Christian left

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The Religious Left is a term originating in the USA, used to describe those who hold strong religious beliefs and share Left-wing political ideals. The term often specifically refers to Christian beliefs and can be interchangeable with the term Christian Left. Subsequently, the term has been used to describe groups and persons from countries outside the USA. It is the counter-point to the Christian Right.

As with any division into left-wing and right-wing, a label is an approximation, including within it groups and persons holding diverse viewpoints. 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, adherents of the Christian left consider it part of their religious 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 mandated by the Gospel text[2]. 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 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). The literature contains accounts of Jesus repeatedly advocating for the poor and outcast over the wealthy, powerful, and religious. The Christian Left maintains that such a stance is relevant and important. Adhering to the 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 in opposition to policies advancing 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 as an adequate end or means. Christian faith is the core of their belief which in turn demands social justice.

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See also: Christian anarchism
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A number of movements of the past had similarities to today's Christian Left:

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.

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, social 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.

See also: Peace churches

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.

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 counterparts. 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.

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.

The Christian Left sometimes differs from other Christian political groups on issues including (but not limited 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.

Other members of the Christian left affirm that homosexual practice is compatible with the Christian life and believe common biblical arguments used to condemn homosexuality are either wrong, misinterpreted, or irrelevant to modern same-sex relationships.

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 unequal distribution 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] 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.



  • Bono lead singer of U2 and activist.

A meeting of the Oxford Branch of the Christian Socialist Movement, with Larry Sanders speaking, October 2007.
A meeting of the Oxford Branch of the Christian Socialist Movement, with Larry Sanders speaking, October 2007.

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:

  • Sister Rose Thering - During Vatican II helped in exonerating Jews from Christ's death; social and human rights activist.

  • Hugo Chavez - Left-wing President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

  1. ^ Mikhail S. Gorbachev Quotes. Brainyquote.com. Retrieved on 2007-02-23.
  2. ^ [1]
  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

Contrast: Religious right, Christian right, Secular left, Secular right

See: Christian politics (index) for articles related to this subject.
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