Editor’s note: The following is an excerpt taken from Chelsen Vicari’s op-ed “National Association of Evangelicals Justice Conference Mimics Liberal Protestantism” published by The Stream. To read the op-ed in its entirety, please click here.
Thousands of young Evangelical Christians are set to descend upon Chicago June 3–4 to champion issues related to social justice at the annual Justice Conference, a project of World Relief, the Chrisitan aid agency associated with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE). But lately, this ostensibly evangelical conference seems to be a repackaged version of liberal Mainline Protestantism for hipsters.
Over the last several years, organizers for the Justice Conference have carefully avoided addressing relevant cultural and social issues such as the persecution of Christians abroad, religious freedom, sanctity of unborn life, sexual ethics or support of Israel. Instead, speakers will cover topics including racism, gun control, neo-pacifism, Liberation theology and denouncing American patriotism as bigoted idolatry.
Sounds like the outline of a sermon by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, doesn’t it?
Keep in mind, the Justice Conference is not marketed towards progressive Christians. It’s geared towards young Evangelicals from faithful NAE member denominations with big hearts for the poor and the marginalized. So it’s odd that many of the conference’s keynote speakers and topics don’t reflect their target audience’s theological backgrounds.
*To read this article in its entirety, please click here.
Comment by Mark Brooks on April 12, 2016 at 10:48 pm
The phrase “social justice” is a trap for professing Christians.