5 Shocking Things I Learned about Liberal Christianity as an IRD Intern

on July 29, 2016

Since June 1, I’ve been an intern at the Institute on Religion and Democracy (IRD). Summer is now closing in and my university classes begin in just a few weeks. The end of my internship is near, and I can’t help but reflect on the eye-opening experiences and education gained about the shocking behind-the-scenes unorthodox going-ons of the Church, especially within my own Evangelical realm.

After reflecting, I’ve crafted a list of five shocking things I’ve learned about liberalism in the church while working at the IRD:

(1.) Who’s Jim Wallis?

At the beginning of this Summer I transcribed audio recordings from the 2016 Justice Conference. My mind was blown by what Sojourners President Jim Wallis, who I’d never heard of before, had to say. He basically spent an entire speech white-shaming Christians. Interesting, considering he is a 68-year-old white male. During his racial grievance speech, Wallis used a family Christmas gathering as an example of innate racism among white people. “My little guy Jack, he’s 12 and he’s 5’7 ½,” explained Wallis. “[Family and friends] said Jack you’re so big, strong, athletic, impressive. No one said Jack you look threatening or scary.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, I do believe racism exists. I believe in fighting racism (I’ve written about it here). However, white shaming Christian youth at a conference is not the way to go about it. Wallis’ whole approach is absurd. On what planet would a black 12-year-old go to visit his family and be told they look threatening? I might not be as old as Wallis, but I’m pretty sure it’s the Church’s position to unify people.

(2.) The UMC Just Elected an Openly Gay Bishop

 I’m not Methodist, but I was utterly surprised by the election of Rev. Karen Oliveto as Bishop by the Western Jurisdiction on July 15. I learned Oliveto is the first openly lesbian bishop to be elected to the UMC. It’s fascinating to me that congregants elected leaders whose lifestyles are in direct contrast to their denomination’s doctrine. That’s something I’d never would have even considered as possible before working at the IRD. But stepping back and considering the social justice jargon being used to push liberal agenda in our communities, I guess I shouldn’t be shocked. I’m more surprised professing Christians are falling for it.

(3.) Wild Goose Festival

There’s not one specific speaker or topic from the 2016 Wild Goose festival than I can focus in on here. The entire festival was shocking to me. Wild Goose is a progressive Christian festival in Hot Springs, North Carolina filled with predominately white, older hippies, according to the IRD’s Chelsen Vicari, who traveled down to North Carolina to report. Since when do Christian workshops include “Creating a Trans-Friendly Church,” “A Progressive Evangelical Call,” and “Cosmic Mass”? Vicari noted, “I met several kind people who I’m sure love Jesus. I just pray they also learn to love his Truth too.” I could not have put it into better words myself. God’s truth needs to be recognized and valued as much as His love.

(4.) “The Queering Project of Jesus”

In June, United Kingdom Bishop Alan Wilson gave a shocking keynote address titled, “Same-sex marriage and the queering project of Jesus” during the Queering Paradigms Conference in the Cayman Islands. Wilson criticized the belief that the human body has natural uses and also rejected the notion that God created specific intentions when designing our bodies. He suggested that homosexuality offends some people because they hold a very simplistic idea of what the natural human being looks like.

Needless to say, I was surprised by his blatant dismissal of God’s creation of complementary gender norms. But I circle back to Vicari’s statement about Wild Goose Festival participants. It’s important to not only accept Christ’s love, but His truth as well. We cannot pick and choose what scriptures we want to use and which we do not in order to pander to those we disagree with. It is possible to show Christ’s love to people, while still accepting Biblical values.

(5.) More Sojourners Folks and the Justice Conference

I list the Justice Conference going-ons twice because, most shockingly, this is an Evangelical conference that attracts young Evangelicals just like me. So when Lisa Sharon Harper, Sojourners chief church engagement officer, spoke in the conference line-up, I knew Wallis’ bizarre discussion was not a fluke.

Similar to her boss Jim Wallis, Harper used her 20 minutes to present a racial grievance narrative and condemn a conservative Christian worldview. At one point Harper said, “We have transported the view of racial hierarchy, of sexual hierarchy, of gender hierarchy and we slapped some Bible on it and we called it a day.”

Again, racial reconciliation is an admirable point of issue to take up with young Christians, but the grievance rhetoric isn’t helpful. Instead of holding a normal church service, TD Jakes’ church The Potter’s House held a panel discussion about the state of racial relations following the deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and five Dallas police officers. Instead of shame and guilt speech, an open honest conversation about steps for reconciliation took place. Again, isn’t that the way the Church should be addresses this hostile issue?

I’m so grateful to the IRD for allowing me to witness a fraction of the underbelly of the Church, with its unorthodox distortions and misleadings. It’s given me a greater appreciation for the gift of discernment.

  1. Comment by Mark1224 on July 29, 2016 at 10:40 am

    I’m so glad to see that discernment!

    Jim “the Gospel is all about wealth redistribution” Wallis is a shameless race-baiter. He does it for a living.

    If he really cared about blacks he’d fight abortion, which kills them at a rate of 3 times that of whites. That rate will increase when Wallis and the rest of the “Christian” Left get their dream of taxpayer-funded abortions.

    And if he really cared about blacks he’d oppose illegal immigration instead of championing it. Every illegal alien takes a job of a low-income black and suppresses the wages of remaining jobs. It is the simplest economics.

    And the Wild Goat festival is full of people like Wallis. They hate God.

  2. Comment by Keogh01 on July 29, 2016 at 2:22 pm

    Yes, I was glad to see your discernment, too

    Tell your friends and brethren. It is astonishing how knowledge of Scriptures helps you recognize the counterfeit.

  3. Comment by Namyriah on July 29, 2016 at 6:02 pm

    Reading the Bible on one’s own time is what separates orthodox Protestants from the liberal version.

    The denomination profiles in the ARDA (Association of Religion Data Archives) show a clear correlation between conservatism (both theological and political) and the reading of the Bible outside of church. For example, in the conservative Assemblies of God, 76.2% “read scripture outside of religious services at least once a week,” whereas in the very liberal United Church of Christ it’s 20.3%. For the Episcopalians (liberal), it’s 22%, for the Southern Baptists (conservative), 58.3%. Portions of the Bible are read aloud in all Christian worship services, of course, but in the more conservative churches, the ones that (to use the well-worn phrase) emphasize a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, there’s more commitment to reading the Bible on one’s own time. One’s positions on social issues such as abortion, homosexual “marriage,” and other lifestyle issues are definitely more conservative the more the person reads the Bible on his own time.

    If you’re interested in these surveys, click on this page, it allows you to compare up to 5 denominations at once.

    http://thearda.com/Denoms/Families/members.asp

  4. Comment by CDGingrich on July 30, 2016 at 9:25 am

    Thanks very much, Kelssi. Hang in there. As Jan Hus said, “Truth will prevail”.

  5. Comment by Mark on July 30, 2016 at 9:31 am

    Good writing, Kelssi. I am sorry you had to endure such heresies, but then it may be part of God’s call on your life as a writer.

  6. Comment by Mikos on August 2, 2016 at 7:13 pm

    Thanks Kelssi for writing about this subject. It is a great help. Keep up the excellent work you are pursuing.

  7. Comment by okiefrom on August 3, 2016 at 11:30 am

    Dear Kelssi: Welcome to the real world! I hope you keep your openness to learning about religious movements in our country and world. Sometimes it is painful and threatening. The organization in which you have interned this summer finds it so. it is seeking to “go back” to some nostalgic era in the past — not clearly described — where everyone is a “true believer” fundamentalist. That era, if it ever existed, is long past. There is much good Christian witness in the heart and mind of Jim Wallis and the Sojourners. I urge you to consider an internship with them to balance your experience. (pastor, campus minister, district superintendent for 50 years).

  8. Comment by Xerxesfire on August 5, 2016 at 10:35 pm

    Sir, I fear you are blinded by Wallis’ liberal leanings. Does JW have some valid points to make? Possibly, but he is too leftist to really be a decent witness for Christ. In order for real racial reconciliation to occur, people of all races and ethnicities must accept Christ’s salvation for themselves and believe that Christ died for their sins and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. (Otherwise, it’s only a head knowledge and not a heart knowledge). Once that transformation occurs, racial unity can take root as a natural response to Christ’s redemptive power on the cross. Liberals don’t get it. Do you, sir? Do you believe the Basic Tenets of the Christian faith, such as the Atonement? Do you believe in the Genesis story of Creation and not Evolution? Amazing how many mainline pastors don’t believe these things and their churches are dying! The “gays and grays” congregations are spiritually bankrupt and will eventually die out. I also disagree with you about IRD – they are all too aware of the leftist leanings of the mainline churches, but in my opinion, remain hopeful for renewal, if it’s possible. I’m sure they are well aware they can never go back to some idyllic fundamentalist time. They are just trying (with God’s help) to remain faithful to the Word of God.

  9. Comment by Kelssi on August 9, 2016 at 2:52 am

    I am actually very aware of the real world. I have made it a point to not let myself be sheltered like so many of my peers. Maybe Jim Wallis does have good intent, but his follow through is where the problem lies. I also have a heart for healing these wounds of racism that we are seeing in America, but I do not believe division is the way to handle it. I’ve written about some of my views here. https://medium.com/@kelssi/america-its-time-for-change-6988f946fec3#.29p7b6tab
    I do appreciate your comment because I do know many people who keep themselves sheltered from the “outside world” and live in their “church bubble” but I can assure you I am not one of them. And, like I said, I do think Jim Wallis may have good intentions deep down somewhere, but dividing the church is no way to go about fixing the division of racism.

    On a side note, I saw your username was okiefrom. I’m going to assume you’re from/live in Oklahoma. I was born and raised in southern Oklahoma and just recently moved away for college. Although we have some differences in opinion I am glad to see a fellow Oklahoman that does at least care enough to read up on issues.

  10. Comment by Xerxesfire on August 5, 2016 at 10:16 pm

    Nice job Kelssi. May you continue to have discernment to be able to know God’s truth and separate the wheat from the chaff.

  11. Comment by Andy on August 16, 2019 at 3:47 pm

    I randomly came across your post while looking for something else. After reading it, I was encouraged to see a young person who still values Biblical truth above cultural trends. In a day and age when so many are apostasizing, it’s encouraging to see others who are staying faithful to Christ. Keep it up!

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