CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANITY

:''For conservative political views within Christianity, see Christian right.''
'Conservative Christianity' (also called 'Traditional Christianity') is a descriptive term applied to a number of Protestant and Roman Catholic groups or movements. Generally those seen as belonging to conservative Christianity give priority to traditional values and traditional beliefs and practices. It is sometimes called conservative theology—is an umbrella term covering various movements within Christianity and describing both corporate denominational and personal views of scripture. They may be Protestants, Roman Catholics, or independents. It is often contrasted with Liberal Christianity.
As is true of most groups sharing a distinctive ideology or theology, identity, values, norms, and a common culture, each group or Christian denomination falls somewhere on a continuum usually labeled "conservative" at one extreme (sometimes described as the "right") and "liberal" at the other (sometimes described as the "left"), with "moderate" or "centrist" at roughly the midpoint. These are relative terms: what is considered "conservative" by one person or group may be rated "liberal" by others. Therefore, stereotypical descriptions at best are generalizations and are not accurate descriptions of "all" who consider themselves to be either Conservative Christians or Liberal Christians.
It is often said that Conservative Christianity and Liberal Christianity are polar opposites, though many liberal Christians would not agree. There is general agreement that their biblical hermeneutical methods are quite different.
Significant points of divergence include the authority and importance of the Bible, literal or metaphorical interpretation of scripture, divinity of Jesus Christ and reality of his resurrection from the dead, need for organized missionary work and personal sharing one's beliefs in salvation through Jesus Christ, and the view of women in both marriage and ministry.

General beliefs of Conservative Christianity

★ Conservatives have a "higher" view of scripture being the authoritative "Word" of God. A belief in the authority of the Bible as God's revelation to humanity. Bible prophecy and Bible inerrancy are often affirmed. This often includes the understanding that the Bible is the final authority in all matters on which it speaks.' ^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

★ Conservative Christians stress the provisional nature of science and may be skeptical of current scientific community consensus. Biblical creationist interpretations of scientific data regarding origins are always adhered to, although this may refer to Young earth creationism, Old earth creationism, or Intelligent Design (which allows for the possibility of Evolutionary creationism. ^[5]

★ The doctrine of original sin is foundational to Conservative Christianity.'

★ Conservative Christians see the resurrection of Christ as the most important actual event in the history of the world. They place a central focus on Christ's redeeming work on the cross as the only means for salvation and the forgiveness of sins.'

★ Conservative Christians generally believe that the Bible, in its original manuscripts, is inerrant when its passages are literally interpreted.

★ Conservative Christians take at face value biblical teachings such as Jesus’ statement: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).'

★ Encouragement of evangelism—the act of sharing one's beliefs in salvation through Jesus Christ with others—through both organized missionary work and personal evangelism.'

★ Conservative Christians believe in a literal heaven and hell as biblically described.'

Engagement in Society

Though often stereotyped as uncaring for the needs of society, conservative Christians have frequently led in building hospitals and medical clinics, disaster relief work, having food banks and kitchens, institutions of higher education, primary and secondary schools, adoption agencies, and technological missions that teach agriculture, help drill water well drilling and install water supplies, and many other services, through churches and parachurch agencies.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, British conservative Christian William Wilberforce (1759-1833) was a prominent politician, philanthropist, and abolitionist who was the leader of the parliamentary campaign against the slave trade.
In the United States, the 19th and early 20th century saw little formal engagement of the culture or government by conservative Christians. This changed in the 1970s as conservative Christians (both Protestant and Catholic) became politically engaged in opposition to legalized abortion. The scope of these cultural protests later expanded to other cultural/sexual issues including sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, etc.
During the 1990s American conservative Christians turned their attention to international social issues. In 1996 the National Association of Evangelicals issued a "Statement of Conscience" decrying international religious persecution. Charles Colson, Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention, and other conservative Christians formed coalitions to press for federal legislation dealing with international religious freedom, resulting in the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. Religion and politics scholar Allen Hertzke called the law “one of the most sweeping human rights statutes on the books and the only one of its kind in the world.” It created a new ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom at the State Department, required the State Department to release annual, country-specific reports on religious freedom, and set up the independent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom to monitor the situation internationally and make policy recommendations. [1]
Conservative Christian pressure groups were also instrumental in lobbying for the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, which imposed sanctions on countries that failed to crack down on human trafficking for forced prostitution and labor. Similarly, conservative Christian groups were visibly involved in pressing for the Sudan Peace Act (2002), which established a framework for negotiating the end of the twenty-year civil war between the Sudanese government and southern rebels. [2]

Conservative Protestantism

Scholars, theologians, and writers

There are a variety of threads including the Evangelical Movement, the Holiness movement, the Pentecostal Movement, the Fundamentalist Movement, the Charismatic Movement and the Confessing Movement. There is also some influence from Mennonites. Each has its distinctives, but there is considerable similarity. Contemporary Conservative Protestant scholars and theologians include: D.A. Carson, Norman Geisler, FF Bruce, Gary Habermas, Kenneth Kitchen, Alan Millard, Bruce Metzger, R. C. Sproul, Edwin M. Yamauchi, Merrill Unger, John Warwick Montgomery, Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen, and Bryant G. Wood.
Popular conservative Protestant writers and conservative Christian apologists include:

★ Josh McDowell

★ Lee Strobel

★ David Weinberg

★ Ravi Zacharias

★ Edward John Carnell
Earlier Conservative Protestant scholars/theologians include:

★ Robert Pearsall Smith and Hannah Whitall Smith, leaders in the Holiness movement

★ Henry Venn (1725 - 1797)—founder of the small, but highly influential Clapham Sect in Britain. His grandson, also named Henry Venn (1796 - 1873), pioneered the basic principles of indigenous church mission theory.

★ Oswald T. Allis (1856-1930)

★ William Henry Green (1825 - 1900)

★ James Orr (1844 - 1913)

★ C.F.W. Walther (1811-1887)—Lutheran, "founder" of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

★ Robert Dick Wilson (1856–1930)

★ William Mitchell Ramsay (1851-1939) Archaeologist

★ Benjamin Breckinridge Warfield (1851-1921) Reformed thinker.

Conservative Roman Catholicism

Conservatism in Roman Catholicism primarily refers to the upholding of traditional Catholic teachings concerning the sanctity of marriage, restrictions on birth control, the importance of male-only clergy, prohibitions on divorce and homosexuality, and other similar theological and moral matters. In other words, conservative Catholics tend to accept historic church teachings, in contrast to "liberal Catholics" who may pointedly question the church's teachings and practices. [3]
In contrast to most conservative Protestants, Roman Catholics do not believe that the Bible is literally true in every word when privately interpreted, but say the sacred Scripture should be interpreted in its scriptural context (''Scripture as a whole'' approach). The encyclical ''Humani Generis'' (1950) of Pope Pius XII began the process of affirming that the doctrine of the Catholic Church is compatible with evolution. ''See also Evolution and the Roman Catholic Church.''
While about 52% of Roman Catholics in the United States showed support for conservative Christian politicians in the 2006 election, largely out of concern relating to the abortion issue (see ''Newsweek'' magazine), historically American Catholics have tended to support the left politically. The Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have condemned the death penalty as well as the US War in Iraq, in addition to abortion and embryonic stem cell research. They also continue to call for arms control, debt relief for poor nations, affordable housing for all, the right of workers to organize, a national US health system affordable to all and increased protection and stewardship of the earth -— all issues typically identified with political liberalism in the U.S. ^[6]

Opus Dei

Main articles: Opus Dei

One example of conservative Roman Catholicism is the organization Opus Dei (Latin for "Work of God"). Comprised of a prelate, secular priests, and lay people, Opus Dei's aim is "to contribute to the evangelizing mission of the Church" by spreading the message that everyone is called to become a saint and an . It "encourages Christians of all social classes to live consistently with their faith in the middle of the ordinary circumstances of their lives." [4]

Traditionalist Catholics

Main articles: Traditionalist Catholic

Many conservative Catholics are comfortable with contemporary Church liturgy and organizational structure, but are conservative when it comes to ethical, moral, and theological issues. Other Catholics are disturbed by the liturgical and organizational changes that resulted from the Second Vatican Council. These "traditionalist Catholics" seek to uphold and restore the older, historic church practices. Many traditionalists operate within Church organizations submitted to the Vatican, while others operate outside the official Church structure.

Criticisms of Conservative Christianity

Critics of US conservative Christianity believe that these Christians de-emphasize what the critics see as the central message of the Gospels, namely as social justice and concern for the poor. Liberal or progressive Christians note that Jesus spent much of his ministry in the company of "sinners," such as prostitutes and tax collectors. While the Pharisees and religious leaders of the day are said to have condemned Jesus for his emphasis on forgiveness and his association with these so-called sinners, Jesus in turn condemned the Pharisees and their supporters for their emphasis on judgment, their apparent self-righteousness, and what he perceived as a lack of compassion.
Critics of US conservative Christianity also point out what they believe is an overly-focused concern about issues pertaining to sexuality. These critics say that more emphasis should be placed on concern for the poor and social justice, since they believe these latter issues are emphasized more in the Bible itself, especially in the New Testament and Gospels.
Furthermore, nationalistic or patriotic undertones found among some conservative American Protestants can be seen as contrary to Jesus Christ's teachings of peace and toleration.
In 2001, Christian and musician Bono, who is known for many progressive views, was able to win the support of conservative Christian senator Jesse Helms in his effort to involve American politicians in an effort to alleviate extreme conditions of poverty in Africa^[7]. In doing so, Bono pointed out that the Bible contains thousands of verses advising believers to care for the poor, the sick, the widows, and the orphans^[8]. Liberal and conservative Christians sometimes unite to serve human needs such as in disaster relief and housing for the poor, by way of parachurch organizations such as Habitat for Humanity.

References and notes

1. http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/1750
2. http://www.adam.com.au/bstett/BCobra94.htm
3. http://www.adam.com.au/bstett/BLions87.htm
4. http://www.bible.org/qa.asp?topic_id=53&qa_id=141
5. http://www.nwcreation.net/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
6. http://www.usccb.org/index.shtml)
7. U2 singer, Jesse Helms discuss AIDS; June 13, 2001. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/06/13/bono.helms/index.html
8. http://www.usatoday.com/money/general/2001-06-14-bono.htm

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CONSERVATIVE CHRISTIANITY

General beliefs of Conservative Christianity

Engagement in Society

Conservative Protestantism

Scholars, theologians, and writers

Conservative Roman Catholicism

Opus Dei

Traditionalist Catholics

Criticisms of Conservative Christianity

References and notes

See also

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