Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture

Conservative Christians v. the Religious Right
By Kevin Powell

With so much acrimony coming from certain Christian leaders, regular Christians are feeling the fall-out. So we need to distinguish between conservative Christians and the Religious Right.

At first glance, the Religious Right and Conservative Christians look distressingly similar. They vote for the same parties. They read the same bible. They sometimes worship in the same churches.

But there are differences between the two. BIG differences.

The Religious Right are extremists. They believe the church is at war with the culture. They can’t distinguish between opposition and enemy. They have a persecution complex and fantasize about martyrdom. Their narrow political agenda looks more like a Republican playbook than the Gospel of Luke or the Letter of James.

Conservative Christians, on the other hand, are the first ones to open their wallet when a homeless person comes knocking on the church door looking for food. They’re the ones praying with the grieving strangers who come looking for words of comfort. They’re the ones who have deep–rooted convictions and moral lines clearly drawn, but also recognize that a moral life lived without love for neighbour is a tyranny that besmirches the name of Jesus.

Conservative Christians know that being pro-life means more than harassing terrified 15-year-olds who are trying to reverse a bad decision. It means helping people take responsibility for their behaviour and their lives. It means letting young girls weep on their shoulder after the operation. It means volunteering for groups like BirthRight. It means throwing a baby shower in the basement of the church when the young woman decides to keep the baby.

Being a conservative Christian means believing that churches can do a better job at dispensing charity and social services than government. This is not some nutty anti-government ideology because conservative Christians are the first ones to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. Conservative Christians put their money and their labour where their mouths are. They believe in people working together to help other people.

The Religious Right demands that government adopt their narrow agenda. Conservative Christians are servants. The Religious Right speak with anger and hate. Conservative Christians speak truth tempered by love. The Religious Right is moralistic. Conservative Christians are moral.

The Religious Right draws attention to itself. Like my two-year-old, they don't care if its good or bad attention. Conservative Christians work hard, but quietly and devotionally, because the gospel is something that is lived graciously as its witness. They know the gospel is not a soap-box for a partisan political agenda.

So, don’t confuse conservative Christians with the Religious Right. The two are not the same animal. Not by a long shot. Despite their moniker, conservative Christians put “Christian” before “conservative.”

I should know. I have a congregation full of them.

Kevin Powell (kevingpowell.blogspot.com) is the pastor at Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.

RECENT COMMENTS

Kevin, the first person to post here was right on. This article was absolutly subjective and was not supported by anything with substance. It was name calling. Like the person from this first post, I clicked to read something in order to be educated. Instead I was confused by how you pigeon holed entire groups in such an immature way.

What is the point of an article like this? I'm conservative theologically and politically so what does that make me? I believe in limited government (I believe big government is part of the poverty problem in our country) AND in personally helping the poor, our church has fed hundreds in our area.

Broad brushed articles like these are no differant than when fundamentalists broad brush emerging churches. We don't like it when it happens to us, so why do it ourselves?

Posted by | Posted at 01/31/2006 1:49 AM

This is a blurb full of stereotypes and no proof to back up what the author thinks. Now please don't assume that I classify myself as any of the groups/labels that were being talked about. I clicked on this article to be "educated." This article sounds more like someone whining because the author doesn't like (or should I say agree?) with one group. There's nothing here educating me with facts--just opinion. I have learned nothing between the "conservative Christian" compared to the "religious right." Just someone's opinion.

Next time you write an article, could you please include some basis to back up your opinion?

Posted by | Posted at 01/14/2006 7:54 AM

Kevin,

As a pastor also at a "Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd," I appreciated your article. I think you clarify the religious right a bit better than "conservative Christian," and don't give enough attention to the nebulous nature of that term. But a very helpful analysis nonetheless! Thank you!

(A related set of thoughts found at link below...) http://xphiles.typepad.com/discipleship/2006/01/so_youre_a_part.html

Posted by Evers | Posted at 01/04/2006 7:56 AM

Thank you for the articel, Kevin. I am glad you have outlined the difference. The question came up the other day in conversation about the differences. The Religious Right does have a bad habit of making conservative Christians look like a bunch of loons.

Posted by | Posted at 12/28/2005 6:32 PM

Kevin, Thanks so much for the article. That sums it up better than any I have read to date. I think you nailed it right on the head the stark contrast between biblical Christ followers and the religious right. Thanks again...

Dan

Posted by Dan Rose | Posted at 12/24/2005 6:36 PM