and their lack of enlightenment.
Harry represents some Church of the Brethren pastors, trained in the
Church of the Brethren seminary, and buying the official Council of Churches
approach to Christianity. Harry is a liberal.
The above article has been adapted
from
GOOD
NEWS: The Bimonthly Magazine for United Methodists,
P. O. Box 150, Wilmore, KY 40390
(606)-858-4661.
Used by permission.