What's in a Name
I was pleasantly surprised when I successfully registered this blog address. If you've hung out on Blogspot at all, you know that all of the good names are taken.
Then I started thinking about it, and became a little discouraged when I realized that if the name was available, then perhaps there really aren't a ton of Christian Progressives out there. ;-)
D
Then I started thinking about it, and became a little discouraged when I realized that if the name was available, then perhaps there really aren't a ton of Christian Progressives out there. ;-)
D
posted by Dennis | 12:14 AM
3 Comments:
It depends on what you mean. I think plenty of Christians want to see people escape poverty, for there to be good schools, and for many societal ills to be addressed.
However, they might not view government as the best, or even the most appropriate vehicle for many situations. It's interesting to think what people did before government got so big. Did they just starve?
I doubt it. I think Christianity was a bit more vibrant. I think Christians were more sacrificial. And, I think family meant a lot more than it seems to today. Frankly, I believe the expansion of government has supplanted the charity of the American people rather than extend it.
The other key is that most Christian progressives have the emphasis on the "progressive." I don't believe many have the emphasis on Christ that you do--of course, you get NONE of the credit for that! :)
I think you can look at the evolution of "big government" through the lens of the extreme poverty and displacement generated by the Great Depression and the corresponding upheaval of World War II. The government programs created during that era were critical, and remain an integral part of our society. Without those programs, people WERE starving, particularly during the Great Depression.
I am all in favor of charity and voluntary giving, but you know as well as I do that the march of modern society and what passes as "culture" today has shrunk the ranks of the religious in general. I don't think there are enough true Christians (or other folks whose moral and/or religious beliefs guide them to donate to the poor) in this country to support the need that I see. You have only to look at the New Orleans debacle to see that need everywhere.
I don't believe "Big Government" is the ideal solution. Almost by definition, less bureaucratic institutions would be able to accomplish more with less, and with greater efficiency. The problem is, in the absence of an existing framework of such less bureaucratic institutions, and in the absence of a sufficient donor base to cover the need, something needs to bridge the gap. That something is government.
And until someone puts forth a viable solution to fill the needs of the poor, I'd rather have government than nothing. "Let's cut all the government programs and hope everything works out" is not a viable solution, in my opinion.
D
I think the heart of Christianity is doing ourselves, but the government needs to do its part, because it has more resources than any of us combined.
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