Dear BPCWA worshipper, There have been several events happening in the global arena over the past months.  In the news, we have read several commentaries on liberals, progressives, and conservatives.  The church should not be involved in politics, and BPCWA certainly doesn’t intend to be giving political advice.  Every party and every country are different.  This pastoral will not cover fiscal, economic, or immigration policies, nor endorse any political ideology or party.  We will, instead, be focussing on how such ideologies impact the lives of Christians. 

Opposing ideologies.  No one definition covers all the bases on the differences between these ideologies.  However, one would generally associate Liberals and Progressives with a greater emphasis on social justice, individual rights, and equality.  On the other hand, Conservatives would have a stronger focus on maintaining traditional structures and values.  A political analysis on Psychology Today comments, “Liberals and conservatives differ in their opinions on health care, abortion, immigration, gun control, gay rights, and the threat of climate change. On all these issues, liberals are (most often) liberal, and conservatives are (most often) conservative”.  Conservative values were reflective of the US election campaigns in the 2024 elections.  Trump touted conservative values on issues like gender at birth and curbing abortion, ousting the then-ruling party, which propounded more liberal policies.  In the months since taking office in January, negative sentiment has arisen over Trump’s political policies, which has in turn cast a shadow over Conservatism as a whole.  The effects of this reverberated through to the elections in Canada and Australia.  A BBC article observed, “Liberals have won Canada’s federal election – riding a backlash of anti-Trump sentiment to form the next government. . . a stunning political turnaround for a party who were widely considered dead and buried just a few months ago.”  This sentiment was somewhat echoed here when Dutton, a Conservative leader, lost his own seat.  BBC reports “Dutton was seen by many as Australia’s Trump, which appeared to go down badly with voters”.  Outside of the political front, many news outlets have a liberal bias.  This means that when one reads news from such networks, they unconsciously imbibe liberal values from the views expressed.  Another election combining both the political and religious front was that of the election of the new Pope.  Pope Francis was said to be progressive because of the changes he made in the Catholic church.  Following the conclave’s election, an article by Lutheran Confessions observed that Pope Leo’s background positions him “to continue the . . . themes that are close to the heart of progressive Christians”.  The article went on to anticipate changes consistent with progressive leanings.   

How might things change on the moral-ethical front?1) More progressive policies.  With those in power being from liberal-progressive parties, policies will follow the ideologies of their parties.  Since policies often affect and change community life and thought, society will move in tandem with such ideologies.  What may some of these policies be?  Conservative policies criticised by progressive news outlets in the USA included the appointments of conservative judges, reinforcing traditional conservative family values, rolling back on LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights.  Liberal governments then would implement policies that are contrary to those just mentioned.  As a further reflection of the progressive leadership, Lutheran Confessions anticipated that the progressive background of the new Pope Leo would mean “a shift toward more pastors known for pastoral sensitivity rather than strict doctrinal enforcement. For progressive Christians, this is a hopeful sign.”  From the horse’s mouth, this is what progressiveness is about.  A move away from what is viewed as tradition.  Moving away from traditions is good only if those traditions contradict God’s traditions.  However, the liberal-progressive ideology in the political realm does not use God’s Word as a basis.  Hence, they are against “strict doctrinal enforcement”.  Progressives promote individual rights and inclusivity.  2) Changes even within Conservative groups.   Following the historic defeat of the party and perhaps an indication of the desire to change, the first woman was elected to hold the position of leader in the Conservative party’s history.  While we do not believe it is wrong for a woman to be in a position of leadership over men in society, this change probably signals that women should be in leadership positions over men in any realm.  In her first address, she said she planned to “do things differently” and shepherd in a “fresh approach”.  Will this mean a move away from Conservative values towards the left?  Time will tell.  We must be careful not to take a book by its cover.  On the religious front, we cannot align ourselves with any group simply because they are popularly thought of as being conservative.  Even if one goes under the term or is considered by the general population of being “Conservative” or “Orthodox”, we cannot assume that they have similar values to what we hold as conservative.  There is a slow shift away from what “conservative” used to mean historically, as “mainstream” values morph.  Even what is considered orthodox often references general thoughts and views as well.  So, when the majority shifts, conservatism and orthodoxy may also change with it. 

The Christian’s call to duty.  Our response to all these societal developments is never to seek to be involved in and shape politics. We are not called to social activism, i.e., to bring about social change by challenging existing power structures or norms.  We are to live our Christian life as God expects and preach the “Gospel of Christ”, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Rom 1:16).  And we are to do so without political and cultural adulteration.  All this may sound rather abstract to anyone who is not particularly interested in politics (which I am not either).  However, the point is that we will be faced with an increasing pervasiveness of liberal-progressive policies and rationales.  These will be increasingly communicated all around us.  They will start to be promoted.  And when all of these happen with increasing frequency from different sources, we may begin to believe that they are right.  We are already seeing that on the religious front.  The Lutheran Confessions (not a Roman Catholic source) said that progressives look forward to the “trend of accompaniment rather than condemnation, offering pastoral care without demanding doctrinal conformity”.  Remember that Liberals have the mindset of inclusivity and individual rights.  With such ideologies, anyone who teaches obedience to God’s commands will be, in their own words, giving “condemnation”, “demanding doctrinal conformity”, and not “offering pastoral care”.  Even if they are in the Constitution and books, dogmas, doctrines, and creeds will inevitably be downplayed, if not despised.  Doctrines may even be similarly worded on the surface, but when more carefully probed, are different from what the Bible teaches. 

BPCWA may be among a very different society in the years to come, but we must never conform to the world’s philosophies and ideals.  God has called BPCWA out to be His witness, and the only way we can do so is if we stand unapologetically upon His commands.  The opposition may be strong.  There may be criticisms.  But I hope  parents, singles, and children alike will take being biblically sound very seriously.  We live in dangerous and deceptive times.  So, the church must warn.  And when the church warns, don’t resist and say that the church is being “too conservative”.  We must be aware of the dangers around us and never succumb.  If it is in God’s Word, it is not being conservative but being biblical.  We must study the Word with total submission to God, not with a desire to also conform to the rapidly degenerating world.  If we fail, we will quickly cease to be useful to God as a church.  In addition, we must never forget that it is necessary to guard our minds.  What we watch, listen to, and read influence our values and the way we think.  At the same time, if we also gullibly embrace what the world generally calls “conservative” without comparing the ideas with God’s Word, we are then allowing them to change our values as we listen to the world’s reasoning.  May these erroneous and politically motivated mindsets never permeate the environs of BPCWA, the house of God.

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Ti 3:15)

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor