Liberalism, Culture and Church

The purpose of this paper is to view liberalism and the modern mind in which it affects the culture on the church. This paper will give the definition of liberalism, culture and the church. This paper will look at the 1700’s to the twenty first century as we explore this topic in depth.

Liberalism comes from the Latin word “liberalis” or freedom. Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberalism espouse a wide array of views depending on the understanding of these fundamental principle or ideals on constitutions, liberal democracy, human rights, capitalism, free trade and one that I deem important is freedom of religion. Liberalism encompasses several intellectual trends and traditions, classical liberalism became popular in the eighteenth century and social liberalism in the twentieth century. Liberalism became a powerful force in the Age of Enlightenment also known as the Age of Reason. This age rejected several foundational assumptions that dominated earlier theories of government. Liberalism in light of religion is a movement in modern Protestantism emphasizing intellectual liberty and the spiritual ethical Christianity.

Culture is from the Latin root word “cultura” stemming from colere meaning to cultivate. The concept first emerged in the eighteenth and nineteenth century in Europe, it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement. In the nineteenth century culture was referred first as the betterment or refinement of the individual especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations. The term “culture,”which originally meant the cultivation of the soul or mind, acquires most of its later modern meanings in the writings of the eighteenth-century German thin...

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...nt of Christian faith in forms which are acceptable within contemporary culture. Liberalism has continued to see itself as a mediator between two unacceptable alternatives the mere restatement of traditional Christian faith described as traditionalism or fundamentalism and totally rejection of Christanity.

Works Cited

McGrath A.E. (2007). Christian Theology An Introduction Fourth Edition. Malden, MA. Blackwell Publishing.

Shelley B.L. (2008). Third Edition Church History in Plain Language. Nashville TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

The Minister’s Bible, King James Version (Holy Bible) (2006) Second Hendrickson Publishers Edition Peabody MA.

Freedman D.N. (2000) Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberalism

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/liberalism