Religion is taking a left turn. According to that cbsnews.com article, the National Council of Churches represents about 50 million religious people, most of whom are mainline Protestants. Dr. Bob Edgar, the General Secretary of that organization calls his movement the “center-left” (which coincides neatly with the mission of this blog.) He is seeking to gain some of the same political muscle currently wielded by the Religious Right. The movement is focusing on such issues as poverty, the environment, and ending the war in Iraq.
Some of my friends on the Radical Left want to exorcize religion from all discourse in politics and in the Democratic Party. Their position is understandable, given the damage the rigidity of the Religious Right has inflicted on this country for 25 years. Unfortunately, their position also puts idealism over pragmatism.
Whether we like it or not, a majority of Americans are religious in one way or another. Insisting on invalidating their religious beliefs is a ticket to continuing to lose election after election, and is as foolish as any Democratic strategy that gives up on the South.
The Religious Left shows that religion is not incompatible with liberal beliefs, and in fact religion may more easily align itself with the Left than the Right on many issues. Protecting the environment, feeding the poor, and opposing a groundless war are beliefs that are easily reconcilable with Christian tenets. On other social issues, Edgar says:
“Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion.”
How true.
It’s time to stop ceding the argument that liberals and Christians are incompatible if we really want to win back the hearts and minds of Americans. The Religious Left sounds like a great start for that.
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As a member of the Religious Left, I endorse this message wholeheartedly. While it’s undeniable that people on the political right have been very successful in appearing to equate conservativism with Judeo/Christian faith, a closer examination just doesn’t bear that out. And people on the Religious Left, having become mobilized by the extremism that has painted their faith in a bad light are now speaking out.
While you can’t find much support in the gospel for tax policy (aside from rendering to Caesar that which is Caesar’s), you can find a lot of scriptural calling to care for the sick, the homeless, the imprisoned, the hungry…those whom Jesus would call “the least of these.”
If my good friends on the left are serious about wanting to take back the reins of government, they need to reconcile themselves to their allies on the Religious Left. They are helping balance the rhetoric of the opposition and providing needed political cover for voters who place values high in their consideration at the polls.
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