Dear Friends,
Politics and religion have often been labelled taboo topics
for backyard barbeques and other social events. No matter. People ignore the taboo and talk
about them anyway. The conversations, at times, surface a conflict of outlooks
and limited understandings. In the sphere of religion, alone, not to mention
politics, some words are used and
misused: words like liberal, conservative, orthodox and traditional. The way
these words are used can easily skew discussion. In anger or disagreement,
people fling those words at one another as though they were – well - swear words.
Consider this a mini-update, not to be used at the backyard
barbeque – only to have in the back of your mind as a generous framework for conversation. To begin, there are positive and
negative sides to the liberal and conservative theological positions that are
part of our times.
Theological liberalism
helps nourish and hone the spirit of critical inquiry, openness to new
questions and new insights. It resists injustice and is sensitive to the
experience of minority people and positions. Among the weaknesses of
theological liberalism is a bare minimum approach to doctrine and spiritual
resources. It sometimes locates the whole work to be done in the here and now,
without seeing this work in a larger human, historical and divine context.
Theological
conservatives offer the faith community real praise of God, honor signs of
holiness and work toward the freedom of the children of
God. But for conservatives, faith is not
seen as a way of life. It is not a journey and but a tool, a given, complete
and whole and in some cases, a weapon. Boundaries are sealed, doubt and
darkness are banished. Without space for creativity or exploration, faith is a
package.
Some women and men argue that, in resisting the theological
liberal approach to living faith, they are upholding the
tradition of the church. Further probing shows that what this group pf
people want is to continue the conventions of recent decades or centuries. They
mix up this clinging to recent history with knowing and living by the rich and
complex tradition of “faith seeking understanding” that has enlivened the church
from its beginning.
While theological liberals and theological conservatives
each have gifts to offer the community, the most untried and perhaps remarkable
approach to plumbing the depths of Christianity is … orthodoxy.
The word orthodoxy
literally means right praise. Believers are called to give right glory to God,
and so live fully ourselves and as a world. We look to our source events and
documents for help to know how to be
faithful to God in this culture and time. Our good works are rooted in the
founding vision of Christ.
Christian orthodoxy is God-centered, and not elitist. It
holds that the world and its structures are meant to be vehicles of the divine.
Orthodoxy condemns neither liberals or conservatives, but invites them to
the table of dialogue and the works of
justice and peace. The primer s
done. Tuck it away.
Now, enjoy your barbeque and the conversation that enlivens
it … for the good of all.
~Sister Joan Sobala
