 | Christian left: Encyclopedia - Christian left
Christian left
The Christian Left encompasses those who hold a strong Christian belief and share left-wing or socialist ideals.
Contrary to the situation in the United States, the majority of Christians in western Europe have left-wing inclinations in their political views.
Many such people assert that their left-wing views derive directly from their Christian faith, and some cite Jesus as "the first socialist". Many adherents hold also that the early Church practiced socialism, or even something resembling communism ("The community of believers were of one heart and one mind. None of them ever claimed anything as his own; rather, everything was held in common." - Acts 4:32) and that Jesus often seemed to advocate pacifism, while being opposed to the wealthy elite of his day.
Christian left - History
Christian left - Early Christianity as anti-establishment movement
See also: Christian anarchism
- Early Christian anti-materialism
- Opposition to Rome
Christian left - Movements
A number of movements of the past had similarities to today's Christian Left:
- Peace churches
- Heretical movements such as the Cathars
- Waldenses
- Lollard, John Wycliffe
- Role of Christians in the Peasants' Revolt in England, See Lollard priest John Ball.
- Erasmus
- some radical Baptists of the Reformation
- William Tyndale
- Puritanism, Fifth Monarchists, Diggers, Quakers
- Methodists, John Wesley
- German Peasants' War
Christian left - Early antagonism between the Left and Christianity
For much of the early history of anti-establishment leftist movements such as socialism and liberalism (which was highly anti-clerical in the 19th century), established churches were led by a reactionary clergy who saw progress as a threat to their status and power. Most people viewed the church as part of the establishment. Revolutions in America, France and Russia were in part directed against the established churches (or rather their leading clergy) and instituted a separation of church and state.
Early socialist thinkers such as Robert Owen, Charles Fourier, and the Duc de Saint-Simon based their theories of socialism upon Christian principles. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels reacted against these theories by formulating a secular theory of socialism in The Communist Manifesto.
Christian left - Alliance of the Left and Christianity
In the late 19th century and early 20th century, some began to take on the view that Christianity had much in common with a Leftist perspective, pointing out that there is an extremely strong thread of egalitarianism in the New Testament. Other common leftist concerns such as pacifism, justice, racial equality, human rights, and the rejection of excessive wealth are also expressed strongly in the Bible. In the late 19th century, the Social Gospel movement arose (particularly among some Baptists and Methodists in North America and Britain,) which attempted to integrate progressive and socialist thought with Christianity and produce social activism. Later, in the 20th century, Mikhail Gorbachev famously said that "Christ was the first socialist".
Christian left - Christian Left and campaigns for peace and human rights
See also: Peace churches
Some Christian groups were closely associated with the peace movements against the Vietnam War as well as the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Religious leaders in many countries have also been on the forefront of criticizing any cuts to social welfare programs. In addition, many prominent civil rights activists (such as Martin Luther King, Jr.) were religious figures.
Christian anarchism, Christian communism, Christian democracy, Christian pacifism, Christian socialism, Evangelical left, Homosexuality and Christianity, International League of Religious Socialists, Jewish left, Pacifism, Progressive Christianity, Religion and abortion, Religious Society of Friends, Social Gospel
Christian left - Christian Left in the United States
In the United States, members of the Christian Left come from a spectrum of denominations: Peace churches, elements of the Protestant mainline churches, and Roman Catholicism.
The Christian Left has sometimes been viewed as a counterpart to the Christian Right, but in fact it is very different. While the Christian Right is almost uniquely American, the Christian Left is more global and diverse.
However, the Christian Left does not seem to be as well-organized or publicized as its right-wing counterpart. Opponents state that this is because it is less numerous; supporters contend that it is actually more numerous but composed predominantly of persons less willing to voice political views in as boisterous a manner as the Christian Right. Further, supporters contend that the Christian Left has had relatively little success securing widespread corporate, political, and major media patronage compared to the Right.
Christian left - Liberation Theology
One of the largest strains of Christian Left thinking has been in the developing world, especially Latin America. Since the 1960s, Catholic thinkers have integrated left-wing thought and Catholicism, giving rise to Liberation Theology. It arose at a time when Catholic thinkers who opposed the despotic leaders in South and Central America allied themselves with the communist opposition. However, the Vatican decided that, while Liberation Theology is partially compatible with Catholic social teaching, certain Marxist elements of it (such as the doctrine of perpetual class struggle) are against Church teachings.
Christian left - Christian Left and Homosexuality
The Christian Left sometimes differs from other Christian political groups on issues such as homosexuality. This is sometimes not a matter of different religious ideas, but one of focus -- viewing the prohibitions against killing, or the criticism of concentrations of wealth, as far more important than social issues emphasized by the religious right, such as opposition to homosexuality. On the other hand, there are many members of the Christian left who affirm gays and lesbians and believe that the Biblical statements used to condemn them are not relevant to modern gay and lesbian relationships.
Christian left - The Consistent Life Ethic
A related strain of thought is the Consistent Life Ethic, which sees opposition to capital punishment, militarism, euthanasia, abortion and the global maldistribution of wealth as being related. It is not specifically Christian (being subscribed to by Buddhists, Hindus, and members of other religions), but uses arguments broadly similar to those used by Christian leftists.
Christian left - Notable Christian leftists
Christian left - Australia
- Frank Brennan Jesuit and advocate for Australia's Indigenous peoples
- Tim Costello Baptist minister
- Peter Garrett, rock singer and politician
Christian left - Canada
- Richard Allen, politician and historian of Christian socialism
- Bill Blaikie, minister and politician
- Andrew Brewin, politician and author
- Lorne Calvert, minister and politician and Premier of Saskatchewan
- Tommy Douglas, minister, politician, Medicare pioneer and "The Greatest Canadian"
- Stanley Knowles, minister and politician
- Desmond McGrath, priest, trade union organizer and activist
- Bill Phipps, church leader and activist
- Frank Scott, poet and constitutional expert
- William Horace Temple, politician, minister, and trade union activist
- J. S. Woodsworth, minister and politician
Christian left - Colombia
- Camilo Torres Restrepo, Liberation theologian and guerrilla
Christian left - El Salvador
Christian left - Germany
- Christoph Blumhardt, Lutheran theologian
- Rudi Dutschke, student protest leader
- Emil Fuchs, Quaker theologian
- Helmut Gollwitzer, Lutheran theologian
- Hans Küng, Catholic theologian
- Jürgen Klute, Labor and Social Justice Party candidate
- Johann Baptist Metz, Catholic theologian
- Dorothee Sölle, Lutheran theologian
Christian left - Italy
- Ermanno Gorrieri, trade union activist, economist and co-founder of Social Christians
- Pierre Carniti, trade union leader and co-founder of Social Christians
Christian left - Netherlands
- Huub Oosterhuis, theologian and poet
Christian left - Nicaragua
- Ernesto Cardenal, Liberation theologian
Christian left - New Zealand
- Lloyd Geering, theologian
- Walter Nash, prime minister
- Arnold Nordmeyer, minister and politician
Christian left - Russia
- Leo Tolstoy, writer and social reformer
Christian left - Slovenia
- Vjekoslav Grmic, Slovenian Catholic bishop and theologian
Christian left - Switzerland
- Karl Barth, Neo-orthodox theologian
- Hermann Kutter, Lutheran theologian
- Leonhard Ragaz, Lutheran theologian
Christian left - United States
- Daniel Berrigan, Catholic priest & peace activist
- John Brown, abolitionist
- Tony Campolo, Baptist evangelist and sociologist
- Jimmy Carter, Former President
- Jerome Davis, labor organizer and sociologist
- Dorothy Day, Catholic Worker Movement cofounder
- Diane Drufenbrock, nun and Vice-Presidential candidate for the Socialist Party USA
- Jesse Jackson, politician / civil rights leader
- Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights leader
- Dennis Kucinich, U.S. congressman and presidential candidate
- John Lewis, U.S. congressman and civil rights leader
- Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United
- Brian McLaren, Emerging Church Leader
- Martin Sheen, actor/activist
- Moby, musician/activist
- Ron Sider, president of Evangelicals for Social Action
- John Shelby Spong, a retired bishop and liberal political activist
- Norman Thomas, Socialist Party presidential candidate
- Jim Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine
Christian left - United Kingdom
- John Wycliffe, Lollard
- John Ball, Lollard
- John Lilburne, agitator for constitutional reform
- Gerrard Winstanley, leader of the True Levellers
- George Fox, Quaker
- R. H. Tawney, economist and historian
- John Wesley, Methodist
- Tony Benn, Minister and politician
- Chris Bryant, Labour MP and former priest
- John Lewis, philosopher
- David Cairns, Labour MP and former priest
- Maurice Reckitt, writer
- John Stott, theologian
- Tom Wright bishop and theologian (It should be noted that Dr. Wright would refuse any affiliation with "left" or "right" as he has a foot in both "circles."
- William Wilberforce, 18th Century abolitionist and MP.
Christian left - Venezuela
Christian left - Parties of the Christian left
- Social Christians (Italy)
- Evangelical People's Party (Switzerland)
- Christian Social Party (Switzerland) (Catholic)
- Evangelical People's Party (The Netherlands)
- Democracia Popular, largest party in Ecuador
- Christian Democratic Party (Uruguay)
- Christian Left Party (Chile)
See also
- Christian anarchism
- Christian communism
- Christian democracy
- Christian pacifism
- Christian socialism
- Evangelical left
- Homosexuality and Christianity
- International League of Religious Socialists
- Jewish left
- Pacifism
- Progressive Christianity
- Religion and abortion
- Religious Society of Friends
- Social Gospel
Other related archives1960s, 19th century, 2003 Invasion of Iraq, 20th century, Acts, America, Americans United, Andrew Brewin, Archbishop, Arnold Nordmeyer, Baptist, Baptists, Barry W. Lynn, Bible, Bill Blaikie, Bill Phipps, Brian McLaren, Britain, Buddhists, Camilo Torres Restrepo, Cathars, Catholic, Catholic Worker Movement, Catholic social teaching, Catholicism, Central America, Charles Fourier, Chris Bryant, Christ, Christian, Christian Democratic Party (Uruguay), Christian Left Party (Chile), Christian Right, Christian Social Party (Switzerland), Christian anarchism, Christian communism, Christian democracy, Christian pacifism, Christian socialism, Christianity, Christoph Blumhardt, Church, Consistent Life Ethic, Daniel Berrigan, David Cairns, Democracia Popular, Dennis Kucinich, Desmond McGrath, Diane Drufenbrock, Diggers, Dorothee Sölle, Dorothy Day, Duc de Saint-Simon, Ecuador, Emerging Church, Emil Fuchs, England, Erasmus, Ermanno Gorrieri, Ernesto Cardenal, Evangelical People's Party, Evangelical left, Evangelicals for Social Action, Fifth Monarchists, France, Frank Brennan, Frank Scott, Friedrich Engels, George Fox, German Peasants' War, Gerrard Winstanley, Hans Küng, Helmut Gollwitzer, Hermann Kutter, Hindus, Homosexuality and Christianity, Hugo Chávez, Huub Oosterhuis, International League of Religious Socialists, J. S. Woodsworth, Jerome Davis, Jesse Jackson, Jesus, Jewish left, Jim Wallis, Jimmy Carter, Johann Baptist Metz, John Ball, John Brown, John Lewis, John Lilburne, John Shelby Spong, John Stott, John Wesley, John Wycliffe, Jürgen Klute, Karl Barth, Karl Marx, Labor and Social Justice Party, Latin America, Leo Tolstoy, Leonhard Ragaz, Liberation Theology, Lloyd Geering, Lollard, Lorne Calvert, Martin Luther King, Jr., Martin Sheen, Marxist, Maurice Reckitt, Medicare, Methodists, Mikhail Gorbachev, Moby, Neo-orthodox, New Testament, Norman Thomas, North America, Pacifism, Peace churches, Peasants' Revolt, Peter Garrett, Pierre Carniti, Premier of Saskatchewan, President, Progressive Christianity, Protestant, Puritanism, Quakers, R. H. Tawney, Religion and abortion, Religious Society of Friends, Revolutions, Richard Allen, Robert Owen, Roman Catholicism, Ron Sider, Rudi Dutschke, Russia, Social Christians, Social Gospel, Sojourners, South, Stanley Knowles, The Communist Manifesto, The Greatest Canadian, Tim Costello, Tom Wright, Tommy Douglas, Tony Benn, Tony Campolo, True Levellers, United States, Vietnam War, Vjekoslav Grmic, Waldenses, Walter Nash, William Horace Temple, William Tyndale, William Wilberforce, abolitionist, abortion, anti-clerical, anti-establishment, belief, capital punishment, civil rights, class struggle, communism, communist, despotic, egalitarianism, establishment, euthanasia, homosexuality, human rights, ideals, justice, left-wing, liberalism, mainline, militarism, organized, pacifism, peace movements, politician, progressive, racial equality, reactionary, religious right, secular, separation of church and state, social welfare, socialism, socialist, wealth, western Europe, Óscar Romero
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