Musings…
(this appears in the March, 2006 Issue of the TRINITY TELL, the Newsletter of Trinity United Methodist Church, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
I am not an “orthodox” thinking Christian. My theological pedigree comes from a different part of Christian theological tradition. Thanks in part to the free-thinking character of my mother and the gentle quality of my father. Whenever dad got transferred to another town, we would eventually find ourselves worshipping in a United Methodist church that was shaped by that once grand theological movement historians call “liberal Protestantism.
As I grew older and began to flirt with different ideas and philosophies of life, (in college, I pondered converting to Roman Catholicism) I would eventually return to my “liberal protestant roots”. Even in seminary when I read Reinhold Niebuhr and learned of liberal Protestantism’s fatal flaw (naïveté), I would discover that I had, for better or for worst, for richer or for poorer, a liberal protestant soul.
I suppose, before I go any further, I should do some definitional work. First let me address the “L” word, dreaded in some circles of our culture. When we talk about liberalism in protestant thought, we are not talking about it in the same way it is discussed in political thought. Sure, many liberal Protestants are politically liberal, card-carrying Democrats. Former Senator George McGovern is a prime example. But many are also card-carrying Republicans, such as former Senator Bob Dole. Recently, these two put their political differences aside and celebrated their spiritual and theological commonality by writing a book together with a retired United Methodist seminary president on fighting world hunger. And of course, some liberal protestant thinkers are politically non-partisan and independent. So, I am not itching for a political fight here. (I will save that for another time). I am seeking to spread a little theological understanding.
The hallmarks of liberal Protestantism are numerous: disciplined liturgy, passion for missions, strong support of public education, bridge building between church and culture, church and science, and church and other Christian and non Christian expressions of faith.
Liberal Protestant spirituality is one of holding in creative tension the disciplines of personal piety (cultivating a healthy “inner” life) and the challenges of social justice (living an active “external” life on behalf of society’s forgotten and ignored.) As a result, liberal Protestants founded hospitals, established colleges and universities, staffed community centers that worked with the poor, oppressed, and marginalized, and formed organizations that have sought peaceful and non-violent solutions to community and global problems.
Historian E.J. Dionne has suggested that at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was the liberal protestant movement that forced the issue of humane working conditions in factories, demanded and received an end to child labor, and fought along side of the suffragettes to win the right to vote for women. It has been one of the abiding missions of the liberal protestant movement to work at putting a humane face on capitalism, to challenge governments to protect the poor and disenfranchised, and to work for civil and human rights.
While orthodox and evangelical thinkers have a tendency (I know that this is a generalization for which I will probably pay greatly) to fish the waters of the epistles, (this is because this is where much of the overt theology of the early church is done), most liberal protestants are more comfortable fishing the waters of the gospels. This is because the stories of our Lord are the foundation for doing Christian theology. When a fundamentalist tells me that St Paul would never permit a woman to preach in the church, I would encounter with a question, “In the gospel narratives, who was given the job of being the first “preacher” of the resurrection?” An of course, you know the answer to this question…. And if you don’t, you better head back to confirmation class!
In liberal Protestantism, the Bible is seldom interpreted literally, more often metaphorically and always in light of its historical context. Salvation is accepted as a freely given gift from God, not only to the individual, but to the whole people of God. In others words, while many fundamentalist types are eager to quote John 3:16, a liberal protestant would most likely add verse 17 to the quote (“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”) Diversity of thought and culture is seen as a good thing and tolerance and hospitality are to be extended to all who seek peace with their neighbor and faith in God… regardless of their beliefs or lifestyle choices.
While many theological traditions do theology prescriptively, that is, define beliefs and prescribe them to the gathered community, Liberal Protestants have a tendency to do theology reflectively, that is, ponder holy mystery, attempt to make sense of it in light of the church’s many traditions and experiences, and encourage the gathered community to do the same. For liberal protestants, doctrine and beliefs always take a back seat to relationships… relationships with God, with Jesus, with each other, and of course, with creation. This is because liberal Protestants believe that beliefs and doctrines are transitory understandings created by the human desire to make sense of things. As human beings discover new scientific and cultural realities, doctrines and beliefs must be re-examined and re-interpreted. Healthy relationships, however, are bound together by the stuff of eternity: grace, love, and the “story” of our faith.
It is not that doctrines, teachings, and beliefs are not important to liberal Protestants, they are… but like scripture, they must be placed in context.. It is like Jesus’ teaching on the Sabbath when he says, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; (Mark 2:27).” In other words, our beliefs and doctrines are there to serve us, not the other way around.
If our doctrines and teachings cause us to become alienated from those we love, or place a wall between us and others in the human family, then there must be something wrong with the doctrines… or at least how they are being interpreted and applied.
Liberal Protestants value critical thought and generally have a quiet mistrust of feelings and emotions (at least, this liberal protestant has a quiet mistrust of feelings and emotions). The great Harry Emerson Fosdick hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory” captures the essence of this tradition better than anything I could say or write.
I believe congregations are, in many ways, like people… they have souls too. There are churches with “orthodox souls” and “fundamentalist souls” and “evangelical souls” and “catholic souls” and of course “liberal protestant souls.” I understand that congregations are seldom “pure” in these matters… more often than not a blending of a couple of these traditions, but generally, one is dominant. It has generally been my lot in life to be appointed to congregations that had “liberal protestant souls.” I have never felt the need to sit down and explain the affections of my soul, because I was sent to work with a people that for the most part, held similar affections.
This isn’t the case, here at Trinity. There is a small smattering of liberal protestant thought here, but for the most part; I would say that the soul of Trinity Church is predominately orthodox/evangelical in nature. Now there is nothing wrong this, any more than there is something wrong with me having a liberal protestant soul. We are what we are, I believe, in part because of our upbringing and in part because of our internal wiring. The challenge for you and I, when the so-called “honey moon” wears off, is to make this odd combination work. To that end, I have chosen to lay all my proverbial theological cards on the table. In the months to come, my MUSINGS will deal with how my liberal protestant soul processes its experience of God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, the life and work of the church, and the call to live in covenant with each other, creation, self, and of course, God. I hope and pray many of you feel comfortable to do the same with me.
You can do this in the old fashion way, stopping by for a chat. Or, if you are good at navigating cyberspace, you can do this on our brand new “blog” (thanks to Jim Augsburger). You can get there two ways, by going to our web site first and hitting the link, or by logging onto www.blogger.com and then type in “bgtrinity” under “blog name”.
In the end, I believe that our beliefs are not nearly as important to Christ as is our behavior. If you and I can exhibit a behavior that is hospitable and gentle, filled with integrity and grace, open to all regardless as to how each may process holy mystery, then I think we have done a good thing together… If this behavior is rooted in our heart, then all the better, God will be reflected in our life together. If we can’t, well, what is the old expression? “There will be some hell to pay…” If you are like me, I suspect you are growing weary of all the hell to pay in this world of ours.
Peace always, Eric
(this appears in the March, 2006 Issue of the TRINITY TELL, the Newsletter of Trinity United Methodist Church, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402
I am not an “orthodox” thinking Christian. My theological pedigree comes from a different part of Christian theological tradition. Thanks in part to the free-thinking character of my mother and the gentle quality of my father. Whenever dad got transferred to another town, we would eventually find ourselves worshipping in a United Methodist church that was shaped by that once grand theological movement historians call “liberal Protestantism.
As I grew older and began to flirt with different ideas and philosophies of life, (in college, I pondered converting to Roman Catholicism) I would eventually return to my “liberal protestant roots”. Even in seminary when I read Reinhold Niebuhr and learned of liberal Protestantism’s fatal flaw (naïveté), I would discover that I had, for better or for worst, for richer or for poorer, a liberal protestant soul.
I suppose, before I go any further, I should do some definitional work. First let me address the “L” word, dreaded in some circles of our culture. When we talk about liberalism in protestant thought, we are not talking about it in the same way it is discussed in political thought. Sure, many liberal Protestants are politically liberal, card-carrying Democrats. Former Senator George McGovern is a prime example. But many are also card-carrying Republicans, such as former Senator Bob Dole. Recently, these two put their political differences aside and celebrated their spiritual and theological commonality by writing a book together with a retired United Methodist seminary president on fighting world hunger. And of course, some liberal protestant thinkers are politically non-partisan and independent. So, I am not itching for a political fight here. (I will save that for another time). I am seeking to spread a little theological understanding.
The hallmarks of liberal Protestantism are numerous: disciplined liturgy, passion for missions, strong support of public education, bridge building between church and culture, church and science, and church and other Christian and non Christian expressions of faith.
Liberal Protestant spirituality is one of holding in creative tension the disciplines of personal piety (cultivating a healthy “inner” life) and the challenges of social justice (living an active “external” life on behalf of society’s forgotten and ignored.) As a result, liberal Protestants founded hospitals, established colleges and universities, staffed community centers that worked with the poor, oppressed, and marginalized, and formed organizations that have sought peaceful and non-violent solutions to community and global problems.
Historian E.J. Dionne has suggested that at the beginning of the twentieth century, it was the liberal protestant movement that forced the issue of humane working conditions in factories, demanded and received an end to child labor, and fought along side of the suffragettes to win the right to vote for women. It has been one of the abiding missions of the liberal protestant movement to work at putting a humane face on capitalism, to challenge governments to protect the poor and disenfranchised, and to work for civil and human rights.
While orthodox and evangelical thinkers have a tendency (I know that this is a generalization for which I will probably pay greatly) to fish the waters of the epistles, (this is because this is where much of the overt theology of the early church is done), most liberal protestants are more comfortable fishing the waters of the gospels. This is because the stories of our Lord are the foundation for doing Christian theology. When a fundamentalist tells me that St Paul would never permit a woman to preach in the church, I would encounter with a question, “In the gospel narratives, who was given the job of being the first “preacher” of the resurrection?” An of course, you know the answer to this question…. And if you don’t, you better head back to confirmation class!
In liberal Protestantism, the Bible is seldom interpreted literally, more often metaphorically and always in light of its historical context. Salvation is accepted as a freely given gift from God, not only to the individual, but to the whole people of God. In others words, while many fundamentalist types are eager to quote John 3:16, a liberal protestant would most likely add verse 17 to the quote (“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”) Diversity of thought and culture is seen as a good thing and tolerance and hospitality are to be extended to all who seek peace with their neighbor and faith in God… regardless of their beliefs or lifestyle choices.
While many theological traditions do theology prescriptively, that is, define beliefs and prescribe them to the gathered community, Liberal Protestants have a tendency to do theology reflectively, that is, ponder holy mystery, attempt to make sense of it in light of the church’s many traditions and experiences, and encourage the gathered community to do the same. For liberal protestants, doctrine and beliefs always take a back seat to relationships… relationships with God, with Jesus, with each other, and of course, with creation. This is because liberal Protestants believe that beliefs and doctrines are transitory understandings created by the human desire to make sense of things. As human beings discover new scientific and cultural realities, doctrines and beliefs must be re-examined and re-interpreted. Healthy relationships, however, are bound together by the stuff of eternity: grace, love, and the “story” of our faith.
It is not that doctrines, teachings, and beliefs are not important to liberal Protestants, they are… but like scripture, they must be placed in context.. It is like Jesus’ teaching on the Sabbath when he says, “The sabbath was made for humankind, and not humankind for the sabbath; (Mark 2:27).” In other words, our beliefs and doctrines are there to serve us, not the other way around.
If our doctrines and teachings cause us to become alienated from those we love, or place a wall between us and others in the human family, then there must be something wrong with the doctrines… or at least how they are being interpreted and applied.
Liberal Protestants value critical thought and generally have a quiet mistrust of feelings and emotions (at least, this liberal protestant has a quiet mistrust of feelings and emotions). The great Harry Emerson Fosdick hymn “God of Grace and God of Glory” captures the essence of this tradition better than anything I could say or write.
I believe congregations are, in many ways, like people… they have souls too. There are churches with “orthodox souls” and “fundamentalist souls” and “evangelical souls” and “catholic souls” and of course “liberal protestant souls.” I understand that congregations are seldom “pure” in these matters… more often than not a blending of a couple of these traditions, but generally, one is dominant. It has generally been my lot in life to be appointed to congregations that had “liberal protestant souls.” I have never felt the need to sit down and explain the affections of my soul, because I was sent to work with a people that for the most part, held similar affections.
This isn’t the case, here at Trinity. There is a small smattering of liberal protestant thought here, but for the most part; I would say that the soul of Trinity Church is predominately orthodox/evangelical in nature. Now there is nothing wrong this, any more than there is something wrong with me having a liberal protestant soul. We are what we are, I believe, in part because of our upbringing and in part because of our internal wiring. The challenge for you and I, when the so-called “honey moon” wears off, is to make this odd combination work. To that end, I have chosen to lay all my proverbial theological cards on the table. In the months to come, my MUSINGS will deal with how my liberal protestant soul processes its experience of God, Christ, The Holy Spirit, the life and work of the church, and the call to live in covenant with each other, creation, self, and of course, God. I hope and pray many of you feel comfortable to do the same with me.
You can do this in the old fashion way, stopping by for a chat. Or, if you are good at navigating cyberspace, you can do this on our brand new “blog” (thanks to Jim Augsburger). You can get there two ways, by going to our web site first and hitting the link, or by logging onto www.blogger.com and then type in “bgtrinity” under “blog name”.
In the end, I believe that our beliefs are not nearly as important to Christ as is our behavior. If you and I can exhibit a behavior that is hospitable and gentle, filled with integrity and grace, open to all regardless as to how each may process holy mystery, then I think we have done a good thing together… If this behavior is rooted in our heart, then all the better, God will be reflected in our life together. If we can’t, well, what is the old expression? “There will be some hell to pay…” If you are like me, I suspect you are growing weary of all the hell to pay in this world of ours.
Peace always, Eric
posted by Eric McGlade, pastor BG Trinity UMC | 9:41 AM
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