The Nashville Statement and the Irrelevance of Progressive Christianity
“Progressives only know how to do one thing…respond.” I was sitting in a classroom at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary when I uttered those words. The topic was, “The Changing Landscape of Religion in the United States.” There are few truths that have remained with me from my journey through fundamentalism and liberalism and progressivism to something far more progressive. This is one.
“They will never define me.” The young woman was proud of her progressive identity. At Emory University, there were many just like her. Repeatedly, I heard people talk about progressivism as if it existed in a vacuum. The same woman who said she would never be defined turned into someone who was always being defined. In one of my classes, she brought up the conservative position on everything. Her assertions forced everyone in the classroom to funnel their thoughts through what conservatives thought. Slowly, I watched people’s progressivism become imprisoned by their desire to respond to conservatism.
“Their hate won’t define us!” Repeatedly, I read post after post that used different language to purvey the same message…we categorically reject and abhor the Nashville Statement. Interestingly enough, I had absolutely no idea what the Nashville Statement was until I read the posts of disgust that filled social media. Interestingly enough, I doubt I would have ever heard about the statement if it weren’t for the response of progressives. The signers of the Nashville Statement are becoming increasingly inconsequential. I mourn that the responses of progressives have made their voice more consequential. Even I felt the need to sign one of the response statements. I wanted all of my friends to know that I stand with them. After signing, I realized that the construction and signing of such statements was a tactical error. In the midst of it all, a truth was revealed. Progressivism is still defined by conservatism.
Relevance is derived from constructing your own future…not allowing those who are irrelevant to construct your future for you.
Amen.
The Fucked Up Nature of Singular Responses
Everybody saw the devastation. Everybody rushed to help. Did nobody see the devastation before? People getting shot. People too poor to eat. People without jobs. People without hope. People in deep desperation. Where was the shelter before? In such communities…devastation isn’t a singular event. Natural disasters do one thing well…they illustrate the fucked up nature of singular responses.
Amen.
The End
People spend their entire lives responding just to get by. Remember, the goal is to respond so strongly that you never have to respond again.
Amen.
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