At Religion Dispatches, Robert P. Jones responds to “strong criticism from the religious left” of the Third Way’s recently released “Come Let Us Reason Together Governing Agenda.” Jones was principal religion advisor and a signatory to this initiative:
Under the leadership of Rachel Laser, Director of the Third Way Culture Program, “Come Let Us Reason Together” has already accomplished two short-term goals: 1.) it has sparked serious conversations about the promise of this agenda to heal some of our nation’s deepest divides, including engaging in face-to-face conversations with members of congress in the Democratic Faith Working Group of the U.S. House of Representatives and with key members of the Obama administration; and 2.) it has highlighted an emerging evangelical center that is declaring its independence from the old Religious Right in important ways.
One unintended consequence of the project has been to highlight the existence of two streams in the left-of-center faith world. While these groups are not mutually exclusive, they flow from different sensibilities about public engagement and embody a significantly different spirit.
He argues that “three differences between these streams are at the heart of the matter”:
1. A World of Enemies vs. Potential Partners
2. Incivility vs. Good Faith
3. Nostalgia vs. a New Moment
Read the full piece at Religion Dispatches.