From about the year 2001 on, the church I serve in, now called Church of the Messiah, was one of the principal churches in the Anglican Church of Canada (ACoC) speaking out against the move by the denomination to bless same-sex unions, perform same-sex marriages, and “baptize” the LGBTQ+ movement.
We tried to always make clear that this movement in the ACoC was a symptom of deeper problems, all first-order issues. This denominational movement was denying that the Bible was God’s word written and therefore authoritative on marriage and sexuality; it was denying that Jesus is the Saviour and Lord, and that He gives a new identity and He sets forth (in His word written) what justification and sanctification involve; it was denying the doctrine of creation.
In 2007, the ACoC made their departure from the Christian faith official at the national level and my (former) diocese of Ottawa quickly followed suit. Shortly after this, our church detached itself from the ACoC and re-attached ourselves to an evangelical Anglican Province in South America. While our battle was ongoing, and for the year or so after our re-alignment, we would regularly have Anglicans (and others) visit our church.
Many would come for a week or three and then leave. I quickly recognized a pattern with these particular people. They were “conservative” on the LGBTQ+ issue, but they were not “conservative” theologically – they were the conservative version of religious liberals. They were hoping for a “conservative” version of a “liberal” church and were uncomfortable in an evangelical (“conservative” theologically) church. I want to provide several points of reflection on this phenomenon.
“Liberal” And “Conservative” Are Primarily Political Ideas
First, “liberal” and “conservative” are primarily political ideas. When people use them for Christianity, they will be confused and led astray. Opposition to racism and patriarchy; a concern for the poor; these are politically “liberal”, but they are also biblical, so evangelicals should have these concerns, just as they are known to hold to “conservative” positions on abortion or Doctor-assisted suicide.
The heart of theological “liberalism” is not politics per se. It is to recast the Christian faith in such a way that it seamlessly co-exists with a non-Christian philosophy, religion, ideology or movement. Put slightly different, what we usually call “liberal christianity” is one version of syncretism.
Usually we think of “syncretism” in connection to Christianity and some other religion. However, there can be a syncretism with Marxism, post-modernism, intersectionality, or some other secular movement and/or ideology. In the case of “liberal christianity,” the Christian faith usually needs to be “updated” according to some philosophy (etc.) which is “progressive” and culturally dominant.
That is why if you were to track with many theological liberals over the decades, they effortlessly (and unconsciously) change their beliefs to be in accord with the latest cultural movement. The key is a culturally acceptable syncretized Christian belief. Since Canada’s “elites” in politics, culture and media have been overwhelmingly “liberal” or “progressive” for many decades now, the main version of “liberal” Christianity we see in Canada is a “liberal” “liberal” Christianity.
Conservative Liberals
Second, given that “liberal” Christianity is really a re-casting of the Christian faith so that it seamlessly coexists with a non-Christian philosophy, religion, ideology or movement, then it is possible for there to be “conservative” versions of this re-casting. In other words, the syncretism does not happen on the left, but on the right. That is what I saw with many of these searchers to Messiah. They were used to a syncretistic Christianity with the political left. They were right wing, and hoped we would be syncretistic, but with right wing beliefs.
This can be far harder for evangelicals to recognize. By the vagaries of North American history, we evangelicals are often closer to “conservative” views on art, culture, politics, and economics. As such, it can be hard for us to recognize when we have become “Bible and high culture,” or “Bible and anti-feminist,” or “Bible and free-market” Christians. In other words, where the Christian faith has become syncretized with secular right wing thought.
Reformation Is still Needed
Third, we need to call out to the Triune God for ongoing reformation, revival and renewal. This is what our culture mistakenly calls “conservative” Christianity, one that is anti-syncretist, straight up, historic, biblical Christianity.
True reformation is to have the Gospel and the whole counsel of God (the Bible, God’s word written) be what forms our minds and hearts. True revival is when the Holy Spirit brings the Gospel and the word of God to deeper levels of who we are as a person and a church.
Renewal is living this out for the good of people and the glory of God in such a way that does not care at all about whether we are “conservative” or “liberal” in a political and cultural sense. The Lord brooks no rivals for our hearts and affections.
The Bible shows that when we try to boast in the Gospel and “X,” we really boast in “X” over the Gospel, regardless of whether or not “X” is a progressive or right wing philosophy. The Lord does not need a partner in the form of a philosophy or ideology. The Bible does not need to be recast. As God’s word, it is always authoritative and relevant, and only the biblical gospel is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.
