"What's a liberal conservative?" you ask. Well, first of all, let me say that using such labels is pretty squishy. They seldom communicate as well as we think. In fact, I don't usually use terms such as "liberal" or "conservative" when talking about current trends in Lutheranism because I frankly don't think they're that useful. So, you see, my use of the term "liberal conservative" is a bit tongue in cheek in the first place.
"Liberal Conservative" is my own personal designation for Lutheran Christians who consider themselves conservative but who only wish to conserve beliefs and practices they grew up with, regardless of actual Lutheran theology. Such dear folks are conservative in the sense of wanting to keep things as they know them. But they are liberal in the sense that what they know may actually be a departure from historic Lutheranism. I suspect all of us are susceptible to this to some degree.
- So if you think it's "too Roman Catholic" to make the sign of the cross, you might be a liberal conservative.
- Similarly, if you think a crucifix is papistic and that Lutherans should prefer a barren cross, you might be a liberal conservative.
- If you love to sing Methodo-bapti-costal hymns and revival songs such as What a Friend We Have in Jesus and Amazing Grace but can't stomach classic Lutheran hymns, you might be a liberal conservative.
- If you think "real" Lutheran congregations must have an American flag in the chancel, you might be a liberal conservative.
- If you refuse to go to individual confession/absolution, you might be a liberal conservative.
- If you oppose offering the Eucharist every Lord's Day, you might be a liberal conservative.
Most of these discrepencies would be addressed with a simple reading of the Lutheran Confessions. Ad Fontes. I only picked the above examples because they seem to be pretty common amongst LCMS folks. Nor are they equally serious in nature.
I suppose the strict definition of a "conservative" is someone who doesn't want to change. Someone once asked me if I am a conservative Lutheran, and I said that depends on who is asking and what they mean. I don't think we should determine our beliefs and practices by the idiosyncracies of the past 100 years. I prefer terms such as confessional, traditional, historic or even classical.
P.S.
I write this as a pastor of a wonderful loving Lutheran congregation. None of these comments are intended to reflect negatively on my present church or anyone in particular. There haven't been any disputes to speak of over these kinds of issues in the whole time I've served here. It's intended as nothing more than a general critique of a mindset that seems to be prevelant in the LCMS at large. Sphere: Related Content
