What is a radical Christian?

Answer 1

== A radical whateverian is someone who believes (insert belief here) in an unorthadox, extreme or generally unaccepted way. Anything that goes against the grain, right or wrong.

This question can only be answered honestly if two points are clarified first: 1) Which meaning shall we ascribe to the word "radical?" 2) What are the marks of a true Christian? In common usage, "radical" connotes a state of negatively perceived extremism. More formally, however, "radical" simply means "of or going to the root or origin; fundamental." For a person to be a true Christian requires that he accept Jesus Christ of Nazareth as a Divine Person who, through His divinity, is vested with the full authority of the Godhead. The abstract acceptance of Christ's divine authority is made concrete through obedience to His commands. A paraphrasing of those two commands would be "Love and obey God. Love all people." Therefore, a true Christian will live, consciously, actively, and progressively more deeply, in a way that shows concretely his adherence to those two commandments. Now, a radical Christian in the first sense of the word "radical" would deviate in some concrete way from true Christianity while still claiming the title of Christian. Common examples are those who make hurtful, even hateful, remarks against some group (prostitutes, homosexuals, drug dealers) because their actions are sinful according to the teachings of Christianity. These "Christians" are zealous in fulfilling obedience to the first commandment of Christ, but fail utterly at the second. (Of course, that means they have failed to obey the first commandment of Christ as well.) On the other hand, a person who is a radically true Christian is striving to fulfill BOTH commandments of Christ. In this way he is attempting to live the essence, the root, of Christianity. His work against behaviors in society will not translate into working against the people who exhibit those behaviors. Rather, his work will take the form of loving and acceptance, seeking justice and equity, and a recognition that he, too, fails often to obey. In other words, radical Christianity, in the second sense of the word "radical" absolutely precludes judgment of people. Another meaning of "radical" is "thoroughgoing or extreme, esp. as regards change from accepted or traditional forms." Since, in this sense, radical is a comparative term, the definition of "radical Christian" will change from place to place, and from one group to another. In some groups, regular prayer and church attendance may seem radical if no one in that group attends church or prays at all. In another way, a man who had never attended church before, then begins going weekly, has become "radical" in that his behavior has changed dramatically. In America, where secularization is quite thorough, any behavior that seems to spring from a solid Christian foundation can be seen as radical, for the teachings of Christ are in full opposition to materialism, consumerism, and preoccupation with power, position, or prestige: all of which are valued and rewarded in American culture. Further, as American society has become focused on comfort, health, and youth, Christ's insistence that His followers are to welcome suffering calls for a radical deviation from societal norms. Again, these teachings, if followed in conjunction with the command to love all people, will preclude any actions or statements that diminish the dignity of any human being.