Old-fangled

From Patheos by way of Sed Angli.:

What the situation at General makes clear is that the progressive church is opposed to sexist and racist language, until it’s not; it’s committed to defending employees and providing them with health insurance, until it’s not; and it’s committed to listening and freedom of expression, until it’s not. Why are those commitments so fragile? Because progressive political goals, like all political goals, are socially defined; they are tied to a place, a context, and a moment; they are conditioned by desire, ambition, and the desire for control; and, as such, they are a means to an end – completely dispensable if the situation changes and those values get in the way. So, maybe it’s time for a worn-out, old idea:

• That worn-out old idea that God expects men and women to respect one another, because we are, together, bearers of God’s image…
• That worn-out old idea that God has commanded tolerance, because God is blind to race, gender, and sexual orientation…
• That worn-out old idea that the vulnerable should be protected, because we are, in fact, all vulnerable…
• That worn-out old idea that we should love, because we have been loved…
• That worn out idea that we should sacrifice, compromise, and forgive, because it’s not all about us, our needs, our politics, our place, or our time…

Those commitments are “forever,” not “until,” because God’s grace and love are immeasurable, never equaled by what we have done, never to be matched by what we might do, unconditioned by our goals and objectives. In other words, maybe, just maybe, it’s time for the progressive church to abandon its self-conscious, eyes-on-the-mirror quest to be “progressive” and try to be the Body of Christ instead.