Liberal denial

2009-02-04T01:19:11Z

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Does not exist.

Liberal Christianity

2009-02-04T01:17:32Z

AdamTruthEagle:

'''Liberal Christianity''' refers to [[Protestantism|Protestant]] denominations, or churches within denominations, that view the [[Bible]] as the ''witness'' of [[God]] rather than the ''word'' of God. Strangely the view is supported by a rather ''literal'' interpretation of the words of Paul in his second letter to Timothy:

{{Bible quote|All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,...|book=2_Timothy|chap=3|verses=16}}

Here Paul supports the view that scripture is a direct result of the authors contact with God ("witness") whilst stopping short of claiming actual divine authorship ("word"). [[Conservative Christianity|Conservative Christians]] would answer that the Bible records God's promise to preserve His words, not merely His ideas.<ref>[http://www.chick.com/information/bibleversions/preserve.asp God's promise to preserve His Word]</ref>

As a result Liberal Theologians view the Bible as a text to be [[hermeneutics|interpreted]] in its [[history|historical]] context through critical analysis.<ref>http://home.earthlink.net/~gbl111/liberalism.htm</ref> Examples include some churches within [[Anglicanism|Anglican]]/[[Episcopalian]], [[Lutheran]], [[Methodism|Methodist]], [[Presbyterian]], and [[United Church of Christ]] churches.<ref>[http://www.beliefnet.com/story/80/story_8028_1.html ''What Liberal Protestants Believe''] Beliefnet. Accessed 15 March 2008</ref> The word "liberal" in liberal Christianity does not refer to any political agenda or set of beliefs, although liberal theological beliefs will often form the basis of liberal political beliefs.

===Economic and historical aspects===
In terms of economics, liberal Christianity grossly oversimplifies New Testament [[eschatology]] towards the [[Kingdom of God]] into the liberal "law of progress." History does indeed show a growing maturity in technology, thought, and social relations, but there is nothing within the academy's forces of history or its figures of history to suggest that good triumphs over evil. [[Bomb|Bombs]], [[NAFTA]], and [[feminism]] are indeed evidence of the [[liberal]] law of progress, but in so far as these things are merely the will of man, their development involves [[sin]], i.e. evil triumphing over good.<ref> ''Basic idea for this paragraph is from'' April 26, 1939 ''The Christian Century'', Reinhold Niebuhr, "Ten Years That Shook My World", pages 542-546 </ref> A quote from the [[liberal]] Christian scholar Edgar S. Brightman provides an example of this sort of thinking: "I believe in God because I believe that history represents a steady, moral progress." This was turned around by the [[neo-orthodoxy|neo-orthodox]] scholar Langdon Gilkey when he stated "I believe in God because to me history precisely does not represent such a progress."<ref> [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3049-2004Nov21.html Washingtonpost Obit of Langdon Gilkey] </ref>

===Origins of liberal Christianity===
Liberal Christian theology is the result of these three 19th century theologians: [[Friedrich Schleiermacher]], [[Albrecht Ritschl]], and [[Hegel]]. Their work and that of others who followed them was a response to 19th century scientific interpretations that seemed to question the validity of many basic Christian doctrines: [[Doctrine of Creation|doctrine of creation]], [[Incarnation|doctrine of Incarnation]], [[eternal life|doctrine of eternal life]], etc. Schleiermacher sought to re-establish the authority of the doctrines using Christian religious experience rather than scientific knowledge. Ritschl rejected Schleirmacher's idea and tried to re-establish their authority using [[Kant]]'s idea of moral experience and in the fulfillment of the [[Kingdom of God]]. Hegel simply tried to re-establish their authority by basing Christian [[Faith]] on rational and philosophical inquiry.<ref> ''Naming the Whirlwind: The Renewal of God-Language'', [[Langdon Gilkey]], Bobbs-Merrill Company, 1969, 73, 74, and 75 </ref> Doctrines that couldn't follow one of these three new theological paths—religious experience, moral experience, or philosophical inquiry— tended to disappear. The first-quarter 20th century [[neo-orthodoxy]] movement was a renewal of Christian doctrines that had been neglected by liberal Christianity within the American and European academy. At the [[heart]] of the neo-orthodox renewal appeals to symbolic and aesthetic interpretations of long forgotten Christian doctrines can found in the works of [[Karl Barth]], the Niebuhr brothers, and [[Paul Tillich]].

==See also==
* [[Shoah]]
* [[Gerhard Kittel]]

==External Links==
*[http://home.earthlink.net/~gbl111/liberalism.htm Modern Theological Liberalism]

==References==
{{reflist|small}}
[[Category:Christian Movements]]

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Liberal denial

Liberal Christianity