Saturday, July 15, 2006

Progressive Evangelical Christians

Harvard Divinity Professor Harvey Cox has written a stimulating piece about how many evangelical Christians in the U.S. are returning to their socially progressive roots.

This interest in what are often considered "liberal" issues marks the rise of a younger and more moderate leadership among evangelicals. Paradoxically, these new leaders are more "religious" than the old guard of the religious right. The difference, one could argue, is that they are more concerned about actually following Jesus, who had much to say about violence and the poor, but said nothing about gays or a strong military, and who was put to death by torture. The appearance of these new social concerns means that something important is afoot in the vast evangelical community of America. It is simply no longer accurate to identify "evangelical" with "religious right."


Just a little more evidence that that Crunchy Con fella knew what he was talking about.

Peace,

Tor