I'm Only Right When I'm Left

There is an interesting article in the NY Times (HT: Ad Orientem , by way of T19) on the Episcopal Church's "liberal" politics, "liberal" theology, and its decline in attendance. I have said everything I have to say regarding the Episcopal Church in my "Exes" post, but that is not what I wish to address. Instead, read the comments to the NY Times article and the first comment by "Anonymous" at Ad Orientem's blog. There is a lot of conversation going back and forth over "liberalism" and "conservatism" in Christianity, with a horrid lack of definition over what these terms mean.

Exes

Some might wonder why I have an occasional interest in the doings of the denominations I used to attend. As an Orthodox Christian I have found the fullness of the faith, so what matter is it to me what the Baptists or Episcopalians might be up to? I think it must be a similar feeling to being married (an experience I have yet to be graced with) and hearing news about a girl one used to date- perhaps even have been serious about at one point. You can be quite happily married and completely not interested in picking up an old relationship, yet still be interested in hearing what that person might be up to- you can feel joy to hear she has had a happy marriage with plenty of children, a pang of sadness to hear about her recent misfortune, or deeply shocked to find out she is in an abusive relationship.