Why I am not “Progressive”
I guess no-one would describe themselves as “going backwards”, they might however say they are “progressive”. But “progressive” thinking has brought a significant challenge to the church, particularly in the last few years. So, I have to re-consider whether I’m prepared to be labelled “progressive”
Recent usage
Whilst “progressive” is a term originating in the US, we have seen Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and David Cameron, all British Prime Ministers describing their policies in this way. At the last three General Elections, we have seen calls for the formation of a Progressive Alliance of those opposed to The Conservative Party. Deals have been done and votes shared as candidates stood down to assist other anti-conservative candidates, but the smaller parties have usually made sacrifices to benefit the Labour Party, rather than the reverse.
Origins of “Progressive”
American President Woodrow Wilson was one of the earliest “Progressives,” basing his thinking on the works of German philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel. One of Hegel’s teachings was on the progressive nature of history. For Hegel, history moves on an upward trajectory as it progresses to full realisation of human freedom. Later, Hegel’s work would be developed by Marx so that progress was seen as moving towards a utopia of both freedom of thinking as well as freedom from economic constraints.
So, campaigns for the abolition of slavery, woman’s rights, and the right to vote, workers rights and the role of Trades Unions were all seen as successes of early progressive politics. Allied with this, for many, but not all progressives was progress towards redistribution of income: “to each according to his need; from each according to his ability.” This slogan of left-wing politics with its Marxist roots could not be accepted by more moderate or conservative thinkers who concentrated on the progressive ideas relating to personal freedom.
21st Century Progressives in Politics
Whilst Tony Blair was certainly not left wing and barely a socialist, he certainly was a progressive thinker and saw progressive policies as central to his new government when he won the 1997 election. Opening up the avenues for hugely increased immigration and a positive approach to Europe and international cooperation and relaxed attitudes towards homosexuality with the introduction of civil partnerships Blair was seen as a progressive leader advancing the cause of human freedom. It is important to note that Blair considered Christianity to be a significant part of his motivation in politics.
David Cameron, a Conservative, also wanted to be seen as progressive. Taking Blair’s attitude to homosexuality further he legislated for “gay marriage”, something his predecessors would never have considered. It was also Cameron who passed the Equalities Act 2010 which sought to remove discrimination in areas such as: Race, Sex, Disability, Sexual orientation, Employment and Religion. Sadly, this has subsequently resulted in numerous court battles as “protected categories” dispute who is more equal than the others. A dispute prefigured by George Orwell in Animal Farm.
In the USA “progressive” thinking was even more of an issue than in the UK. Hilary Clinton the “progressive” Democrat candidate found herself in competition with Donald Trump who had no time for any liberal or progressive thinking. His philosophy was seen by some as reactionary and when elected, within a short time, had reversed many of the progressive gains made over the previous 25 years. Trump has been vilified by American liberals and ridiculed by the British media who seem to have their own liberal agenda.
In the UK Jeremy Corbyn was (some say by accident) voted Labour leader, and immediately introduced his socialist agenda which he trumpeted as progressive politics.
During Blair’s leadership we had seen Labour build relationships with special interest groups as a means of boosting their electorate. We saw increased immigration utilised as a tactic to increase the number of Labour voters in a way never seen before. Corbyn however took these tactics to another level with his emphasis in “identity politics”. Freedom to the progressives implied the right to choose one’s identity without restriction or reference to any objective measure or judgement.
One thing that united Corbyn’s Labour movement was a profound belief that they “have history on our side”. They were advancing towards Utopia with no borders, equality for all, with no judgements or tests of reasonableness and particularly protection for all those who may in the past have been subjected to any form of moral censure from religious groups.
It had always been considered that the principal barriers to progressive ideas were established institutions and belief systems, with the church being the biggest culprit. What Labour had failed to recognise however was that Muslims shared many of the moral concerns about issues such as gay marriage, gender choice and overused abortion.
And then came the Brexit issue. Labour had always been an internationalist party, whilst Corbyn personally had his reservations, as he saw Europe as being dominated by business concerns. So, Labour was split down the middle on how to campaign with progressives desperately fighting to resist the clock being put back 40 years if we left Europe. Leading progressives saw this issue as at the heart of their vision and losing both the Brexit referendum and the 2019 General Election, by a landslide, were bitter blows.
If you believe that history is a one-way journey, how do you cope with a 40-year reversal?
Progressives in Church
The organisational church’s journey since WW2 is an interesting one with progressive Christians taking different tacks as the world has moved on.
The first half of the 20th century was dominated by Modernist thinking that sought to rationalise belief leaving little place for the miraculous, the supernatural or indeed any special acts of God in our age. Significant sections of the traditional denominations were thus influenced, and a bland form of liberal Christianity emerged which progressive thinkers’ thought was more in touch with the age.
What happened of course surprised the progressives. Millions of worshippers left these progressive liberal churches, some to join newly energised churches, empowered by a new supernatural infusion of Holy Spirit power, whilst many left the church never to return.
Many of these Leavers, would say that they remained Christians, just did not need the institution of church. In fact, many of their liberal Christian ideas were being adopted by progressive politicians so that they could live their progressive Christian life in a world of progressive politics without the need for any personal commitment to a personal God or church institution. Mark Sayers in Disappearing Church, 2017 comments that we now “live in a godless world, which offers progressive values divorced from the upside-down kingdom of Christ.”
As the 1970’s progressed, some in church responded as they saw society changing. New music, new clothes, new informality, forms of speech and behaviour were embraced as the keyword became “Relevance”. The understanding was that to cease to be “Relevant” was to affect the closure of the church. This new move inspired many to come to Christ. In the USA, and to a lesser extent the UK, the Jesus People Movement was born, inspired by such men as Arthur Blessitt who carried a cross 43,000 miles around the world from his base in Hollywood.
Christian Rock music was born. Initially overly cautious, until Larry Norman asked, “Why should the Devil have all the good music?” and demonstrated that Christian and Rock could combine to powerful effect, before taking the church by storm.
Christian culture in the UK changed dramatically with the Charismatic movement developing and annual conferences such as Spring Harvest energising believers in a strong evangelical brand of Christianity with a strong mission value expressed by the widespread use of the Alpha Course since the mid 1990s.
Many of the youth who followed that Baby Boomer generation progressed onwards and yet further, however. They, like all generations wanted something new for themselves, and the church recognised it. So, we had the season of initiatives. We had Emerging church, not to be confused with Emergent church. We had Cell church, Missional church, New Monasticism and the infamous 9 O'Clock service in Sheffield which pitched itself as somewhere between a nightclub and church communion service. Church tried to stay “Relevant”.
What followed "post-modernism"?
All of these attempts to combat “post-modernism” have had their moment but today the progressives have moved on to a new mood described by Mark Sayers as “metamodernism”. This is a new mood of cynicism, deconstructing beliefs, structures, institutions, and traditions with a new almost messianic purpose. To build a new Utopian world.
This metamodernist stance has no place for dialogue with Christians, they are a significant part of the problem. Christians cannot appear “relevant” to this new group, Christians are the enemy to be defeated and, as quickly as possible removed from society. Christian morality is seen as immoral and in this environment dialogue and friendship are no longer necessary or even desirable.
For this most modern group of progressives, freedom is all about personal identity. So, for such a person freedom means being able to choose their identity without it necessarily relating to any objective natural criteria.
Elizabeth Warren, a rival to Jo Biden for the Democratic Party nomination for President in 2020 was one of thousands of white people who claimed to be Cherokee. This false identity claim, with no basis in objective fact, was made for reasons of social acceptance. Warren issued a public apology in 2019, after living with a false identity many years.
Rachel Anne Doleza (born November 12, 1977), also known as Nkechi Amare Diallo, is an American woman known for identifying and passing as a black woman while being of European ancestry and having no verifiable African ancestry. in 2015, Dolezal acknowledged that she had been "born white to white parents” but maintained that she self-identified as black.
The issue is not primarily one of race or colour, or in the case of Gender issues, is frequently not an issue of Gender dysphoria, these are issues of “freedom” and the “right to choose”. For many in the LGBT movement, in recent years, freedom to choose identity has been their primary motivation. For others, “freedom” has been about choosing tattoos that to any objective observer would appear distasteful or for others wearing metal pins, rings, and various other piercings in obvious and less obvious places. It would appear that “freedom” requires the possibility of doing significant personal damage to oneself, otherwise freedom is denied.
So “progressives” have been on a journey that started out with good intentions dealing with sections of society suffering from poverty, racism, slavery, and poor working conditions. As progress was made, new enemies had to be found and each new attack struck out at a different pillar of society, often with Christian roots.
Jesus and Truth
When Jesus talks about “truth”, he does not mean relative truth or “my truth” in a sense that “your truth” is equally valid to mine. No, he means “truth”, something objective, absolute, standing for all time and for all persons.
And when Jesus says that “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” Matt 16:18, this is not his opinion, not just his strategy (though it includes this), not just his objective (though this is in a sense true). Jesus is stating what will happen in the future as he builds his people on earth prior to his eventual triumphant return. This is a statement diametrically opposed to the aims, strategies, and objective of those who see history progressing away from Christianity and its influence.
The Church and Progress
As an Amateur Christian and very Amateur Historian, I look back at the history of the Christian church over the last, say, 500 years. During that time, we have seen periods when God has been doing significant work. The Reformation with increased access to the Bible transformed Christian thinking and understanding of salvation.
Enlightenment thinking in the 18th century challenged Christians and resulted in the overthrow of monarch and church in France. It could have happened in the UK, but instead God raised up men like Wesley and Whitefield who saw a Christian revival throughout the land.
However, Christianity has not always grown in influence. The Enlightenment and subsequently Modernist thinking, together with the effects of two world wars have seen the church decline in numbers attending over the last century.
Today, whilst the church in Europe and North America has experienced decades of decline, there are more Christians on the planet than ever before. Millions have come to Christ in South America, Africa, and South East Asia in numbers no one could have anticipated a century ago.
The point I am making is that over the centuries one can map out times of Christian renewal and seasons of Christian decline or persecution. Both happen, as Jesus warned us.
Today's message
So, my message to the so called “Progressives” today is watch out! Nothing is as certain as the uncertain! History may seem to move in a particular direction for a season and then, for reasons only God knows, history moves in the other direction.
Like, what has happened over the last six months.
- A new Government appointed in the UK with a large majority and little likelihood of “progressive” policies.
- A new Leader of the Labour party voted in with a large majority, having been opposed by the “progressives” who will now have to live with him.
- In the US, President Trump, vilified by “progressives” in both parties faces Jo Biden, in the next Presidential election later in 2020. Biden, who will be 78 if he wins, easily defeated the progressive Bernie Sanders for the nomination and will campaign on a moderate Democrat platform.
- As we suffer the effects of the coronavirus and are unable to attend church, we discover that services held online are attracting a substantially increased attendance. God moves in mysterious ways.
So, if anyone asks me why I am not progressive, I have a simple answer. The Amateur Christian prefers to place his faith in God’s eternal plan rather than in a fallacious faith in the progress of history.
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