Sunday, October 30, 2005
What Makes a Moderate?
Time for a CCC Poll. In evaluating the Conservative Resurgence within the Southern Baptist Conventtion, I have discovered a phenomenal difference of opinion regarding what makes someone a Moderate. It seems the Conservatives call the Moderates Liberals, and the Liberals don't seem to care who is what, and the Moderates call themselves, usually it seems, Conservatives. So I ask, What then makes someone a Moderate? I know it means, by definition, they are not "extreme" in their views, but does a Reader Response method of inspiration of the Bible make you a Liberal or Moderate? Or is it the claim that the Bible is not inerrant in the original manuscripts that makes you a Moderate or Liberal? Or is it a cumulative effect, so one disagreement makes you a semi-Moderate, two is full blown Moderate, and three or more makes you a Liberal? Any thoughts?
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3 comments:
Wow, that is a tough question, and one that deserves a much more thorough answer than I'm able to give now. As the term is used popularly, a moderate tends to be someone who deviates too far from either the conservative or liberal side to be claimed by them. As to which and how many issues push someone to the moderate view, I believe that depends greatly upon the view in question. Some may be political moderates while being theological liberals.
To look specifically at Christian moderates and liberals (even though some would argue that the liberals may not be Christians) I would say that one of the most important questions is their view on ultimate truth and what they say about Christ. Those who deny what the Bible says about Christ or deny the fact that ultimate truth does exist and was given to us by revelation through God's Word are definitely liberals. But where the lines are drawn specifically for moderates in beyond me. But I feel that those are too of the most important issues that mark liberals from conservatives anyhow.
What if you just love Jesus?
If all you do is "just love Jesus", and yet you are not willing to define what you mean by just, love or Jesus, in the end, you cannot be truly loving Him. Love requires knowledge, and knowledge requires content, and if you are not willing to clarify that, then how can there be a true confession? It should be our greatest desire to share the content of our confession. This must be definition be a confession of truth, not bland platitudes meant to do nothing beyond be difficult. Otherwise, the "Jesus" you claim, is no different from the "Jesus" claimed by anyone.
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