When a conservative is not a conservative

This week, before he scrubbed his comment from Facebook, progressive writer Jonathan Merritt told me he doesn't like the work I do, or that WND does.

Why?

Because as a member of conservative Christian royalty, Jonathan Merritt doesn't like conservative writers.

The son of the former president of the Southern Baptist Convention (Dr. James Merritt), Merritt is what I call a change-agent within evangelicalism. His career as a writer (from impressively large perches like Religion News Service) makes him a leader in this area.

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In essence, Jonathan Merritt introduces left-wing thought to evangelical audiences. Of course a big target area is the Millennial generation, those 18- to 35-year-olds who do not share the bedrock conservative principles of their parents and grandparents.

Generally speaking.

For example, younger generations unquestionably are much more likely to embrace the homosexual agenda. This is the generation raised on Oprah and Ellen.

Merritt himself was "outed" a couple years ago, and his odd public acknowledgment of an encounter with another man made some headlines.

Interestingly, however, the revelation did not impede his career. Nor am I aware of celebrity pastors who questioned his story, in a negative sense. This is part of the New Evangelicalism.

The reason for that is, in my opinion, the spirit of the age is with Jonathan Merritt. Progressivism, center-left thought, cultural acceptance and multi-cultural emphasis in schools and even churches have brought us to the place where a Jonathan Merritt can enjoy a booming writing/speaking career, even as he helps transition the American church into a left-wing entity.

He doesn't like my writing, or the focus of WND, because we are one of the relatively few voices spotlighting such an agenda.

And it is an agenda.

It is fascinating to note that when I attempt to dialogue with these change-agents, they become annoyed and try to marginalize me. But they never answer my questions.

For example, a now-annual question I have for Catalyst conferences (where Merritt has spoken) is, "Why do you allow left-leaning speakers – such as the radical Cornel West – to address evangelical pastors and youth pastors?"

It's a simple question, but one that Catalyst leadership refuses to answer.

So too does Jonathan Merritt resent when I point out that he is not – as he claims – moderately conservative. Read his blogs.

Note too that many national evangelical leaders, including folks like Ed Stetzer and Mark Batterson, endorse or provide cover for Merritt's left-wing views.

Such evidence is found in, to cite just one example, the Amazon endorsements for Merritt's 2014 book, "Jesus is Better Than You Imagined" (I've never "imagined" Jesus, myself).

Batterson. Tullian Tchividjian. Leonard Sweet. Rebekah Lyons. Shane Claiborne. Brad Lomenick. Rachel Held Evans. (If you want to search for some interesting info on each, go to Apprising Ministries.)

Merritt engages in what I call the manipulation of language. From his perch as a progressive writer, he is able to interview fellow change agents like Held Evans and Rob Bell. This introduces their progressive ideas about Christianity and faith.

Through it all, Merritt self-identifies as a "moderate conservative."

This is to fool rank-and-file evangelicals. Shame on the Ed Stetzers of the world for helping mainstream him.

On a wide range of social and theological issues, Merritt outs himself as a progressive. But he insists on calling himself a moderate conservative.

Curious, curious.

This past week, I engaged him on his Facebook page, calling him progressive. Eventually he weighed in, finally accusing me of "pleading" for an interview with him.

That is classic smokescreen.

I admit that I would like to ask him many questions, including why he spoke at a Telos gathering in 2013. The gathering was a strategy session for engaging audiences regarding the Israel/Palestinian issue. Telos presents itself as a "pro-pro-pro" group, meaning they are for everyone, yet curiously they constantly promote a view of the Arab-Israeli conflict that sounds like a PLO press release.

I don't get to have questions like this answered because the best-known evangelical leaders in the U.S. do not wish to answer questions like this.

Jonathan Merritt chose to scrub my comments and our exchange from his Facebook page. That is classic evasion, and it doesn't serve the Christian community Merritt and his friends purport to serve and love.

The name of the game today in evangelicalism is obfuscate, marginalize "critics" and shield progressive agendas from the rank-and-file.

"Nothing to see here, move along."

Except, there is much to see.

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