Friday, May 13, 2011

On perfectionism and purity

We've been talking a little bit in class about compromise and a bit more about responses to bin Laden's death, but not at all about something that has gotten some attention in blogs: Sojourner's magazine, an important progressive Evangelical magazine, refused to publish an ad for a GBLT event.  (I think that is more or less what happened.)  Among the reactions: since the editor has shown his opposition to one cause, his progressive credentials are tarnished and his leadership is called into question.  In other words, he is not perfect or pure.

This response takes a rather different position based in a different theology:  Nadia on Jim Wallis 
Her take on the situation has some echos of Lincoln, at least as I described him a few days ago.  It also suggests that getting anywhere on social change may involve compromise and collaboration with folks with whom one disagrees on some issues but with whom one shares some common goals.  In other words, even if all of our self-interests don't coincide, perhaps some do.

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