Christmas, Evangelicalism, Hope, Salvation, Statistics, USA

What if Evangelicals and Liberals Want the Same Salvation?

Posted by Mark on

As we head into the Christmas holiday, we have become accustomed to the culture wars starting up again about whether it is appropriate to say “Merry Christmas” or whether religious symbols can be displayed on public land. These issues are usually set up as examples of conservatives (Christians) vs. liberals (non-religious).

Predictable, right? The conservative Christians seek for solace in a spiritual glory beyond this planet. The liberal non-religious people seek for improving this planet.

But, what if these two desires are not so far apart? What if they actually point toward desiring a common salvation?

In the end, both desire everything to be set right. They want people to live in peace together, to share in abundance, and to have meaning for their lives. They also want to be able to live in a way that passes down good things from one generation to another, as seen by the fact that

Both liberals and conservatives desire salvation.

Do conservatives really not care what happens in this world? Of course not! They want a peaceful, prosperous, and beautiful world to share with their families and with others. Do liberals really not care if there is no purpose to life beyond our mortal existence? Of course not! They want to offer hope and strength to their families when they face tragedy and death.

Both liberals and conservatives desire salvation. They, like all humans, are trapped in pains and struggles of this world and seek to be saved out of that in order to share in a better life for themselves and their families. They disagree as to the focus of this salvation: conservatives emphasizing the intervention of God to save us from death and liberals the intervention of humans to save us from immediate problems in this world. However, both are working toward a common end: salvation from what would consume them and their families in pain if left unattended.

Whether we celebrate Christmas or not this year, let’s take some comfort in the hope that we are not so different. We all seek salvation. And, perhaps, we can give each other the gift of greater charity and cooperation as we seek that salvation in our respective ways this coming year.