{"id":39855,"date":"2025-01-16T09:00:06","date_gmt":"2025-01-16T17:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/?p=39855"},"modified":"2025-01-08T13:23:29","modified_gmt":"2025-01-08T21:23:29","slug":"an-imperfect-human-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/an-imperfect-human-system\/","title":{"rendered":"The Imperfect Human System"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news\u00a0to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favor.\u201d (Luke 4.18,19)<\/em><\/p>\n

In this blog, I will explore my pre-existing beliefs and convictions regarding Liberalism. Subsequently, I will analyze the arguments presented by Patrick Deneen in his insightful work,\u00a0How Liberalism Has Failed<\/em>, to explain how his perspectives both confirm and contest my beliefs. Finally, I will explore how the gospel provides a profound response to the intrinsic longings of humanity that liberalism fails to address.<\/p>\n

What I Believe About Liberalism: The Dual Facets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liberalism, as a philosophical approach to politics and societal life, fundamentally promotes individual rights and freedoms. In my understanding, this ideology has been instrumental in advancing significant social movements, such as the civil rights movement, women’s rights, and the protection of children from abuse and exploitation. This underscores the positive impact of liberalism in fostering justice and equality, particularly for the oppressed, underprivileged, and marginalized groups in society.<\/p>\n

Growing up in South Africa under apartheid has profoundly shaped my belief in justice for these vulnerable populations. Then, through travel to countries in the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia, the stark realities of systemic oppression and discrimination have reinforced my conviction that individual rights and freedoms are essential for achieving social justice and equity.<\/p>\n

However, my engagement with a biblical faith has challenged liberalism and introduced a critical perspective as well. Within this framework, I have understood the argument that an excessive emphasis on individual rights can undermine the cohesion and stability of society. I believe that prioritizing individual freedoms, without balancing this with what is best for the whole, erodes the foundational relationships and values that hold the fabric of society together. Complex social issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, and the disintegration of an orthodox sexual ethic, are often cited as manifestations of the potential pitfalls of liberalism.<\/p>\n

Politically, I believe that individual rights and freedoms should held in tension with acting in the best interest of the whole. But more importantly, from a biblical perspective, I also believe that none of the human frameworks that have been developed can truly address the ills of society, because human beings need to be redeemed and transformed by Christ. More on that in a moment.<\/p>\n

Next, I will examine how reading Deneen affirmed my beliefs.<\/p>\n

My Beliefs Affirmed<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I\u2019m not politically minded or motivated, I have experienced a change in receptivity to biblical values. \u00a0It has become particularly challenging for church leaders to navigate politically charged issues that contradict and undermine biblical teaching. In the past, it seemed as if people were content to agree to disagree on issues. Now, disagreement is perceived as discrimination and hate speech. Pastors must, increasingly, be able to teach biblical truth while at the same time speaking to a hostile culture.<\/p>\n

Deneen affirms what I have believed but not been able to articulate. That is, our society has become increasingly intolerant and controlling despite political claims that we value freedom and diversity. Deneen states, \u201cA political philosophy that was launched to foster greater equity, defend a pluralist tapestry of different cultures and beliefs, protect human dignity, and, of course, expand liberty, in practice generates titanic inequality, enforces uniformity and homogeneity, fosters material and spiritual degradation, and undermines freedom.\u201d[1]<\/a><\/p>\n

Secondly, Dineen affirms my beliefs about liberalism\u2019s misunderstanding of human freedom. He writes, \u201cLiberalism rejects the ancient conception of liberty as the learned capacity of human beings to conquer the slavish pursuit of base and hedonistic desires.\u201d[2]<\/a> \u00a0Rather, he has noted that the understanding of freedom for the individual is the unrestrained pursuit of inner desires. [3]<\/a> Rather than practicing restraint of desire as a virtue, our culture elevates the pursuit of desire as the ultimate virtue. It seems that our culture will claim that people are only free when they stay true to their inner desires and pursue them fully. Peek at social media to obtain a view of what is celebrated.<\/p>\n

Next, I will explore how my beliefs have been challenged by Deneen.<\/p>\n

My Beliefs Challenged<\/strong><\/p>\n

I believe that liberal democracy is probably still the best construct that we have in a fallen world. Liberal democracy, characterized by free and fair elections, the protection of individual rights, and the rule of law, has some ability to promote political stability, economic development, and social justice. Liberal democracy provides a framework for accountability and transparency, allowing people to participate in the political process and hold their leaders accountable. While it is not without its challenges, there has been a modicum of benefit compared to other ideological approaches. I believe that it is Imperfect, but the best we have.<\/p>\n

Yet, Deneen calls for the emergence of a superior political ideology that would replace liberalism while still recognizing the achievements of liberalism.[4]<\/a> While not unrealistic, he doesn\u2019t seem to propose what that could be. I appreciated the challenge to my beliefs, but I would have appreciated a more concrete solution.<\/p>\n

Finally, I want to look at my ultimate hope in the face of liberalism or any other political ideology.<\/p>\n

A Gospel-centred View<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I do believe we need some political construct in a fallen world, our ultimate hope is not in the emergence of another flawed political ideology. Rather, I want to center my hope for our world in Jesus, the true Messiah and hope of all the nations. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus emerged from his temptation in the wilderness, went to a synagogue in his hometown and read the passage from Isaiah that is quoted at the beginning of this blog. Stunningly he proclaimed, \u201cToday this scripture is fulfilled\u00a0in your hearing.\u201d<\/em> (Luke 4.21)<\/p>\n

One could easily mistake Jesus\u2019 proclamation as a political agenda. However, the message and ministry of Jesus were profoundly linked to God\u2019s agenda for all nations, the Messiah had come to bring grace and mercy through himself.[5]<\/a> In his Kingdom Manifesto, recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7, Jesus calls for the transformation of individuals who become transforming agents in the world. Real freedom and justice are not achieved through a political ideology but are found in him. Regardless of which flawed political system we find ourselves in, the way to human flourishing is found in Him.<\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> Patrick J. Deneen, Why Liberalism Failed<\/em>, Kindle (New Haven\u202f; London: Yale University Press, 2018), 3.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> Deneen, 37.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Deneen, 37.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Deneen, 183.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> N. T. Wright, Luke for Everyone<\/em>, 2nd ed (London\u202f: Louisville, KY: SPCK\u202f; Westminster John Knox Press, 2004), 48.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news\u00a0to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord\u2019s favor.\u201d (Luke 4.18,19) In this blog, I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":204,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2712,2967],"class_list":["post-39855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-deneen","tag-dlgp03","cohort-dlgp03"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39855","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/204"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39855"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39855\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39877,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39855\/revisions\/39877"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39855"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39855"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.georgefox.edu\/dlgp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39855"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}