Christian Left

The Christian Left refers to a number of contemporary left-wing political movements that are specifically Christian, that push progressive ideas in politics and the popular culture. While the Christian Right has been more visible in recent politics, a number of Christian Left organizations, or their predecessors, have long histories. There was a strong religious position against slavery, for example, before the American Civil War.

In current political interaction, it is a mistake to equate all American religious views as evangelical, social conservative, and Republican, just as much as it would be incorrect to assume that there are no religious effects, in the public square, which come from people who are not Christian at all, and possibly not of Abrahamic faiths. Indeed, not all evangelicals are Republican.

Compelled by evangelicalism's conservative theology but averse to the right wing's intolerance and lack of charity toward the poor, they occupy a curious political middle ground. Every four years they independently evaluate the state of the union through the lens of a Jesus-centered faith. But their concerns extend beyond the conservative morality issues of abortion and gay marriage to progressive matters of social justice, America's role in the world, and care for the environment. The sociologist Stephen Hart describes Christian faith as comprising a set of elemental moral "building blocks" that believers "assemble" in countless combinations to construct their social ethics. Freestyle evangelicals have neither an exclusively Democratic nor Republican worldview; they say they often find themselves in the tiresome position of electing officials who will do the least amount of damage rather than the most good. As one believer told the Prospect, "I am a political moderate, not despite my theological conservatism but because of it."

Family and relationships

There may be some issue overlap with the Christian Right, but usually a different approach. For example, both believe in the value of family. Left groups, however, often are accepting of committed gay and lesbian relationships. Where both discourage abortion, the left groups are more apt to support birth control and have strong interest in child welfare beyond pregnancy and birth.

Environmentalism

According to a Wall Street Journal article, political consultant has been barraged with calls from business interests in the southern United States,concerned with a "massive ad blitz on Christian and country-music stations across 10 states. The ads, funded by a left-leaning coalition, urge support for congressional legislation to curb greenhouse-gas emissions -- by framing the issue as an urgent matter of Biblical morality."

A coalition including Faith in Public Life, Sojourners and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Goodis distributing an eight-page guide, full of Biblical quotes and health-care statistics, to encourage pastors to raise environmental issues. "Democratic lawmakers representing conservative districts say such efforts help them make the case to skeptical constituents that they aren't simply toeing the party line -- or turning into bleeding-heart liberals -- when they support President Barack Obama's calls for health-care and climate-change legislation. "It's important for people to see that it's not just [Democrats] saying this is important, but people who are coming at it from a moral background,"" said Rep. Tom Perriello (D-Virginia), a freshman Democrat who has come under fire in his rural district for supporting the climate bill."

Life issues

Their approach to valuing human life usually implies opposition to capital punishment, and, depending on the group, attitudes ranging from great reluctance to use military force, to complete pacifism. Sojourners, for example, starts with a value position that "All life is a sacred gift from God, and public policies should reflect a consistent ethic of life."

War

During the Vietnam War, religious groups and individuals were prominent in objecting to the war on religious reasons. Jesuit Fathers Daniel and Phillip Berrigan, for example, were among the "Catonsvile Nine" who destroyed draft records in 1968. They served jail terms.

Abortion

In this intense battlefield of the culture wars, a group such as Sojourners has the goal

Dramatically reduce abortion. Our society should support common ground policies that dramatically reduce the abortion rate by preventing unwanted pregnancies, providing meaningful alternatives and necessary supports for women and children, and reforming adoption laws.