liberals and progressives

toward a new

christian identity

the problem(s) of

christian identity

in a

multi-faith world

what can progressives learn from conservatives?

what can conservatives learn from progressives?

Can we agree:

we all have a lot to learn?

what can progressives learn from conservatives?

1. Conservatives have had a robust and unflagging sense of mission, characterized by

Urgency

Fervency

Flexibility

Saving souls from a sinking ship.

(Titanic as the dominant image)

Planting Churches everywhere.

(More, better, faster, easier)

Developing bold, young, entrepreneurial leaders.

(And setting them free)

Mastering mass(ive) communication.

(Building a mass movement)

[Saving souls from a sinking ship.]

Don’t progressives see apocalyptic scenarios?

Climate change/ecological catastrophe

Growing gap between rich & poor/Triumph of 1 %

Weapons of mass destruction/all against all violence

Recruiting people to save the planet.

[Planting Churches everywhere.]

The Mixed-Economy Denomination

Multiple forms of church

An ecosystem, not a franchise

Transferring assets to “Church Futures Fund”

Enhancing a thriving church ecosystem characterized by fertility, diversity, and

harmony.

[Developing bold, young, entrepreneurial leaders.]

Not cautious, political bureaucrats!

Motivated by results, not security.

Eager to disseminate power, not accumulate it.

Creating leadership paths, not an elite class.

Developing bold, young, entrepreneurial leaders - and supporting them with lifelong learning.

[Mastering mass(ive) communication.]

Multiple networks, media, audiences.

Building hubs of influence, not silos of control.

Creating networks for mutual benefit.

Creating a broad group identity.

Seizing fresh opportunities.

Mastering mass(ive) communication - with a strong-benevolent ethos.

1. Conservatives have had a robust and unflagging sense of mission, characterized by

Urgency

Fervency

Flexibility

2. Conservatives emphasize spiritual experience.

Personal

Initial

Ongoing

Dramatic

Progressives have ranged from intolerant to uncomfortable in the realm of spiritual experience.

The revivalist tradition - or - the contemplative/mystical tradition?

The only options are not hyped or ignored! There is also cultivated, encouraged, expected.

Beware of the “checklist mentality.”

Liturgy is a set of group spiritual practices ...

2. Conservatives emphasize spiritual experience.

Personal

Initial

Ongoing

Dramatic

3. Conservatives practice storytelling.

Testimony

Small Group

Stories of mission in action ...

Stories of spiritual experience ...

3. Conservatives practice storytelling.

Testimony

Small Group

4. Conservatives lift up heroes.

You may not like them, but at least

you know them.

“Conservatives constantly criticize

liberals.”

“So do liberals.”

“Conservatives fear liberal

leaders.”

“So do liberals.”

“Conservatives are obsessed with

conservative leaders.”

“So are liberals.”

4. Conservatives lift up heroes.

5. Conservatives focus on youth.

Youth work is the “gateway drug” to ministry.

Yesterday’s youth workers are today’s conservative

leaders.

Youth ministry must bepersonal

clearcompellingexperiential

relevantcontagious

fun

Youth Ministrypersonalclearcompellingexperientialrelevantcontagiousfun

Senior Ministry:institutionalunoffensive

familiarautomatictraditional

acquired tastesedate

5. Conservatives focus on youth.

mission

spiritual experience

storytelling

heroes

youth

How about it, progressives?

what can conservatives learn from progressives?

1. Progressives know the power of beauty.

Words

Buildings

Art

Music

Action

an Islamic scholar:

“Fundamentalism has succeeded in making Islam ugly.”

Mean isn’t beautiful.

But neither is boring.

Tacky innovation isn’t beautiful.

But neither is tacky tradition.

Hype isn’t beautiful.

But neither is lethargy.

Faddish isn’t beautiful.

But neither is outdated.

Holiness is beautiful.

Reverence is beautiful.

Joy is beautiful.

Honesty is beautiful.

Life is beautiful.

Mystery is beautiful.

Humility is beautiful.

God is beautiful.

1. Progressives know the power of beauty.

Words

Buildings

Art

Music

Action

2. Progressives value tradition.

Tradition is the living faith of the dead; traditionalism is the dead faith of the living. Tradition lives in conversation with the past, while remembering where we are and when we are and that it is we who have to decide. Traditionalism supposes that nothing should ever be done for the first time, so all that is needed to solve any problem is to arrive at the supposedly unanimous testimony of this homogenized tradition.

–Jaroslav Pelikan, interview with U.S. News & World Report, July 26, 1989 (the interview focused on his book

The Vindication of Tradition)

Dead tradition:Giving our history a veto.

Living tradition:Giving our history a vote.

Two types of tradition:

Repeating what founders said ...

Imitating what founders did ...(including bold innovation!)

Wise tradition is the memory of how our ancestors adapted,

innovated, preserved, reformed, erred, failed, recovered, learned,

and endured.

Our history is a story of change.

Wise tradition is the memory of how our ancestors adapted,

innovated, preserved, reformed, erred, failed, recovered, learned,

and endured.

The best tradition is a failed (i.e. humbled) tradition.

VALUING INNOVATION

VALUING

TRADITION

ANTI-TRADITION

ANTI-INNOVATION

PRO-INNOVATION

ANTI-TRADITION

PRO-TRADITION

PRO-INNOVATION

PRO-TRADITION

ANTI-INNOVATION

2. Progressives value tradition.

3. Progressives aren’t afraid of intellect.

1. Simplicity: dualistic thinking2. Complexity: pragmatic thinking

3. Perplexity: critical & relativistic thinking

1. Simplicity: dualistic thinking2. Complexity: pragmatic thinking

3. Perplexity: critical and relativistic thinking

4. Harmony: integral thinking

0. Egocentricity: narcissistic thinking

1. Simplicity: dualistic thinking2. Complexity: pragmatic thinking

3. Perplexity: critical and relativistic thinking

4. Harmony: integral thinking

3. Progressives aren’t afraid of intellect.

4. Progressives seek justice.

Mercy gives slaves an extra crust of bread.Justice abolishes

slavery.Mercy opens a soup kitchen.

Justice works for opportunity & fair wages.

Mercy speaks for the voiceless.Justice helps all get

a fair hearing for themselves.

Abolition of slaveryEnding racial segregation

Promoting affirmative actionEqual rights for womenOpposing elective wars

Defending scientific inquiryPromoting environmental responsibility

Defending safety net for poorPromoting interfaith understanding

Seeking equality for LGBTQ people

4. Progressives seek justice.

5. Progressives seek the common good.

State churches felt a responsibility for everyone.

Sectarian/immigrant churches cared for their own.

State churches, as majority, protected minorities.

Sectarian/immigrant churches were minorities.

Beware an aggrieved majority.

And beware a majority that thinks it is a minority.

Rediscovering the common good ...

Loving neighbor as self.Including outcast, outsider, immigrant, refugee, and enemy among neighbors.

Seeking reconciliation, not mere victory.Refusing to demonize or scapegoat

anyone.

5. Progressives seek the common good.

beauty

tradition

intellect

justice

common good

How about it, conservatives?

how can conservatives and progressives

better understand each other?

justice compassion

traditionloyaltypurity

justice compassion

traditionloyaltypurity

justice compassion

traditionloyaltypurity