Liberal religion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Liberal religion is a religious tradition which embraces the theological diversity of a congregation rather than respecting any single creed, authority, or writing. Because it may draw resources from many traditions, it cannot normally be characterized as Christian, Jewish, or any particular religious faith. Theologian James Luther Adams defined the "five smooth stones of liberalism" as:
- Revelation and truth are not closed, but constantly revealed.
- All relations between persons ought ideally to rest on mutual, free consent and not coercion.
- Affirmation of the moral obligation to direct one's effort toward the establishment of a just and loving community.
- Denial of the immaculate conception of virtue and affirmation of the necessity of social incarnation. Good must be consciously given form and power within history.
- The resources (divine and human) that are available for achievement of meaningful change justify an attitude of ultimate (but not necessarily immediate) optimism. There is hope in the ultimate abundance of the Universe.[1]
Unitarian Universalist minister Kimi Riegel defined liberal religion as
- To be a liberal according to my favorite scripture, Merriam-Webster, is be open minded, is to be free from the constraints of dogmatism and authority, is to be generous and to believe in the basic goodness of humankind. Religion is defined as that which binds us back or reconnects us to that which is ultimately important. Thus religious liberals are those that are connected, through generosity and openness, to the most important aspects of life. And there in lies the challenge. If we are open minded and not bound by authority who or what decides those matters of ultimate importance?
