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What is a liberal Christian theology?

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Kathi

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I usually do not copy and paste but I was reading this and liked it and could relate.
Question: "What is liberal Christian theology?"

Answer:
In liberal Christian teaching, which is not Christian at all, man’s reason is stressed and is treated as the final authority. Liberal theologians seek to reconcile Christianity with secular science and modern thinking. In doing so, they treat science as all-knowing and the Bible as fable-laden and false. Genesis’ early chapters are reduced to poetry or fantasy, having a message, but not to be taken literally (in spite of Jesus’ having spoken of those early chapters in literal terms). Mankind is not seen as totally depraved, and thus liberal theologians have an optimistic view of the future of mankind. The social gospel is also emphasized, while the inability of fallen man to fulfill it is denied. Whether a person is saved from his sin and its penalty in hell is no longer the issue; the main thing is how man treats his fellow man. “Love” of our fellow man becomes the defining issue. As a result of this “reasoning” by liberal theologians, the following doctrines are taught by liberal quasi-Christian theologians:

1) The Bible is not “God-breathed” and has errors. Because of this belief, man (the liberal theologians) must determine which teachings are correct and which are not. Belief that the Bible is “inspired” (in that word’s original meaning) by God is only held by simpletons. This directly contradicts 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

2) The virgin birth of Christ is a mythological false teaching. This directly contradicts Isaiah 7:14 and Luke 2.

3) Jesus did not rise again from the grave in bodily form. This contradicts the resurrection accounts in all four Gospels and the entire New Testament.

4) Jesus was a good moral teacher, but His followers and their followers have taken liberties with the history of His life (there were no “supernatural” miracles), with the Gospels having been written many years later and merely ascribed to the early disciples in order to give greater weight to their teachings. This contradicts the 2 Timothy passage and the doctrine of the supernatural preservation of the Scriptures by God.

5) Hell is not real. Man is not lost in sin and is not doomed to some future judgment without a relationship with Christ through faith. Man can help himself; no sacrificial death by Christ is necessary since a loving God would not send people to such a place as hell and since man is not born in sin. This contradicts Jesus Himself, who declared Himself to be the Way to God, through His atoning death (John 14:6).

6) Most of the human authors of the Bible are not who they are traditionally believed to be. For instance, they believe that Moses did not write the first five books of the Bible. The book of Daniel had two authors because there is no way that the detailed “prophecies” of the later chapters could have been known ahead of time; they must have been written after the fact. The same thinking is carried over to the New Testament books. These ideas contradict not only the Scriptures but historical documents which verify the existence of all the people whom the liberals deny.

7) The most important thing for man to do is to “love” his neighbor. What is the loving thing to do in any situation is not what the Bible says is good but what the liberal theologians decide is good. This denies the doctrine of total depravity, which states that man is capable to doing nothing good and loving (Jeremiah 17:9) until He has been redeemed by Christ and given a new nature (2 Corinthians 5:17).

There are many pronouncements of Scripture against those who would deny the deity of Christ (2 Peter 2:1)—which liberal Christianity does. Scripture also denounces those who would preach a different gospel from what was preached by the apostles (Galatians 1:8)—which is what the liberal theologians do in denying the necessity of Christ’s atoning death and preaching a social gospel in its place. The Bible condemns those who call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20)—which some liberal churches do by embracing homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle while the Bible repeatedly condemns its practice.

Scripture speaks against those who would cry “peace, peace” when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14)—which liberal theologians do by saying that man can attain peace with God apart from Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and that man need not worry about a future judgment before God. The Word of God speaks of a time when men will have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof (2 Timothy 3:5)—which is what liberal theology does in that is says that there is some inner goodness in man that does not require a rebirth by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. And it speaks against those who would serve idols instead of the one true God (1 Chronicles 16:26)—which liberal Christianity does in that it creates a false god according to its own liking rather than worshiping God as He is described in the whole of the Bible.

Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/liberal-Christian-theology.html#ixzz38hKzVEPa
 
I've heard maybe more than one or two sermons in my lifetime, and I have to say, I have never heard anyone teaching these things. Can you point us to where you are hearing this preached?

I'm not saying that we cannot easily go find ANYONE saying just about ANYTHING... but I was curious where, specifically, you might be hearing this preached.
 
I've heard maybe more than one or two sermons in my lifetime, and I have to say, I have never heard anyone teaching these things. Can you point us to where you are hearing this preached?
This is a bible study website.Please see the link at the bottom.
 
I am a fundamental Christian.Fundamental Christian faith is not popular now.People see them as radical.The principles of the Christian faith are important.The literal interpretation of the Bible.What Jesus taught.I think the Church today is struggling with so many liberal views.
 
Does someone here go to listen to that preaching?
the tos does allow uu to be members but its considered to be a non-Christian faith. there is only the one on one debate forum for that discussion. we have had uu's here before.

http://www.uufvb.org/
http://www.uufvb.org/beliefs.html
we also have the unity church which is similar to that faith. a friend of mine and her her husband were members of the uufvb church and left when the pastor mocked the bible and they felt offended and repented and now attend the Nazarene church.
 
the tos does allow uu to be members but its considered to be a non-Christian faith. there is only the one on one debate forum for that discussion. we have had uu's here before.

http://www.uufvb.org/
http://www.uufvb.org/beliefs.html
we also have the unity church which is similar to that faith. a friend of mine and her her husband were members of the uufvb church and left when the pastor mocked the bible and they felt offended and repented and now attend the Nazarene church.
So you think that the Unitarian Church is the only ones who are liberal Christians?
 
So you think that the Unitarian Church is the only ones who are liberal Christians?
nope, we have the unity church which teaches the loony Christ conscience thing. also theirs the other church locally that has gone south and marries gays and ordains them.
 
I usually do not copy and paste but I was reading this and liked it and could relate.
Question: "What is liberal Christian theology?"

Answer:
In liberal Christian teaching, which is not Christian at all, man’s reason is stressed and is treated as the final authority. Liberal theologians seek to reconcile Christianity with secular science and modern thinking. In doing so, they treat science as all-knowing and the Bible as fable-laden and false. Genesis’ early chapters are reduced to poetry or fantasy, having a message, but not to be taken literally (in spite of Jesus’ having spoken of those early chapters in literal terms). Mankind is not seen as totally depraved, and thus liberal theologians have an optimistic view of the future of mankind. The social gospel is also emphasized, while the inability of fallen man to fulfill it is denied. Whether a person is saved from his sin and its penalty in hell is no longer the issue; the main thing is how man treats his fellow man. “Love” of our fellow man becomes the defining issue. As a result of this “reasoning” by liberal theologians, the following doctrines are taught by liberal quasi-Christian theologians:
You should not use the term liberal to describe those with whom you have grievances. There are semantics in words. For example the word liberal can have many connotations and inferences. We all have liberal and conservative tendencies. The point being that balance and fairness is the goal, so as to not be hypocrites. Anyone who characterizes liberal or conservative as a fault is therefore going to come across as appearing unbalanced and divisive to those who understand the terms.

As far as your grievances go, they are valid concerns. It is however quite understandable that people cannot believe in miracles, the virgin birth, or the resurrection. They are after all, just being honest when saying so. If they are told to just believe the scriptures with no evidence as to why, they will then consider Christianity a spirit of superstition ruling in the minds of the insecure, rather than the valid reasoning of the Spirit of Love that returns good for evil. There are therefore better ways to bring about valid convictions concerning these hard to believe Truths. That's why there is the Holy Spirit of Truth. The True Church is led by the Holy Spirit. No one can come to Christ unless drawn by the Spirit.
 
That is actually a pretty good summation of liberal Christianity. Very close, actually. I know this because I come from that kind of backround. The past few years I have become much more fundamental, which surprises even me. I don't have all the answers, but at least I've started looking in the right spots.

I know for a fact that #5 is wrong.
 
That is actually a pretty good summation of liberal Christianity. Very close, actually. I know this because I come from that kind of backround. The past few years I have become much more fundamental, which surprises even me. I don't have all the answers, but at least I've started looking in the right spots.

I know for a fact that #5 is wrong.
How do you know this is Liberal Christianity? What does fundamental imply when you use the term? Christ could have been called a Liberal Jew by the fundamentalists. Do you see my point?
lib·er·al
1.
favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2.
( often initial capital letter ) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3.
of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties.

/ˈlɪb
thinsp.png
ər
thinsp.png
əl, ˈlɪb
thinsp.png
rəl/ liberalism, especially the freedom of the individual and governmental guarantees of individual rights and liberties.
4.
favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, especially as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5.
favoring or permitting freedom of action, especially with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.

con·serv·a·tive
/kənˈsɜr
thinsp.png
thinsp.png
tɪv/ Show IPA
adjective
1.
disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2.
cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3.
traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4.
( often initial capital letter ) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5.
( initial capital letter ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
 
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How do you know this is Liberal Christianity? What does fundamental imply when you use the term? Christ could have been called a Liberal Jew by the fundamentalists. Do you see my point?
I didn't say it was Liberal Christianity. I said it was liberal Christianity. Thank you for softening your final comment. No, I don't believe I see your point yet, or even why you feel you need to make one. Kathi made an excellent, thought-provoking post. Seems like something in it set you off for some reason.
 
I didn't say it was Liberal Christianity. I said it was liberal Christianity. Thank you for softening your final comment. No, I don't believe I see your point yet, or even why you feel you need to make one. Kathi made an excellent, thought-provoking post. Seems like something in it set you off for some reason.
Yes, I do disagree with the use of the term liberal as being applied to the concepts presented. Just say false Christianity if that is what is meant. I feel I need to make the point because people, and particularly young people, get the wrong impression of Christianity, because of those who describe the church in an institutional and therefore political context. The body of Christ is a Spirit led body, not an institution of mankind.
 
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Can you remember Peter's reaction to the rooftop vision? "WHAT !!!!?" "Love and accept those I have gotten so comfortable despising and rejecting????"
And 40-some years later, he was STILL giving in to his prejudices by discriminating against Gentiles. Paul had to call him out on it.
Some of that liberal stuff Jesus taught is hard to swallow.
 
Yes, I do disagree with the use of the term liberal as being applied to the concepts presented. Just say false Christianity if that is what is meant. I feel I need to make the point because people, and particularly young people, get the wrong impression of Christianity, because of those who describe the church in an institutional and therefore political context. The body of Christ is a Spirit led body, not an institution of mankind.
The use of "liberal" as it relates to Christian theology is an acceptable term, often used by theologians themselves to distinguish between those who hold to orthodoxy and those who seek to undermine it. It is an acceptable use of the word and categorization of such people.

There are varying degrees of liberal theology and it can be found in almost every denomination but has been the most prevalent in mainstream, non-Evangelical denominations.
 
From the OP it seems 'liberal Christianity' is a blanket pejorative used by self identified conservative Christians to paint others over both essential and nonessential differences alike.
 
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