I just read an interesting conversation between a Unitarian “minister” (Sewell) and America’s leading atheist (Christopher Hitchens). This was recorded by the Portland Monthly magazine. The entire interview can be found here.
One of these two has an understanding of Christianity. Is it the alleged minister or is it the atheist?
Sewell: The religion you cite in your book is a generally fundamentalist faith of various kinds. I’m a liberal Christian, and I don’t take the stories from the scripture literally. I don’t believe in the doctrine of atonement (that Jesus died for our sins, for example). Do you make any distinction between fundamentalist faith and liberal religion?
Hitchens: I would say that if you don’t believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ and Messiah, and that he rose again from the dead and by his sacrifice our sins are forgiven, you’re really not in any meaningful sense a Christian.
What think ye, imbibers of Coffee with Curt?
Is there any such thing as a "liberal Christian"? For your reading assignment today, allow me to refer you to an old classic: Christianity and Liberalism, by J. Greshem Machen.
