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Conservative Christianity
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- For conservative political views within Christianity, see Christian right.
Conservative Christianity (also called Traditional Christianity) is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to perceived traditional Christian beliefs and practices. It is sometimes called conservative theology, an umbrella term covering various movements within Christianity and describing both corporate denominational and personal views of scripture.
The term Conservative Christian is frequently used by Evangelicals and Christian Fundamentalists as a way to distinguish themselves from the Social Progressive Christian and Christian Modernist movements.
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Encyclopedia
- For conservative political views within Christianity, see Christian right.
Conservative Christianity (also called Traditional Christianity) is a term applied to a number of groups or movements seen as giving priority to perceived traditional Christian beliefs and practices. It is sometimes called conservative theology, an umbrella term covering various movements within Christianity and describing both corporate denominational and personal views of scripture.
The term Conservative Christian is frequently used by Evangelicals and Christian Fundamentalists as a way to distinguish themselves from the Social Progressive Christian and Christian Modernist movements. This often leads to different understanding of what is and is not conservative.
General beliefs
There may be considerable overlap between certain aspects of Conservative Christianity and Christian fundamentalism, but the two terms are not synonymous. All core traditional beliefs of the conservative Christians can be found in the three creedal statements, i.e. Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed.
- The Virgin birth of Jesus Christ.
- The doctrine of Trinity, i.e., God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
- The doctrine of the deity of Jesus Christ (i.e., that Jesus is fully God and fully man).
- The literal, physical resurrection of Jesus.
- The literal, physical return of Jesus.
- The belief in both a literal Heaven and a literal Hell.
According to the conservative Christian Apologetics organization Watchman.org, inerrancy and infallibility of the Bible is also part of the core of Biblical Orthodoxy.
Conservative Protestantism
Scholars, theologians, and writers
There are a variety of threads including the Conservative Evangelical Movement, the Holiness movement, the Pentecostal Movement, the Fundamentalist Movement, the Charismatic Movement and the Confessing Movement. Each has its distinct aspects, but also many similarities.
Conservative Protestant scholars and theologians include:
Contemporary:
Historical:
Popular conservative Protestant writers and Christian apologists include:
Conservative Roman Catholicism
Conservatism in Roman Catholicism primarily refers to the upholding of traditional Catholic teachings concerning the sanctity of marriage, the prohibition of artificial birth control, the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, the importance of traditional male clergy, prohibitions on divorce and homosexuality, and other similar theological and moral matters.
The encyclical Humani Generis (1950) of Pope Pius XII began the process of affirming that the doctrine of the Catholic Church is compatible with scientific findings relating to evolution. See also Evolution and the Roman Catholic Church.
The Vatican and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops have questioned the necessity of death penalty in modern society, as well as having opposed the US War in Iraq -- in addition to claiming as morally incompatible with Christian living: abortion, in-vitro fertilization, and embryonic stem cell research. They also continue to call for arms control, debt relief for poor nations, affordable housing for all, the right of workers to organize, a national US health system affordable to all and increased protection and stewardship of the earth.
Traditionalist Catholics
A traditionalist Catholic is a Roman Catholic who believes that there should be a restoration of the liturgical forms, public and private devotions, and presentation of Catholic teachings that prevailed in the Catholic Church before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
Different types of traditionalists
Traditionalist Catholics may be divided into four broad groups.
- Traditionalists not enjoying the favour of the Holy See: traditionalist priests and laypeople who practise their faith outside the official structures of the Church, though they vehemently affirm their loyalty to the Church and to the papacy. The largest priestly society of this tendency is the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), which was established in 1970 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, a founding figure of Catholic traditionalism. Members of this category view the post-Conciliar changes as being unacceptable and doctrinally unsound. The fact that they recognise the official Church hierarchy while rejecting its decisions draws accusations of disloyalty and disobedience from the preceding group - whom this group in turn accuse of blind, un-Catholic obedience.
- Sedevacantists: priests and laypeople who regard the Pope and the bishops of the "official" Church as having fallen into heresy and having therefore forfeited their authority. Such people neither possess nor seek the approval of the present Church hierarchy. The terms "sedevacantist" and "sedevacantism" derive from the Latin phrase sede vacante: "while the chair [of Peter] is vacant", a term which is normally reserved for the period between the death or retirement of a bishop and the consecration of his successor. Sedevacantists usually date the vacancy of the papacy from the death of Pope Pius XII in 1958, though some regard Pope John XXIII (1958-1963) as a true pope. Sedevacantist groups include the Society of St. Pius V (SSPV) and the Congregation of Mary Immaculate Queen (CMRI).
- Conclavists: priests and laypeople stemming from the sedevacantist movement who have given recognition to a nominee of their own as the true Pope. Since they hold that the see of Rome is no longer vacant, they are not, strictly speaking, sedevacantists, but they are often classified as such, since they reject the official papal succession (and do so for the same reasons as sedevacantists). Conclavist groups include the true Catholic Church, the Palmarian Catholic Church, and the followers of David Bawden ("Pope Michael I").
Criticism
Critics of US conservative Christianity believe that these Christians deemphasize what the critics see as the central message of the Gospels, namely as social justice and concern for the poor. Liberal or progressive Christians note that Jesus spent much of his ministry in the company of "sinners," such as prostitutes and tax collectors, and that he criticized the religious authorities of his day as self-righteous, excessively judgmental, legalistic, and lacking compassion (see, for example, , , ).
Critics also claim that conservative Christians in the US are excessively concerned about issues pertaining to sexuality. In addition, nationalistic or patriotic undertones found among some conservative American Protestants can be seen as contrary to Jesus Christ's teachings of peace.
See also
External links
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