Many say both.
Some insist that he was a religious progressive.
What are your thoughts on that and scripturally why?:confused:
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred

I consider such labels to be modern constructs that don't have any real equivalent in the ancient world, so I don't think there's a good answer to your question.

I want to say liberal helping the poor, helping the sick. I never heard a scripture where Jesus said to the poor go somewhere else there are no free handouts here. But I could be wrong.

I'll go with Liberal.

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Originally Posted by arcura

Many say both.
Some insist that he was a religious progressive.
What are your thoughts on that and scripturally why?:confused:
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred

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The religious spectrum would include the fundamentalists on the extreme conservative side (the "right"). The extreme left would include the liberation theology crowd.

I think Jesus would be far more likely to be found on the liberal left of the religious spectrum. As far as we can tell by the Gospels, he sided with the poor and outcast, not the rich and the comfortable classes.

Liberal

All the answers so far seem to be based on social criteria rather than religious, which is what the OP asked about.

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Originally Posted by arcura

Many say both. Some insist that he was a religious progressive. What are your thoughts on that and scripturally why?:confused:
:) Peace and kindness,:)
Fred

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Fred:

I think I would agree with dwashbur. Christ didn’t bring a message of social order, rather he brought a message of Divine Order.

JoeT

Thanks much for all of your answers so far.
I was wondering about the fact that many say that Jesus was a perfect Jew if so does that make Him a conservative?
On the other hand he stressed changes in how the establishment practiced and urged being Jews at that time such as the Sabbath was made for man, and what about working not at all ever on the Sabbath but Jesus refuted that.
There are other examples.
Does that make Him a liberal?
Also Jesus established a new Jewish religion that is called Christianity. Some say that makes Him a progressive.
Peace and kindness,
Fred

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Originally Posted by arcura

I was wondering about the fact that many say that Jesus was a perfect Jew if so does that make Him a conservative?

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I'm not sure how you made that link, are all jews conservative?

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Originally Posted by JoeT777

Fred:

I think I would agree with dwashbur. Christ didn’t bring a message of social order, rather he brought a message of Divine Order.

JoeT

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GrumpyJoeT,

EXCELLENT response... :)

The Lord Jesus Christ was perfect in everything he did according to the Bible. He went out of his way to eat with sinners. Some would consider that "liberal".

When the woman that was caught in the act of adultry and was thrown before him the pharisees asked what should happen to her? According to the law she should've been stoned. Jesus took care of the problem perfectly... EVERYONE that wanted her stoned ended up walking away, because of what he wrote on the ground. Why did he defend her? Did that make him a liberal? Some may think so, but the last thing he said to her was "go and sin NO more". ( pretty conservative right there )

He was NEVER impressed by the pharisee's that had the outward appearance to be all moral and upright. In fact, he exposed them for what they really were. He called them a brood of vipers and hypocrites. ( conservative? Liberal? Or just correct)

He didn't put up with people trying to make a quick buck in the Temple... he was TICKED to say the least and physically drove them OUT. ( liberal? Conservative.. or just RIGHT)

The pharisee's and saducees considered him to be RADICAL. So much so they thought he was too dangerous to live. They wanted him dead and the rest is history.

I don't see how he could be either... He was and is just Perfect in all His ways.

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Originally Posted by classyT

...but the last thing he said to her was "go and sin NO more". ( pretty conservative right there ) .

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I'm not sure I understand that point, would a liberal christian tend to continue sinning?

Needkarma,

My point was he had compassion and mercy on her but he told her to go and NEVER sin again. Because that is HIS standard. It doesn't get more "conservative" than THAT.

In other words he didn't just say.. you're OK now, run along and try REAL hard not to do it again.

HIS standard is perfection... always. Even though we fall short most of the time. He is and was neither liberal nor conservative.

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Originally Posted by classyT

HIS standard is perfection...always.

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Can't a liberal person have perfection as their standard too?

NK,
Sure.
My point is Jesus wasn't either according to how we define liberalism and conservatives today.

Ah OK, understood. Thanks.

dwashbur agrees : Isn't that what I said?? :-)


Dave, yep... but I sounded SMARTER saying it. :D

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Originally Posted by classyT

dwashbur agrees : Isn't that what I said?????? :-)


Dave, yep...but i sounded SMARTER sayin it. :D

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No, I used more words and bigger words, so I sounded smarter http://www.nwdiveclub.com/images/smilies/neener.gif

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Originally Posted by dwashbur

I consider such labels to be modern constructs that don't have any real equivalent in the ancient world, so I don't think there's a good answer to your question.

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Yes, there was no theory to go along with liberalism in the ancient world.More accurately, there was no social contract theory. Such things as, moral sense, behaviouralism and scientific naturalism did not appear until Hobbes and Locke came along. Even then the idea was subject to constant revision and change over hundreds of years. A process which is still going on today.

I guess the only political theory that existed at the time of Jesus was the theory of,' do as Rome says or pay the consequences'.

As far as Jesus and everyone else was concerned they had very few political options to choose from.

Tut