Separated Among Believers: The Differences of the Religious Right and Religious Left

In the majority of this blog, I have written about general issues that many people deal with and how approaching these issues through a lens of Jesus can alleviate our circumstances. Most of these issues aren’t very controversial and for most of the time, I have avoided the contentious issues. But at times, when it seems appropriate, I believe we are called to have very difficult conversations among people whom we agree & disagree with, people who are at different ends of the theological spectrum, believers and non-believers, etc. One of my earlier posts touched upon how we can offer hope in a divided world, especially since it seems as if our society is more polarized than it has ever been. In the wake of hot-topic political issues that are consuming a majority of the headlines such as abortion, the immigration issue, race, LGBT issues, criminal justice reform, etc., individuals have resorted to means that cause further arguments and confrontation rather than healthy discussions among people who respectfully disagree. In my small group that I meet with every week, we have been holding conversations that I am proud to be a part of, since these conversations are about topics that shouldn’t be pushed away when the timing is relevant. A lot of these discussions have revolved around approaching our neighbors of similar and different backgrounds in the way of Jesus. Our group came to a consensus that while it is efficient to say that we need to live a life resembling Jesus, another problem follows that makes us question what a life like Jesus really looks like and how accurately are we always able to follow that. This is where I believe we as a society have gone wrong. Let me explain.

The core problem that Christians at opposing theological spectrums face is that we have an inner desire or intent to stand up for what we believe is right, fair and just. These are all things that Jesus did because Jesus himself, was a controversial and divisive figure. He challenged the ways and norms of the society in which he lived, challenging law, theology, social norms, and calling out brokenness and injustice for what it was. But our conceptions of what is unfair, unjust, sinful, or simply wrong can sometimes be an extremely murky area. The reason that sin exists in the world can be attributed to the doctrine of original sin which first came about from St. Augustine and states that human beings have an “innate” tendency to sin, as a result of the Fall from Adam and Eve. Therefore, no matter how extensive our actions are to achieve societal perfection in an attempt to glorify God, we will at some point, fall short and sin (Romans 3:23). This doctrine of original sin and to the extent that we face now, brokenness in our world, is interpreted contrastingly by many believers with distinctive stories. There is a plethora of reasons as to why scripture and issues in society are viewed differently, due to biological factors such as our genetic makeup and brain chemistry, environmental factors such as family and culture, and the religious context (if we are believers) in which we are raised. I want to focus on the religious culture that helped to contribute to the ways in which we view the world and Jesus.

There are generally two main areas on the Christian theological spectrum, similar to the political spectrum, that Christian believers identify with. They are the religious right (conservative thought) and the religious left (liberal thought). Individuals identified with the Christian right tend to focus on personal salvation and the conversion experience, emphasizing the doctrine of biblical inerrancy and infallibility which states that the Bible is meant to be taken without error, and that it holds true for what it explicitly says. The Christian left tends to be associated with the concept of justice, emphasizing the social gospel and aspects of liberation theology, which views that society is a result of human actions which create systemic oppression and that God is a liberator, a divine being capable of freeing those who fall under oppression. Both spectrums of Christian theological beliefs make fair points about many topics in contemporary thought. The conversion experience is an extremely sacred moment of a believer’s life as well as the concept of justice being a core virtue that all believers should strive for. What creates the problem however, is when we replace God’s agenda with our agenda.

Reform is an incredible thing. Every major movement that has brought about noticeable change to the world is a result of reform. Common examples include The Protestant Reformation, The Civil Rights Movement, historical opposition to governments that oppress individuals, etc. What lies in the problem is when resources meant for reform become tools used for furthered conflict, opposition, and hate, whether used intentionally or not. Bible verses become metaphorical stones that are thrown, sources of thought are twisted and conformed to fit what we believe, and the fine line between love and disagreement is blurred and on the verge of disappearing. We lose our sense of identity, our willingness to trust, and most importantly what were designed to ultimately do: love. In losing sight of this, I would recommend refamiliarizing with 1 Corinthians 13:13. The thing that we seem to forget is that we can disagree in love, we can give advice in love, and we can enact change for what we think is right in love. But when a drop of reform is dissolved in a beaker of ideology, we completely miss the meaning of the gospel. The Christian right can emphasize the importance of salvation and literal interpretation so much to where those who doubt where they are in their faith and what scripture says about a certain topic can feel even more confused, or even those who are non-believers can feel so overwhelmed that they are turned away from experiencing a relationship with Jesus. Meanwhile, the Christian left can be so overly concerned with justice and hesitant from passing constructive advice, to where the idea of a “cool church” or a “cool Christian” loses the inability to recognize individual sin and pointing people towards the way of Jesus. The fine line or “happy medium” between offering love and grace and exposing brokenness/sin is similar to the fine line mentioned earlier: blurred and on the verge of collapse. Because of our human nature, that perfect equilibrium or fine line will never be fully achieved. Yet if we still remain steadfast in pursuit of that important point, then I think we can amaze ourselves at what we can accomplish in the wake of disagreement. Only the fully human and fully divine Son in coexistence with the beautiful creator that sends forth the convicting power of the Holy Spirit can lead us to where we need to be. To venture forward means that we need to trust. But how can we trust if we lose track of God’s agenda?

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” - C.S. Lewis

So, I ask, where are we at and where do we need to be? How can we love our neighbor in communal agreement or respective disagreement? What are the ways in which you can drop your stones, choose forgiveness, offer grace and embrace one another with love? How can we move the closest to that “fine line”? We must choose the road that is not easy. We must follow the guide that we cannot see. We must acknowledge those we meet along the way. We must move forward in cooperation, intent on enacting reform, keen on preserving the Kingdom of God, but recognizant that our attempts, our journey, our fellowship isn’t about us but of God’s desire to be with us. If we grasp this even in the struggles, the trials, the battles, and the doubts, we can see one another for who we are: brothers and sisters in Christ, beautifully created, wonderfully made, born in the image of God. You matter. You belong. You deserved to be seen. See other people for who they are. Not as someone with an agenda, but someone that deserves to be loved even if it takes all of our power to not turn a blind eye and then turn the other cheek. They experience hurt that we feel, just in different forms. Let’s not lose sight of what is important and that is pursuing God’s heart, He and Us, together.

"Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough." - Franklin D. Roosevelt