Retail Redemption
Permit an unscientific, broad-stroke observation, not judgment, about Christians in political conversations. While giving everyone the benefit of the doubt regarding the veracity of their faith and moral intent, I have noticed a tendency in Christian conversations recently.
Conservative Christians arguing about politics tend to judge and implore in terms of groups or macro-entities. Conservatives tend to frame their propositions in terms of "America," broad culture, people groups and policies that address macro-issues.
Liberal Christians arguing about politics tend to judge and implore in terms of individuals. Liberals tend to frame their propositions in terms of "Americans," persons within people groups and policies that address micro-issues.
For instance, Conservative Christians tend to argue about abortion because of the moral consequence to our culture and nation at large. Liberal Christians tend to argue about abortion from the point of view of individuals encountering or considering abortion. Conservative Christians tend to condemn the social entitlement programs, while Liberal Christians focus on the plight of individuals in poverty. Conservatives tend to dwell on the effect of individuals on systems, and Liberals tend to dwell on the effect of systems on individual rights.
These tendencies may coincide with an apparent return to Old Testament sensibilities among the Christian Right, i.e, movements to promote the Ten Commandments and increasing desire to promote the fufillment of OT covenants with geographic Israel. At the risk of over-simplifying complex theology, in the OT, God seems to judge and move primarily based on national identity and citizenship in a particular people group. In the NT, God, through Christ, seems to judge and move primarily based on relationships with and among individuals.
To be sure, among Christians, both movements may have the ultimate salvation and reconcilation of the world at heart, but the different emphases and presumptions keep recurring to thwart constructive conversations.
Conservative Christians arguing about politics tend to judge and implore in terms of groups or macro-entities. Conservatives tend to frame their propositions in terms of "America," broad culture, people groups and policies that address macro-issues.
Liberal Christians arguing about politics tend to judge and implore in terms of individuals. Liberals tend to frame their propositions in terms of "Americans," persons within people groups and policies that address micro-issues.
For instance, Conservative Christians tend to argue about abortion because of the moral consequence to our culture and nation at large. Liberal Christians tend to argue about abortion from the point of view of individuals encountering or considering abortion. Conservative Christians tend to condemn the social entitlement programs, while Liberal Christians focus on the plight of individuals in poverty. Conservatives tend to dwell on the effect of individuals on systems, and Liberals tend to dwell on the effect of systems on individual rights.
These tendencies may coincide with an apparent return to Old Testament sensibilities among the Christian Right, i.e, movements to promote the Ten Commandments and increasing desire to promote the fufillment of OT covenants with geographic Israel. At the risk of over-simplifying complex theology, in the OT, God seems to judge and move primarily based on national identity and citizenship in a particular people group. In the NT, God, through Christ, seems to judge and move primarily based on relationships with and among individuals.
To be sure, among Christians, both movements may have the ultimate salvation and reconcilation of the world at heart, but the different emphases and presumptions keep recurring to thwart constructive conversations.
posted by JRB at 1:17 PM
1 Comments:
I agree, Ex. That usually is the way of things, and that is why the most recent conversations have surprised me. The conversation have shifted emphasis, but the positions remain essentially the same. Of course, the groups or collective entities that both address are differently defined.
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