Progressive Purity Tests
Friday August 1, 2008
Categories: Defining Progressive
Wow, that was quick; we're barely open for business and already we've been tagged as insufficiently progressive - not based on anything we've written, mind you, but on what we might write. Only, can we really not work together first...
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About Progressive Revival
Diana Butler Bass and Paul Raushenbush both stand firmly within the Mainline Protestant tradition and, along with guest bloggers of all religious backgrounds are dedicated to the revival of religious progressivism and its influence in American politics.
Contributors
Diana Butler BassDiana Butler Bass is a commentator and scholar in American religion. She is the author of seven books including A People's History of Christianity: The Other Side of the Story (HarperOne, 2009).
» Posts by Diana Butler Bass
Paul RaushenbushModerator of the Progressive Revival blog and the Associate Dean of Religious Life at Princeton University.
» Posts by Paul Raushenbush
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This is my first visit to Beliefnet's new blog. I should begin by saying that personally I hate the term "Progressive" because I find it to be too wishy-washy. Leaving aside the question of whether progress is actually possible, or the question of who judges progress and by what standards what, who could be against "progress"?
But, I have no trouble at all labeling myself a "Moderate" which is a term which probably has just as much vagueness attached to it as Progressive.
Speaking to this post, one of the reasons I consider myself a moderate is that I feel that adherence to narrow ideological purity has come to be considered more important than the acceptance of good ideas, no matter where they come from, Left or Right.
Somehow I thought that to be progressive was to mean that you were not stagnant in you views but open to change and progress. I did no thing it was to be a word substitution for "Liberal" or Right Wing.
I expect to hear view points that will tend to be conservative on some issues and liberal in others. As my faith is that of one who seeks Unity with Christ, I have found that the Gospel of Jesus is progressive in nature yet still maintains a conservative viewpoint in our relationship with God. I have also found that if you walk on one side of the road, you may fall into a rut. Also, if you Walk on the left edge, everybody else seems to be on the "Right" and visa-versa.
The best way to make progress is to walk straight down the center of the road. This applies to all aspects of life, religious, political as well as on the job and parenting.
I have to admit, Paul, I don't view the Gospel as progressive. To me, "My Kingdom is not of this World" and "Render unto Caesar" carry a potential rebuke to anybody who seeks to politicize the Gospels.
I think Jesus was radical in ways that would make progressives, liberals, conservatives and reactionaries today equally ill-at-ease. But not radical in a political sense.
That's not what pastordan was saying. If you want, I guess I can be that progressive answer to Monica Goodling only I actually am progressive and I am not illegally trying to hire anybody to work in the federal government.
There is an identifiable group of religiously affected Democratically leaning folks who want to advocate for accomodation with the right and even the religious right. The argument goes that we should find common ground, find a new "center."
There are also many religiously affected Democratically leaning folks who see things having progressed beyond accomodation. To further accomodate the religious right is to compromise our core values and not only ours, the majority of Americans are known to stand with us as demonstrated in many polls on many issues such as stem cell research, women's reproductive rights, gay rights, end-of-life rights, minimum wage, and the death penalty.
So, the "centrist" approach to progressive politics is not something that is actually very progressive for us. I can't speak for pastordan but speaking for myself I think that centrists should self-identify as centrists and not try to pass themselves off as progressives. It confuses people who are trying to organize with like-minded others. Triangulating may work to a certain extent but that is not what progressives ought to be trying to do. We ought to be standing for our values and the values that most of the American people believe in.
There is room in the Democratic majority for many ideologies. Everybody doesn't have to be progressive. The progressive brand stands for things. Centrist views and accomodation with the right are not among them.
I think George Lakoff defines Progressive, Centrist, and Conservatives in an authoritative way.
linkage
This seems like an interesting blog to me. I already like and admire Brian Mclaren, Welton Gaddy, Michael Lerner, and Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. You have an interesting mix of people and religious traditons. Why should you care if you don't pass Pastor Dan's ideological litmus test? He likes to kick around Jim Wallis, Amy Sullivan, Mara Vanderslice and anyone who isn't "left" enough for him. He's seems kind of nasty, but then again Daily Kos can get a bit vitriolic from time to time.
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