Liberal or Conservative

When I came into my current charge, this was one of the questions people had for me. Oh they didn't articulate it as such, but the questions remained, where does Scott fall on the issues? How did he vote in the previous election? What was his agenda for the church?
To answer that is to tell the story of where I have been, not only in my childhood as a slightly overweight, largely immature young person who was often the target of bullies and name calling. This time of my life has had a profound impact on how I view people today. Yet it was only after many years of growth that I realize how this had formed me.
When I was called into the minsitry, I wanted to choose the best possible education I could get. I knew I didn't want to attend a theologically conservative seminary. That was who I already was. A conservative on the verge of fundamentalism. A bully and name caller. I wanted to learn and understand the "other side" so that I might be a part of the larger conversations that are a part of our religious community today.
I chose a prestigeuos seminary with far liberal leanings. My first mentor was the schools only "open" gay professor. I found his teaching sound and his ministry to me and my peers was loving and compassionate. Could I be wrong about the homosexual community? Yes, and well no. But that is a subject for another blog entry.
What seminary did was to bring me to a place where I could speak about the issues without screaming about them (as NT Wright points out that Christians do today). I fall somewhere between the issues where I can speak from experience and compassion as well as the Scriptural record. I see the faces of the gay classmates who desparately feel the call to ministry while feeling the rejection of denominations which don't know how to fit them in and I know what the Scriptures say about that issue.
Recently the question came to me, is God a liberal? I thought for a minute. "Yes. I believe God can indeed be considered that. Look at how he pours out his love and mercy on all people. When it really mattered, God gave all that He had for us and our salvation. Yes I believe God is a liberal... But God also has expectations and rules... that must mean that He is conservative as well." See how hard it is to put God in a box with a lable on it?