income inequality debate

[Deacfreak07]

http://livingchurch.org/poor-people-are-bruised-reeds

That's a cool interview. Been reading some of her stuff recently as some of the lefty writers I follow are linking to her a lot.

Her seeming assumption of the novelty of her ideas reads pretty arrogant and/or ignorant. There is a long and vibrant history of economically liberal theology, especially in disenfranchised communities around the world.

 

[TuffaloDeac10]

Her seeming assumption of the novelty of her ideas reads pretty arrogant and/or ignorant. There is a long and vibrant history of economically liberal theology, especially in disenfranchised communities around the world.

I mean

1.

If you could wave a magic wand and have American Christians understand one thing about public policy that they do not, what would it be?... In American politics I see a paradoxical thing... God is rarely understood in American politics to be a radical force...

The interview is grounded in American politics, where it really is a less common viewpoint. You have civil rights leaders who mostly get play for anti-racist issues (even though many preach a similar economic liberalism), and very little else of a Christian left here.

2. The first verb Bruenig uses when asked what kind of impact she wants to have is "popularize." Not "create" or something. I think you're reading the interview in an out-of-this-world uncharitable way.

 

[Deacfreak07]

I mean

1.

The interview is grounded in American politics, where it really is a less common viewpoint. You have civil rights leaders who mostly get play for anti-racist issues (even though many preach a similar economic liberalism), and very little else of a Christian left here.

2. The first verb Bruenig uses when asked what kind of impact she wants to have is "popularize." Not "create" or something. I think you're reading the interview in an out-of-this-world uncharitable way.

There is a long history of Economic liberal theology in American theology too. Not just on issues of race.

 

[TuffaloDeac10]

There is a long history of Economic liberal theology in American theology too. Not just on issues of race.

So when Bruenig references "decades of social teaching and centuries of tradition" is that her arrogance or her ignorance speaking? Do you think the Christian left is a lively part of American politics today? How many social democrats do you see grounding their politics in Christian traditions? I don't see many.

 

[Deacfreak07]

So when Bruenig references "decades of social teaching and centuries of tradition" is that her arrogance or her ignorance speaking? Do you think the Christian left is a lively part of American politics today? How many social democrats do you see grounding their politics in Christian traditions? I don't see many.

I don't think it's a matter of religion moving to the right as much as the left moving away from religion. At the very least, a combination of the two. I was probably being too judgmental, but the piece reads a little to white normative for my tastes.

 

[WFFaithful]

I don't think it's a matter of religion moving to the right as much as the left moving away from religion. At the very least, a combination of the two. I was probably being too judgmental, but the piece reads a little to white normative for my tastes.

Religion has moved to the right. The SBC used to be high on the social justice. No so much anymore.

 

[PhDeac]

Religion has moved to the right. The SBC used to be high on the social justice. No so much anymore.

Yeah. It was a big deal last week when one of the SBC leadership wrote something condemning the Garner cop non-indictment.

 

[Deacfreak07]

Religion has moved to the right. The SBC used to be high on the social justice. No so much anymore.

But there are other off shoots of the American baptist church that weren't around before. Organizations like the CBF emerging around the issue of ordaining women. You do have conservative religious organizations that are fiscally liberal. American Christianity has drifted right as liberals just leave religion altogether.

 

[tjcmd]

Religion has moved to the right. The SBC used to be high on the social justice. No so much anymore.

Or maybe the lib definition of "social justice" has left the SBC behind. They may not be entirely comfortable with Jesse and Al shaking down bidness to enrich themselves.

 

[Deacfreak07]

Or maybe the lib definition of "social justice" has left the SBC behind. They may not be entirely comfortable with Jesse and Al shaking down bidness to enrich themselves.

This isn't true. Ordination of women is the big schism in the SBC.

 

[tjcmd]

This isn't true. Ordination of women is the big schism in the SBC.

Can women still be (real) Deacons in the SBC?

 

[Deacfreak07]

Can women still be (real) Deacons in the SBC?

Not since the early 1980s.

 

[JuiceCrewAllStar]

Liberation theology has been a force for good for decades, but it's mostly driven by Central and South American clergy so it's not a big deal here.

 

[WFFaithful]

Or maybe the lib definition of "social justice" has left the SBC behind. They may not be entirely comfortable with Jesse and Al shaking down bidness to enrich themselves.

Read up on some SBC history. You'd probably be surprised.

 

[IamThunderbolt]

Not since the early 1980s.

Not really. Many SBC churches have female deacons. Where the 2001 baptist faith and message draws the line is at pastor/elders. Still, if one really wanted to for some reason, a church could be an SBC church with women pastors b/c the fundamental tenet of Baptist ecclesiology is Congregational church polity (meaning the denomination can not and will not set local church doctrine or governance). It may withhold certain benefits of churches "in good standing" and in agreement with the BFM.

 

[Deacfreak07]

Not really. Many SBC churches have female deacons. Where the 2001 baptist faith and message draws the line is at pastor/elders. Still, if one really wanted to for some reason, a church could be an SBC church with women pastors b/c the fundamental tenet of Baptist ecclesiology is Congregational church polity (meaning the denomination can not and will not set local church doctrine or governance). It may withhold certain benefits of churches "in good standing" and in agreement with the BFM.

BFM basically says "we don't recommend it, but if you do you", so if you had to clarify a position of the SBC...

 

[bmoneydeac]

Thanks, 2&2

 

[Deacon923]

Just more confirmation that (a) social mobility in America, the "Land of Opportunity", is atrocious; and (b) it's worst in the Southeast.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/01/economists-your-parents-are-more-important-than-ever/283301/

 

[TuffaloDeac10]

Gee wonder why it's worst in the southeast

 

[2&2 Slider To Leyritz]

I know there's a gender pay gap thread, but this one will do in a pinch.

New paper about the gender pay gap closing reveals the gap is at its widest in the middle of women's careers - http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/goldin/files/goldin_aeapress_2014_1.pdf

Well no fucking shit. Glad you needed a Harvard study to explain that when people don't work as much, they don't get paid as much (government dole recipients excluded, of course).