Thinking Anglicans

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Lisette Thooft interviews Linda Woodhead for Volg Nieuw W!J: “Liberal Religion is Hardline Religion”.

Chrissy Sykes Thoughts from a baby Christian

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Ann
Ann
9 years ago

The headline of the Woodhead essay is very misleading. Does not seem to have any echo in the story.

Jo
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
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
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
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
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 »

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