A Third Way That’s Neither Liberal nor Fundamentalist

A Third Way That’s Neither Liberal nor Fundamentalist

Whether Buddhist, Islamic, Jewish, Hindu, or Christian, adherents to religions tend to fall somewhere along a bimodal distribution that looks like this:

On the left side of the graph are those who are sometimes referred to as progressives, liberals, or left-leaning moderates. Towards the right are those referred to as conservatives, evangelicals, fundamentalists, or right-leaning moderates.

Very generally speaking (and this is true for other religions as well as Christianity) those on the right side tend to be scriptural literalists, and those on the left side tend to have a broader interpretation of their religion’s sacred texts.

In spite of well-meaning efforts by those on both sides to persuade others whom they see as either too ridged or too tepid, neither is likely to convince the other.

Theological progressives see conservatives as close-minded. Theological conservatives see progressives as having abandoned the faith. Both sides insist that they alone represent a true expression of their religion.

There is a third way, at least from a Christian perspective.

The third way is radical. The third way is irreligious.

It is the way of Jesus. It involves being spiritual, but not religious.

If you've been burnt by either side of the graph, I'd be honored to try and help you find a new path.