The Rise of the Religious Left

The Wall Street Journal ^ | October 16, 2007 | Steven Malanga

[Coleus]

Everyone knows the potent force of the Christian right in American politics. But since the mid-1990s, an increasingly influential religious movement has arisen on the left, mostly escaping the national press's notice. This new religious left does not expend its political energies on the cultural concerns that primarily motivate conservative evangelicals. Instead, working mostly at the state and local level, and often in lockstep with unions, its ministers, priests, rabbis, and laity exert a major, sometimes decisive, influence in campaigns to enforce a "living wage," to help unions organize, and to block the expansion of nonunionized businesses like Wal-Mart.

The new religious left is in one sense not new at all. It draws its inspiration in part from the Protestant "social gospel" movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, especially Baptist Minister Walter Rauschenbusch, who believed that the best way to uplift the downtrodden was to redistribute wealth and forge an egalitarian society. Rauschenbusch called for the creation of a kingdom of heaven here on earth—just as presidential candidate Barack Obama did last week at a church in South Carolina. The popular Catholic writer John Ryan also advocated that government enact pro-union legislation, steep taxes on wealth, and more stringent business regulation. When FDR adopted several of Ryan's ideas, the priest was given the sobriquet "the Right Reverend New Dealer." His popularity reflected the tightening alliance between America's mainstream churches and organized labor. That alliance disintegrated during the 1960s, when clerics like the notorious rebel priests the Berrigan brothers began to agitate for a wider range of radical causes—above all, a swift end to the Vietnam War. The more culturally conservative blue-collar workers who formed the union movement's core wanted no part of this.

[muawiyah]

Boogeyman Alert!!!!

Wall Street Journals thinks unionization is happening, and right under our noses!

Sorry, all the leftwingnut priests, rabbis and ministers put together couldn't organize a curbside lemonade sale.

[Unam Sanctam]

They seem to have done a pretty good job taking over mainstream Protestant denominations like the Episcopalians.

[GOPJ]

Liberal organizers using church halls is NOT a movement...

[muawiyah]

The Episcopals, however, are NOT exactly Protestant and haven't been for centuries. These days they're not exactly Christian if you want to know the truth.

Still, given their history it's unlikely very many Episcopals are going to end up as effective union organizers.

When the Leftwards begin taking over the Businessmen's Full Gospel Fellowship I'll pay attention to this.

[Taxbilly]

I have always called them socialist. Well I guess that is a kind of religion.

[PROCON]

Ever so often, my wife and I will visit some of the more liberal churches, episcopalian, lutheran, methodist, etc.

These “churches” do not preach the gospel at all, they are just country clubs for the liberal elites and academia and such.

Martin Luther is rolling over in his grave, at least at the ELCA types.

[NEW YORKCITYGOPMAN]

There has ALWAYS been a strong Religious Left in this country.

Martin Luther King
The Berrigans
Father Drinan
William Sloane Coffin
Al Sharpton
Jesse Jackson
Reverend Paul Moore

To the media they are cultural icons, while the Religious Right are nothing but bigots and haters.

[wardaddy]

plenty of good works only wrongheaded Catholics in this too

[G8 Diplomat]

“Religious left” is an oxymoron.

Unless of course the religion is Islam...

[Othniel]

The "religious left" ignore the Bible, do mental gymnastics to justify their positions, and deny the power of the Lord. They are powerless little magpies whose words come to naught. They sound good to the MSM, simply because they are annoying.

[BillT]

I am glad you said Religious and NOT Christian. They do not believe the Bible or they would not be lefties.

[Tired of Taxes]

Ever so often, my wife and I will visit some of the more liberal churches, episcopalian, lutheran, methodist, etc. These “churches” do not preach the gospel at all, they are just country clubs for the liberal elites and academia and such.

You are so right! One told me, "This is all about 'community'." The same type of people can be found in every denomination, and I noticed that many gain leadership positions in churches, too.

[PROCON]

“and I noticed that many gain leadership positions in churches, too.”

Too true!!

BTW, your homepage tribute to your Dad is so good and poignant..thank you so much for sharing that. :)

[therut]

What really makes me angry is the MSM never gets riled up about seperation of church and state when the left wing religious are pushing their politics down our throats. They are hypocrits. Never have I seen them even point out these people when they have them own or ask them pointed religious questions. Like Do you believe Christ was resurrected. Like they always ask Conservative Christians if they believe unbelievers are going to Hell. Or do you believe every word in the bible literally etc.

[stripes1776]

Religious Left

That is an oxymoron.

[RobbyS]

The MSm push these people om us because they think that these people take their faiths lightly, that they are just utopians in clerical collars (If they bother to wear such collars).

[goldstategop]

The religious Left has it roots in the Anabaptist rebellion of the 15th century that terrified Martin Luther. He sided with the German princes to have the attempt at creating a communist utopia crushed with military force.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[2banana]

How to stop them in their tracks:

“Do you believe that Jesus is your Lord and Savior?”

“Do you believe that none can come before the father (go to heaven) except through Jesus?”

[ModelBreaker]

Actually, there has been a strong religious left since no later than the 60's. Of course, the Black churches have long been a source of political power, organization, and funding for the left. And, many mainstream protestant denominations and many Catholic churches were occupied by radical leftists posing as Christians in the 60's. The movement of homosexuals into the Catholic church was particularly strong.

It amazes me that the press can talk about a newly emerging religious left with a straight face.