Beyond Conservatism

I tell people that I am a conservative because it is the quickest way to communicate to them a basic idea of where I stand on many issues. In reality, though, I would prefer to be known by some other title. The goal of conservatism is to preserve what we have or to get back what we used to have. Conservatives are like people in a fort on a hill. They are constantly fending off attacks from those who would drive them from their stronghold. The conservatives may be strong and smart, and they may have provisions to last for years and years. Eventually and inevitably, however, they will be pushed back, if their goal is last year’s status quo.

The problem with conservatism is the goal. Our goal should not be to make America what it was 50 years ago or 200 years ago. It should not be to make our churches like 17th century churches or even 1st century churches. We should not base our clothing, our music and movie choices, our theology, or our ethics on what we grew up with or what our great-grandparents grew up with. Our standard has to be the Scriptures. We need to fight not for man’s institutions, but for God’s Word to have authority over every area of human existence.

Thinking this way allows us to take the offensive, instead of propping up systems, like the government school system or an artificial dress code. We can engage the culture where it stands, since we have a standard that is universally relevant and which never becomes antiquated. Now we are free to abandon the fort and pursue better ground.

So what am I, if not a conservative? A radical? A reformer? A progressive? I don’t know if there is a label that fits. But I do know that by God’s grace I will never just sit back and be satisfied with the status quo, whether in government, church, or my personal life.