Szabó Árpád (szerk.): Isten és ember szolgálatában. Erdő János emlékezete (Kolozsvár, 2007)

Paul Rasor: Postmodernity, Globalization, and the Challenge of Identity in Liberal Theology

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is the theological value that supports the very diversity that sometimes keeps us from seeing our shared deeper values.

The second core value I will mention here is our commitment to social

justice. This is grounded in our belief in the inherent worth and dignity of all persons. It is important to see that our commitment to justice is a theological claim, not merely a political claim. In traditional language we might speak of seeking the kingdom of God, or of an obligation to love God by loving our neighbors. In less biblical language, we might speak of the inherent worth of persons as carrying with it an obligation to create communities and social structures that enable all persons to achieve human dignity and fulfillment. Our commitment to social justice supports corollary principles such as a commitment to shared authority in decision-making and to free consent as the basis for all human relationships.

It also undergirds the liberal religious emphasis on the prophetic voice. I’m using the term „prophetic" in the biblical sense here. The prophets were those who spoke for justice, those who called society and its leaders to account for injustice, especially on behalf of society’s most vulnerable members. Speaking prophetically requires a certain distance, which means that it requires freedom. In this way, the core values of justice and freedom are linked. A religious tradition that values spiritual freedom is more likely to help create the theological and social space for the prophetic voice. Religious liberalism has always understood itself in this light, and over the centuries it has produced its share of prophets, many of whom, like their biblical counterparts, suffered dearly for their efforts. This kind of spiritual courage requires a clear sense of identity rooted in a deep theological grounding.

How we respond to the challenges of postmodernity and globalization will shape the future of liberal theology and the future of our movement. Perhaps our biggest challenge is to remain liberal in a world that not only devalues liberalism, but in which liberalism’s very cultural reference points are disappearing. A serious dialogue about our deepest theological commitments can help reorient us in a disorienting world. It can help us reclaim our identity as a religious movement, and in turn know more deary where we stand.

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