So what exactly is a Moderate Christian anyway?

[Izdaari Eristikon]

This is something we, the folks who are going to make this our home, probably should talk about.

Is it just being between conservative and liberal?

Are there key principles that differentiate us from liberals and conservatives?

I could describe my own theology in Cuisinart terms: put essences of Alan Watts, C.S. Lewis, Joyce Meyer and Rob Bell in a blender, and hit frappe. The result would be at least close.

Is it more a procedural thing, i.e. we believe more like the conservatives, but are tolerant like the liberals? That describes me to some extent.

 

[Criada]

Is it more a procedural thing, i.e. we believe more like the conservatives, but are tolerant like the liberals? That describes me to some extent.

That about sums it up for me.
Though - there are things I am less than conservative on, such as women in leadership...

I suppose tolerance is the key issue - being able to discuss and disagree whilst still loving one another.

 

[ReformedChapin]

Just be careful of respecting us conservatives. You don't want to make us seem intolerant coz were not.

 

[Criada]

Just be careful of respecting us conservatives. You don't want to make us seem intolerant coz were not.

Didn't mean to imply that in any way!!

 

[Willtor]

For myself, I don't like the thought of being between the Liberals and the Conservatives. I don't think it adequately describes my view or distinguishes them from other people who don't fit into those categories. The first thing I would argue is in not describing Christianity in terms of these two camps - Liberal and Conservative - and then identifying oneself with respect to them.

I don't want to be too pejorative towards my more Liberal and Conservative brethren, so as an analogy that works on one level (and one level only) saying that a Moderate is between Liberalism and Conservatism seems to me quite like saying that Trinitarianism is between Sabellianism and Arianism. Again, not that Liberals and Conservatives are basically Sabellians and Arians but you get the idea: I wouldn't define my positions in terms of what someone else thinks.

 

[chaoschristian]

I think 'moderate' is a term of convenience. One that's almost necessary in the framework of liberal-conservative.

I think of a moderate as one who not only rejects the extremes (because they both tend to meet in the same place) but also rejects the framework itself.

A moderate is someone who reads the scripts of the liberal and the conservative and whips out the red pen.

 

[higgs2]

I don't think it's *between* "liberal" and "conservative" as if there were a scale measuring those things. For me, not identifying as either one is what makes one moderate. Not using those labels to define everything.

 

[higgs2]

I think 'moderate' is a term of convenience. One that's almost necessary in the framework of liberal-conservative.

I think of a moderate as one who not only rejects the extremes (because they both tend to meet in the same place) but also rejects the framework itself.

A moderate is someone who reads the scripts of the liberal and the conservative and whips out the red pen.

Yes!!! Well said, much better than I could put it.

 

[chaoschristian]

For myself, I don't like the thought of being between the Liberals and the Conservatives. I don't think it adequately describes my view or distinguishes them from other people who don't fit into those categories. The first thing I would argue is in not describing Christianity in terms of these two camps - Liberal and Conservative - and then identifying oneself with respect to them.

I don't want to be too pejorative towards my more Liberal and Conservative brethren, so as an analogy that works on one level (and one level only) saying that a Moderate is between Liberalism and Conservatism seems to me quite like saying that Trinitarianism is between Sabellianism and Arianism. Again, not that Liberals and Conservatives are basically Sabellians and Arians but you get the idea: I wouldn't define my positions in terms of what someone else thinks.

Yep.

 

[higgs2]

Just be careful of respecting us conservatives. You don't want to make us seem intolerant coz were not.

I am hoping we don't even refer to "conservatives" (or "liberals") much, but basically reject the labels altogether.

 

[chaoschristian]

I don't think it's *between* "liberal" and "conservative" as if there were a scale measuring those things. For me, not identifying as either one is what makes one moderate. Not using those labels to define everything.

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

For myself, I don't like the thought of being between the Liberals and the Conservatives. I don't think it adequately describes my view or distinguishes them from other people who don't fit into those categories. The first thing I would argue is in not describing Christianity in terms of these two camps - Liberal and Conservative - and then identifying oneself with respect to them.

I don't want to be too pejorative towards my more Liberal and Conservative brethren, so as an analogy that works on one level (and one level only) saying that a Moderate is between Liberalism and Conservatism seems to me quite like saying that Trinitarianism is between Sabellianism and Arianism. Again, not that Liberals and Conservatives are basically Sabellians and Arians but you get the idea: I wouldn't define my positions in terms of what someone else thinks.

Thank you!

Now we're getting somewhere.

A moderate is someone who reads the scripts of the liberal and the conservative and whips out the red pen.

Yep, that's me!

 

[Izdaari Eristikon]

I am hoping we don't even refer to "conservatives" (or "liberals") much, but basically reject the labels altogether.

Yes, I think that's the right way to go about it.

 

[chaoschristian]

Started a stub wiki for the forum here.

 

[Freedom&Light]

Is it more a procedural thing, i.e. we believe more like the conservatives, but are tolerant like the liberals? That describes me to some extent.

This would be the closest to describing me, although I don't see the conservatives as intolerant. I think , for me, hanging out with the liberals is more natural because no one has to know the Right Thing. There's no good way to describe what I mean. LOL.

I'm closer to a mixture of Max Lucado, C.S. Lewis, and JRR Tolkein.

My views are definintely conservative, but I know that I don't know all the answers, and love discussing how someone reaches the conclusions they come to- without judgment.

 

[DailyBlessings]

I tend to think of a moderate as someone who is more or less orthodox is basic tenets, but diverse as far as politics and conclusions on specific issues go.

 

[Criada]

I think being moderate largely relates to how we interact with those who disagree with us.
I am largely conservative in my views, but I don't expect others to agree with me on every detail. And I don't think that my views make me a better or worse Christian.
All of us are right on some things and wrong on others.
And when we get to heaven, we'll probably all be very surprised!

But as long as we are prepared to listen to one another, learn from one another, and love one another, our minor differences really don't matter.

 

[~*Lady Trekki*~]

I am hoping we don't even refer to "conservatives" (or "liberals") much, but basically reject the labels altogether.

 

[longhair75]

The Liberal verses Conservative argument has done a lot of damage to Christianity as a whole. The last thing we want to do here is to become a battleground for this to continue.

 

[~*Lady Trekki*~]

The Liberal verses Conservative argument has done a lot of damage to Christianity as a whole. The last thing we want to do here is to become a battleground for this to continue.

Indeed.