The headline of the Woodhead essay is very misleading. Does not seem to have any echo in the story.
Jo
9 years ago
You have to read almost to the end, but that phrase does appear – the gist of it being that it’s harder to be compassionate and merciful than it is to be hateful and judgmental, and in that sense liberal religion demands more than conservative religion.
Pam
9 years ago
Chrissy Sykes lists more than a few faux pas’ (hope this is correct!). And, at her church, no one seems to mind. I guess if there were significant doctrinal differences, kindergarten may turn to Year 9 high school. Some people will never ‘fit’ a conventional church service. Where do those people go?
JCF
9 years ago
Woodhead’s interview had a lot of good things in it, but was frustratingly confusing, too. I trust her writing is more coherent, and want to check that out.
Mercy, I just pray that Chrissy Sykes, having put her email address in her (short but lovely) essay, doesn’t get trolled by the “You’re an idiot, talking to an imaginary sky daddy” crowd. God bless, Chrissy, and welcome! 🙂
David Keen
9 years ago
The track record of ‘conservative’ religion doesn’t bear out Woodheads argument. Street Pastors, Christians Against Poverty, The Message Trust, TEAR Fund, there are stacks of non-liberal Christians and Christian organisations acting with love and mercy on a daily basis. It’s much more complex than caricaturing liberals as merciful and conservatives as haters.
James Byron
9 years ago
I agree with JCF, particularly as regards this comment: “Secularism is not enough, because it condems all religion; it does not differentiate between some forms which are positive and some forms which are negative.” Secularism is, simply, the separation of church and state. It doesn’t “condemn” religion, it’s neutral. Not only is it jaw-dropping that someone as knowledgeable as Woodhead doesn’t know this, as a standard-bearer for liberal religion, she ought to be defending secularism. When the president of Modern Church takes a position against interest, and alienates her natural allies in the process, you see why liberal Christianity’s in… Read more »
The headline of the Woodhead essay is very misleading. Does not seem to have any echo in the story.
You have to read almost to the end, but that phrase does appear – the gist of it being that it’s harder to be compassionate and merciful than it is to be hateful and judgmental, and in that sense liberal religion demands more than conservative religion.
Chrissy Sykes lists more than a few faux pas’ (hope this is correct!). And, at her church, no one seems to mind. I guess if there were significant doctrinal differences, kindergarten may turn to Year 9 high school. Some people will never ‘fit’ a conventional church service. Where do those people go?
Woodhead’s interview had a lot of good things in it, but was frustratingly confusing, too. I trust her writing is more coherent, and want to check that out.
Mercy, I just pray that Chrissy Sykes, having put her email address in her (short but lovely) essay, doesn’t get trolled by the “You’re an idiot, talking to an imaginary sky daddy” crowd. God bless, Chrissy, and welcome! 🙂
The track record of ‘conservative’ religion doesn’t bear out Woodheads argument. Street Pastors, Christians Against Poverty, The Message Trust, TEAR Fund, there are stacks of non-liberal Christians and Christian organisations acting with love and mercy on a daily basis. It’s much more complex than caricaturing liberals as merciful and conservatives as haters.
I agree with JCF, particularly as regards this comment: “Secularism is not enough, because it condems all religion; it does not differentiate between some forms which are positive and some forms which are negative.” Secularism is, simply, the separation of church and state. It doesn’t “condemn” religion, it’s neutral. Not only is it jaw-dropping that someone as knowledgeable as Woodhead doesn’t know this, as a standard-bearer for liberal religion, she ought to be defending secularism. When the president of Modern Church takes a position against interest, and alienates her natural allies in the process, you see why liberal Christianity’s in… Read more »