The Coming Renaissance of Liberal Religious Life

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-eric-h-yoffie/the-coming-renaissance-of_b_7824716.html

Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie
Lecturer, writer, and President Emeritus, Union for Reform Judaism

Posted: 07/20/2015 2:25 pm EDT Updated: 07/20/2015 2:59 pm EDT

This is liberal religion's moment, if only liberal religious leaders will be wise enough to seize it.

Americans are changing in dramatic ways on social issues, mostly for the good. They are fed up with intolerance and hatred, more relaxed about sex, and more accepting when it comes to models of family life different from their own. The Supreme Court's gay marriage decision was a reflection of America's evolving mores, further proof that in a remarkably short period of time, our citizenry has cast aside prejudices of the past.

The Court's decision caused dismay among religious conservatives and much introspection in their ranks. As David Brooks has pointed out, Conservative leaders and scholars are divided. Some argued that in light of the decline of mainstream culture, religious conservatives should abandon public advocacy on social issues and tend to their own garden; others called for a renewed public battle on behalf of what they define as traditional values.

But religious liberals have been surprisingly passive about the broader meaning of the Court's decision for them. This is distressing because we live at a time of unprecedented opportunity for liberal religious movements and institutions. In their 2010 book American Grace: How Religion Divides and Unites Us, Robert Putnam and David Campbell presented evidence that younger Americans were turning away from organized religion because they saw it as intolerant and increasingly aligned with conservative politics. Religion, in the eyes of the young, was "judgmental, homophobic, hypocritical, and too political." And, at the same time, the liberal side of religion was overshadowed by the voices of the religious right.

more at link

[trotsky]

1. How about secularism?

Why is the answer to religion always MORE religion? Exactly how well has that worked in the past?

[Act_of_Reparation]

2. Secularism doesn't look as good tucked between D-grade stories about Iggy Azelea's dress...

...and plus-sized models in bikinis.

I'm amazed people still read the HuffPo.

[DerekG]

3. I certainly wouldn't rule out a return of the Christian Left

They were instrumental in the civil rights and anti-war movements of the 60s and early 70s; it's not inconceivable that progressive Christianity could see a resurgence in the fight against capitalism, climate change, and the perpetual Terror War.

[cbayer]

4. I hope you are correct.

There has been more movement and more notice over the past year, particularly as some groups have been involved in OWS and the GLBT civil rights movement. The issues that you point out are also getting more involvement and attention.

And as another article points out, the religious right doesn't like it at all..... to say nothing of the lack of support and outright hostility from some areas of the liberal/progressive population.