Liberal Christianity on the Rise

Last updated on: January 27, 2021 at 8:20 am By Vance Morgan

Last Saturday, the New York Times published a fascinating article by Elizabeth Dias called “In Biden’s Catholic Faith, an Ascendant Liberal Christianity.” https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/23/us/biden-catholic-christian.html For those who are convinced that “Liberal Catholic Faith” or, more broadly, “Progressive Christianity” are oxymorons, read on. I am not Catholic, but—as I often tell my students—I could play one on TV. I have spent the past thirty-plus years, first as a PhD student, then as a professor, as a non-Catholic teaching in Catholic institutions of... Read more

Dealing With Our Inner Nazi

Last updated on: January 16, 2021 at 3:01 pm By Vance Morgan

We ought not to hide from ourselves that Nazi Germany is a mirror for all of us. What looks to us so hideous is our own features, but magnified. Simone Weil in 1937 Tomorrow is the Spring 2021 semester’s first day of classes on my campus. Tomorrow will also be the first meeting of one of my favorite courses, an interdisciplinary colloquium that I team-teach with a colleague from the history department: “‘Love Never Fails’: Grace, Truth, and Freedom in the... Read more

The Best of 2020 #3: Why are Christians So Angry and Fearful?

Last updated on: January 21, 2021 at 7:53 am By Vance Morgan

Coming in at #3 in my “Best of 2020” blog post lineup is “Why are Christians So Angry and Fearful?” I posted this essay last July ; the question is as relevant today as it was then. What, exactly, are so many Christians afraid of, given that–acording to the author of First John, at least–perfect love casts out fear? Why are Christians So Angry and Fearful? Read more

Can You Be a Christian Capitalist? Can You Be a Capitalist Christian?

Last updated on: January 14, 2021 at 1:28 pm By Vance Morgan

There is nothing that attracts the ire of various commenters on this blog more than when someone perceives, rightly or wrongly, that I might be a socialist, one of those evil and frightening folks who suggest that we might need to do something about the radical inequities of wealth and privilege that confront us every day. Now, I freely admit that both my Christian faith and my natural liberal tendencies lean me more strongly in a communitarian direction than an... Read more

Stupidity On Display: Where do we go from here?

Last updated on: January 16, 2021 at 1:43 pm By Vance Morgan

As the nation continues to process and seek to understand the seditious riot and occupation of the U. S. Capitol on January 6th, we continue to be shocked by the overwhelming amount of video footage that continues to be released. Among the many striking images are numerous Christian symbols (crosses, flags, signs, banners) interspersed with all manner of conservative political and social symbols carried and worn by people bent on violence, chaos, and mayhem. Last Tuesday, the New York Times... Read more

White Privilege on Parade

Last updated on: January 15, 2021 at 1:57 pm By Vance Morgan

In the days that have passed since the January 6th seditionist attack on the U. S. Capitol building, many people have expressed shock and surprise at how obviously unconcerned those rampaging and wandering through the rotunda and elsewhere were about any sort of responsibility for their actions. Why were they unafraid of having their faces caught on camera? Why were so many of them using their various devices to send out on social media live footage of the insurrection in... Read more

The Best of 2020 #4: I am a Liberal Because I am a Christian

Last updated on: January 12, 2021 at 7:04 pm By Vance Morgan

Coming in at #4 in my list of my top blog posts of 2020, judged by traffic on each essay, is the most viewed and commented on post in the eight-and-a-half years of my blog’s existence. I published “I am a Liberal Because I am a Christian” in April of 2019–it was (by far) the most popular post of 2019, and continued to touch a nerve among many readers during 2020. Enjoy! I am a Liberal Because I am a... Read more

Talking About Some Big Questions

Last updated on: January 3, 2021 at 1:37 pm By Vance Morgan

Today I want to share something entirely different and new for me. Last November I was contacted by Andrew Murtagh, a fellow blogger on Patheos Progressive (his blog is called “Soapbox Redemption”–be sure to check it out!). Andrew wrote that “I’ve really enjoyed your “Freelance Christianity” trademark. Being raised Catholic, turned Protestant, now Progressive – the term and your perspective as philosopher and “freelance Christian” greatly resonates with me.” With this introduction, he asked if I would be interested in... Read more

When Selective Amnesia is a Good Thing

Last updated on: January 3, 2021 at 1:37 pm By Vance Morgan

Tolerance, acceptance, and embracing difference–even in the face of established tradition and clear procedures–has been a theme on this blog for the last couple of weeks. Given that we live in a society that is more polarized than any I can remember, that’s not surprising. Today, I am reminded of a simple act of acceptance that was offered to me eleven years ago while on sabbatical. For me it has become a example of grace and love. I have spent... Read more

This Is Exactly Who We Are

Last updated on: January 9, 2021 at 10:38 am By Vance Morgan

A quick observation today. Over the past couple of days, I have read a number of well-intentioned posts and tweets on social media saying something along the lines of “We are better than this” and “This is not who we are.” There have been many calls for us not to focus on happen last Wednesday and, rather to “move forward.” With all due respect, let me counter that we are not better than this, and this is exactly who we... Read more