(Redirected from Christian left)
The 'Religious Left' is a term used to describe those who hold strong
religious beliefs and share
Left-wing ideals. The term often specifically refers to
Christian beliefs and can be interchangeable with the term 'Christian Left'.
As with any division into left-wing and right-wing, a label is always an approximation. The term 'left wing' might encompass a number of values which may or may not be held by different Christian movements and individuals.
As the unofficial title of a loose association of believers, it does provide a clear distinction from the more commonly known
"Christian Right" or "
Religious Right" and its key leaders and political views.
The most common religious viewpoint which might be described as 'left wing' is
social justice, or care for
the poor. Supporters of this might encourage
universal health care, generous
welfare, subsidized education,
foreign aid and government subsidized schemes for improving the conditions of the disadvantaged. Stemming from
egalitarian values from a Christian perspective, adherents of the Christian left consider it part of their Christian duty to take actions on behalf of the oppressed. As nearly all major religions contain some kind of requirement to
help others, social justice has been cited by various religions as in line with their faith.
The Christian Left holds that social justice, renunciation of power, humility, forgiveness, and private observation of prayer (as opposed to publicly mandated prayer) are clearly mandated by the Gospel text
[1]. Bible scholars observe that early
church practices, would be described as
socialism if practiced today. Evidence for a form of non-
Marxist communism (sometimes referred to as
Christian communism) can even be found in the Scriptures: ("The community of believers were of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common." -
Acts 4:32). In his day Jesus repeatedly advocated for the poor and outcast over the wealthy, powerful, and religious. The Christian Left maintains that stance is as relevant today as it was in Jesus' time. Also, because they adhere to Jesus' higher standard of "turning the other cheek", which they believe supersedes the
Old Testament law of "an eye for an eye", the Christian Left often hearkens towards
pacifism even if they see society in general tending toward
militarism.
While non-religious socialists find support for socialism in the Gospels (for example
Mikhail Gorbachev citing
Jesus as "the first socialist"
[1]), the Christian Left does not find that socialism alone is of particular merit. Christian faith is the core of their belief which in turn demands social justice.
History
Early Christianity
★ Early Christian anti-materialism
★ Opposition to Rome
★
Christian communism
Movements
A number of movements of the past had similarities to today's Christian Left:
★
Anglo-Catholicism
★ Baptists of the Reformation (some radical segments)
★
Elements of Puritanism,
Fifth Monarchists,
Diggers,
Quakers
★ Heretical movements such as the
Cathars
★
Liberation theology
★
Lollard
★
Old-Catholicism
★
Peace churches
★
German Peasants' War
★ Role of Christians in the
Peasants' Revolt in
England, See Lollard priest
John Ball.
★
Waldenses
Early antagonism between the left and Christianity
For much of the early history of
anti-establishment leftist movements such as
socialism and
liberalism (which was highly
anti-clerical in the
19th century), established churches were led by a
reactionary clergy who saw progress as a threat to their status and power. Most people viewed the church as part of the establishment.
Revolutions in
America,
France,
Russia and (much later)
Spain were in part directed against the established churches (or rather their leading clergy) and instituted a
separation of church and state.
However, in the 19th century, some writers and activists developed a school of thought,
Christian socialism, a branch of Christian thought that was infused with
socialism.
Early
socialist thinkers such as
Robert Owen,
Charles Fourier, and the
Duc de Saint-Simon based their theories of socialism upon Christian principles.
Karl Marx and
Friedrich Engels reacted against these theories by formulating a
secular theory of socialism in ''
The Communist Manifesto''.
Alliance of the left and Christianity
From
St. Augustine of Hippo's ''
City of God'' through
St. Thomas More's ''
Utopia'', major Christian writers have expounded socialist views. In the late
19th century and early
20th century, some began to take on the view that "genuine" Christianity had much in common with a Leftist perspective, pointing out that there is an extremely strong thread of
egalitarianism in the
New Testament. Other common leftist concerns such as
pacifism,
justice,
racial equality,
human rights, and the rejection of excessive
wealth are also expressed strongly in the
Bible. In the late 19th century, the
Social Gospel movement arose (particularly among some
Anglicans,
Lutherans,
Methodists and
Baptists in
North America and
Britain,) which attempted to integrate
progressive and
socialist thought with
Christianity to produce a faith-based social activism, promoted by movements such as
Christian Socialism. Later, in the 20th century,
the theology of liberation and
Creation Spirituality was championed by such writers as
Gustavo Gutierrez and
Matthew Fox.
Christian left and campaigns for peace and human rights
Some Christian groups were closely associated with the
peace movements against the
Vietnam War as well as the
2003 Invasion of Iraq. Religious leaders in many countries have also been on the forefront of criticizing any cuts to
social welfare programs. In addition, many prominent
civil rights activists (such as
Martin Luther King, Jr.) were religious figures.
Christian left in the United States
In the
United States, members of the Christian Left come from a spectrum of denominations:
Peace churches, elements of the
Protestant mainline churches, elements of
Roman Catholicism, and some parts of the
evangelical community.
The Christian Left does not seem to be so well-
organized or publicized as its right-wing counterpart. Opponents state that this is because it is less numerous. Supporters contend that it is actually more numerous but composed predominantly of persons less willing to voice political views in as forceful a manner as the Christian Right, possibly because of the perceived aggressiveness of the Christian Right. Further, supporters contend that the Christian Left has had relatively little success securing widespread corporate, political, and major media patronage compared to the Right. In the aftermath of the 2004 election in the United States
Progressive Christian leaders started to form groups of their own to combat the Religious Right;
The Center For Progressive Christianity and
The Christian Alliance For Progress are two such groups that have formed to promote the cause.
Members of the Christian Left who work on
interfaith issues are part of building the
Progressive Reconstructionist movement.
The following beliefs are held by some to be representative of US
Liberal Christians:
[2]
★ Beliefs vary from the literal to the symbolic belief in Jesus Christ as God's incarnation. Some believe we are all sons and daughters of God and that Christ was exemplary, but not God.
★ Some believe all will go to heaven, as God is loving and forgiving. Others believe salvation lies in doing good works and no harm to others, regardless of faith. Some believe baptism is important. Some believe the concept of salvation after death is symbolic or nonexistent.
★ Most liberal churches teach that abortion is morally wrong, but many ultimately support a woman's right to choose, usually accompanied by policies to provide counseling on alternatives. Many are accepting of homosexuality and gay rights.
Liberation Theology
One of the largest strains of Christian Left thinking has been in the developing world, especially
Latin America. Since the
1960s,
Catholic thinkers have integrated left-wing thought and
Catholicism, giving rise to
Liberation Theology. It arose at a time when
Catholic thinkers who opposed the
despotic leaders in
South and
Central America allied themselves with the
communist opposition. However, the Vatican decided that, while Liberation Theology is partially compatible with
Catholic social teaching, certain
Marxist elements of it (such as the doctrine of perpetual
class struggle) are against Church teachings. However, by today's standards, the Catholic church maintains a fairly moderate viewpoint overall.
Christian left and issues
The Christian Left sometimes differs from other Christian political groups on issues including (but not limmited to)
homosexuality. This is sometimes not a matter of different religious ideas, but one of focus -- viewing the prohibitions against killing, or the criticism of concentrations of wealth, as far more important than social issues emphasized by the
religious right, such as opposition to homosexuality.
On the other hand, there are members of the Christian left who affirm that homosexual practice is compatible with the Christian life and believe common biblical arguments used to condemn homosexuality are either misinterpreted, taken out of context, or irrelevant to modern gay and lesbian relationships.
The Consistent Life Ethic
A related strain of thought is the (Catholic and evangelical leftist)
Consistent Life Ethic, which sees opposition to
capital punishment,
militarism,
euthanasia,
abortion and the global maldistribution of wealth as being related. It is an idea shared by abrahamic religions as well as
Buddhists,
Hindus, and members of other religions.
Sojourners is particularly associated with this strand of thought.
Other Christian leftists, such as
Catholics for a Free Choice[3]., and the members of the
Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice regard safeguarding women's reproductive freedom, and feminist advocacy, as one of their central focuses, and tie the absence of reproductive health services for women into their work.
Jim Wallis believes that one of the biggest problems that faces the left in any effort to reach out is to (evangelical and some Catholic) religious voters.
[4] To this, Catholics for a Free Choice has responded that these progressive evangelical and Catholic pro-lifers have difficulties dealing with the implications of feminist theology and ethics for Christian faith.
Notable Christian leftists
Argentina
★
Elisa Carrió, leftist politician
Australia
★
Frank Brennan, Jesuit and advocate for Australia's indigenous peoples
★
Tim Costello, Baptist minister, CEO of
World Vision in Australia
★
Peter Garrett, rock singer and politician for the
Australian Labor Party and member of
Greenpeace
★
Kevin Rudd, politician and federal leader for the
Australian Labor Party
Austria
★
Ivan Illich
Brazil
★
Leonardo Boff, academic and social activist
Canada
★
Richard Allen, politician and historian of Christian socialism
★
Charlie Angus, writer and politician
★
Bill Blaikie, minister and politician
★
Andrew Brewin, politician and author
★
Lorne Calvert, minister and politician and
premier of Saskatchewan
★
Cheri DiNovo, minister and politician
★
Tommy Douglas, minister, politician,
Medicare pioneer and "
The Greatest Canadian"
★
Stanley Knowles, minister and politician
★
Desmond McGrath, priest, trade union organizer and activist
★
Bill Phipps, church leader and activist
★
Frank Scott, poet and constitutional expert
★
William Horace Temple, politician, minister, and trade union activist
★
J. S. Woodsworth, minister and politician and "
The 100th Greatest Canadian"
Colombia
★
Camilo Torres Restrepo, Liberation theologian and guerrilla
Cuba
★
Philip Agee
Ecuador
★
Rafael Correa, incumbent
president and former
finance minister.
El Salvador
★
Óscar Romero,
archbishop
France
★
Bishop Jacques Gaillot, Roman Catholic Bishop of Partenia, social activist
★
Abbé Pierre,
Roman Catholic social activist
★
Personalism (
Emmanuel Mounier, etc.)
Germany
★
Christoph Blumhardt, Lutheran theologian
★
Rudi Dutschke, student protest leader
★
Emil Fuchs, Quaker theologian
★
Helmut Gollwitzer, Lutheran theologian
★
Hans Küng, Catholic theologian
★
Jürgen Klute,
Electoral Alternative for Labor and Social Justice candidate
★
Johann Baptist Metz, Catholic theologian
★
Dorothee Sölle, Lutheran theologian
Haiti
★
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, former President of Haiti
★
Gérard Jean-Juste, liberation theologian
India
★
E. Stanley Jones, Methodist Missionary and close friend of
Mahatma Gandhi.
★
Mahatma Gandhi, a non-violent and devout
religionist (practicer of all
religions, mainly
Hinduism)
Ireland
★
Bono possibly the most powerful rockstar in the world.
Italy
★
Ermanno Gorrieri, trade union activist, economist and co-founder of
Social Christians
★
Pierre Carniti, trade union leader and co-founder of
Social Christians
Netherlands
★
Huub Oosterhuis, theologian and poet
Nicaragua
★
Ernesto Cardenal, Liberation theologian
★
Daniel Ortega, Leader of Sandinists, Nicaraguan politician and president
New Zealand
★
Lloyd Geering, theologian
★
Walter Nash, prime minister
★
Arnold Nordmeyer, minister and politician
Norway
★
Helen Bjørnøy, minister of the environment and Lutheran minister
Peru
★
Gustavo Gutiérrez, founder of liberation theology
Russia
★
Leo Tolstoy, writer and social reformer
Slovenia
★
Vekoslav Grmič,
Slovenian
Roman Catholic bishop and theologian
★
Edvard Kocbek, Poet, Essayist and polititian
★
Gorazd Kocijančič, Philosopher (defines himself as "
Christian anarchist")
★
Boris Pahor, Writer and essayist
South Africa
★
Nelson Mandela, former South African president
★
Desmond Tutu, former Anglican Archbishop of South Africa
Sweden
★
K. G. Hammar, former
Archbishop of Uppsala
★
Lukas Moodysson, film writer and director
Switzerland
★
Karl Barth,
neo-orthodox theologian
★
Hermann Kutter, Reformed theologian
★
Leonhard Ragaz, Reformed theologian
United States
Leaders (political)
★
Walt Brown, ex-Oregon state Senator,
★
Jimmy Carter,
humanitarian and former
President
★
Robert Casey, former
Pennsylvania governor
★
Bill Clinton, former
President
★
Dorothy Day,
Catholic Worker Movement cofounder,
Wobbly
★
Diane Drufenbrock, nun,
Socialist Party USA
★
John Edwards, Former
United States Senator and current Presidential candidate
★
Al Gore, Former
Vice President of the United States and
activist
★
Thomas J. Hagerty, founding member of
IWW
★
Ammon Hennacy,
Wobbly
★
Hubert Humphrey, Former
Vice President of the United States
★
Jesse Jackson,
politician and
civil rights leader
★
John Lewis, U.S. congressman and civil rights leader
★
Barack Obama, junior senator from
Illinois, and current presidential candidate
★
Walter Mondale, Former
Vice President of the United States
★
Franklin Delano Roosevelt,
President
★
Norman Thomas,
Socialist Party of America presidential candidate
★
Al Sharpton, 2004 Democratic presidential candidate and civil rights leader
★
Harry S Truman,
President
★
Atlee Yarrow, political activist, candidate (twice), union organizer, Host of Christian Socialist Party USA website
★
Frank P. Zeidler, ex-Mayor of Milwaukee,
Socialist Party USA
Leaders a/o activists (civil)
★
Tony Campolo,
Baptist evangelist and sociologist
★
Forrester Church,
Unitarian Universalist minister, author
★
William Sloane Coffin, Jr.,
UCC minister and peace activist
★
Daniel Berrigan, Catholic priest & peace activist
★
Kim Bobo, founder,
Interfaith Worker Justice
★
Stephen Colbert, host of
The Colbert Report and Sunday School Teacher
★
John Cort, writer, editor for Commonweal, Peacework, Religious Socialism
★
Jerome Davis, labor organizer and sociologist
★
James A. Forbes, minister at
Riverside Church
★
Tom Gabel, Anarcho-Catholic and Punk Rock Icon
★
Jeannine Gramick, Roman Catholic nun and founder of
New Ways Ministry
★
Thomas Gumbleton, Roman Catholic bishop of Detroit and social activist
★
Coretta Scott King, civil rights activist and wife of Martin Luther King, Jr.
★
Martin Luther King, Jr. -
Nobel Prize winning civil-rights activist.
★ Rev.
Joseph Lowery Civil Rights Leader who humiliated GW Bush.
★
Barry W. Lynn, executive director of
Americans United for Separation of Church and State
★
Pauli Murray, first female Episcopal minister and co-founder of
NOW
★
Charles Owen Rice, Catholic priest, labor leader, and civil rights activist
★
Ron Sider, president of
Evangelicals for Social Action
★
Katherine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the
Episcopal Church
★
Jim Wallis, editor of ''
Sojourners Magazine''
★
Barry Welsh Congressional Candidate and Minister (
United Methodist Church)
★
Ava Lowery Up and comming Activist (
United Methodist Church)
★
Cindy Sheehan
★
Michiael Moore
Thinkers
★
David Ray Griffin, Theology professor and
9/11 Truth author
★
Anne Lamott, author
★
Stanley Hauerwas, theologian and ethicist
★
Brian McLaren,
Emerging Church Leader
★
Troy Perry, founder of
Metropolitan Community Church
★
Walter Rauschenbusch, social gospel thinker
★
John Shelby Spong, retired bishop and liberal political activist
★
John Howard Yoder, biblical scholar and ethicist
★
Cornel West, theologian, academic, activist
★
Jim Winkler leading member of the
United Methodist Church
Others
★
Johnny Cash,
singer/songwriter
★
June Carter Cash,
singer/songwriter
★
David Allan Coe,
singer/songwriter
★
Garth Brooks,
singer/songwriter
★
Waylon Jennings,singer/songwriter
★
Willie Nelson,singer/songwriter
★
Gene Robinson, first openly gay bishop in the
Episcopal Church
★
Hank Snow, singer/songwriter
★
Sweet Honey in the Rock, all-female gospel choir and social activists
★
Bernie Ward, radio personality, "Lion of the Left"
★
Keith Whitley,
singer/songwriter
★
Hank Williams,
singer/songwriter
★
Dane Cook Catholic Comedian
★
Rob Corddry Episcopalian Comedian
★
Moby singer/songwriter
★
Kevin Smith Writer/Director/Actor/Producer etc.
★
Steve Carell Actor/Comedian
★
George Lucas Film Icon (
United Methodist Church)
★
Bruce Springsteen Catholic rock Icon
★
John Woo Lutheran/Director
★
John Mellencamp Singer/Song Writer
★
Val Kilmer Actor
★
Prince Musician) Musician
United Kingdom
The medieval
Lollards, particularly
John Ball, took up many anti-establishment causes. During the
English Civil War many of the more radical Parliamentarians, such as
John Lilburne and the
Levellers, based their belief in
universal suffrage and proto-
socialism on their reading of the Bible. Other people on the Christian left include:
★
George Fox, Quaker
★
Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzibar, Anglo-Catholic
★
Father Robert W. R. Dolling, Anglo-Catholic
★
Stewart Headlam, Anglo-Catholic
★
Charles Gore, Anglo-Catholic
★
Charles Marson, Anglo-Catholic
★
Conrad Noel, Anglo-Catholic
★
Bishop B.F. Westcott, Anglo-Catholic and spiritualist
★
R. H. Tawney, economist and historian
★
Chris Bryant, Labour MP and former priest
★
John Lewis, philosopher
★
David Cairns, Labour MP and former priest
★
Maurice Reckitt, writer
★
Mark Ballard,
Green Member of the Scottish Parliament
★
Tony Benn, former
Labour MP
★
George Galloway, former Labour MP and current
RESPECT MP for Bethnal Green and Bow
★
Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury
Parties of the Christian left
★
Social Christians (Italy)
★
Evangelical People's Party (Switzerland)
★
Christian Social Party (Switzerland) (Catholic)
★
Christian Democratic and Flemish (Belgium)
★
Evangelical People's Party (The Netherlands)
★
Alianza Pais (Ecuador)
★
Christian Socialist Party (USA)
★
Christian Democratic Party (Uruguay)
★
Christian Left Party (Chile)
★
COPEI (Venezuela)
References
1.
Mikhail S. Gorbachev Quotes
2. [2]
3. Catholics for a Free Choice has been attacked as not being genuinely Catholic. The Real Agenda of Catholics for a Free Choice, William A. Donohue, Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights
4. "And there are literally millions of votes at stake in this liberal miscalculation. Virtually everywhere I go, I encounter moderate and progressive Christians who find it painfully difficult to vote Democratic given the party’s rigid, ideological stance on this critical moral issue, a stance they regard as "pro-abortion." Except for this major and, in some cases, insurmountable obstacle, these voters would be casting Democratic ballots." from Make Room for Pro-Life Democrats, Jim Wallis, Sojourners Magazine, hosted on beliefnet
See also
★
Anglo-Catholicism
★
Christian anarchism
★
Christian communism
★
Christian democracy
★
Christian pacifism
★
Christian socialism
★
Creation Spirituality
★
Episcopal Church
★
Evangelical left
★
Homosexuality and Christianity
★
International League of Religious Socialists
★
Jewish left
★
Liberal Christianity
★
Liberation Theology
★
Pacifism
★
Progressive Christianity
★
Progressive Reconstructionist
★
Religion and abortion
★
Religious Society of Friends
★
Social Gospel
:''Contrast:
Religious right,
Christian right,
Secular left,
Secular right''
External links
★
Anglo-Catholic Socialism
★
CrossLeft: Balancing the Christian Voice, Organizing the Christian Left
★
The Christian Leftist: The 'Religious' 'Right' Is Neither
★
Religious Movements Homepage: Call to Renewal: Christians for a New Political Vision
★
Every Church a Peace Church
★
Left-wing Christian politics from an American perspective
★
NOW with Bill Moyers:The Christian Left?
★
Musings from the Christian Left by Michael Bindner
★
The Christian Libertarian Party Manifesto by Michael Bindner
★
Religion and Socialism Commission of the Democratic Socialists of America
★
Socialism and Faith Commission of the Socialist Party USA
★
Sojourners Magazine
★
Social Redemption
★
Turn-Left.com - Religious Left Goods
★
The Center for Progressive Christianity
★
The Christian Alliance for Progress
★
Totalitarian Daydreams and Christian Humanism At the Crossroads
★
Known Author - discussion forum for liberal Christians
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