Christian left in the context of "Christian communism"

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⭐ Core Definition: Christian left

The Christian left is a range of Christian political and social movements that largely embrace social justice principles and uphold a social doctrine or social gospel based on their interpretation of the teachings of Christianity. Given the inherent diversity in international political thought, the term Christian left can have different meanings and applications in different countries. While there is much overlap, the Christian left is distinct from liberal Christianity, meaning not all Christian leftists are liberal Christians and vice versa.

In the United States, the Christian left usually aligns with modern liberalism and progressivism, using the social gospel to achieve better social and economic equality. Christian anarchism, Christian communism, and Christian socialism are subsets of the socialist Christian left. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, authors of the Communist Manifesto, both had Christian upbringings; however, neither were devout Christians.

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Christian left in the context of Christianity and politics

The relationship between Christianity and politics is a historically complex subject and a frequent source of disagreement throughout the history of Christianity, as well as in modern politics between the Christian right and Christian left. There have been a wide variety of ways in which thinkers have conceived of this relationship, with many arguing that Christianity directly supports a particular political ideology or philosophy. Along these lines, various thinkers have argued for Christian communism, Christian socialism, Christian nationalism, Christian anarchism, Christian libertarianism, Christian democracy, Christian fascism, the divine right of kings, or tsarist autocracy. Particularly in the United States, Christian interest groups play a role in pushing for Christian values. However, others believe that Christians should have little interest or participation in politics or government, or none at all.

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Christian left in the context of Liberalism and progressivism within Islam

Liberalism and progressivism within Islam or simply Islamic liberalism or Islamic progressivism are a range of interpretation of Islamic understanding and practice, it is a religiously left-leaning view, similar to Christian and other religious progressivism. Some Muslims have created a considerable body of progressive interpretation of Islamic understanding and practice. Their work is sometimes characterized as progressive (Arabic: الإسلام التقدمي al-Islām at-taqaddumī) or liberal Islam. Some scholars, such as Omid Safi, differentiate between "progressive Muslims" (post-colonial, anti-imperialist, and critical of modernity and the West) versus "liberal advocates of Islam" (an older movement embracing modernity). Liberal Islam originally emerged from the Islamic revivalist movement of the 18th–19th centuries. Leftist ideas are considered controversial by some traditional fundamentalist Muslims, who criticize liberal Muslims on the grounds of being too Western and/or rationalistic.

The methodologies of liberal and progressive Islam rest on the re-interpretation of traditional Islamic sacred scriptures (the Quran) and other texts (the Hadith), a process called ijtihad. This reinterpreting can vary from minor to fundamental, including re-interpretation based on the belief that while the meaning of the Quran is a revelation, its expression in words is the work of the Islamic prophet Muhammad in his particular time and context.

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Christian left in the context of Jim Wallis

James E. Wallis Jr. (born June 4, 1948) is an American theologian, writer, teacher and political activist. He is best known as the founder and former editor of Sojourners magazine and as the founder of the Washington, D.C.–based Christian community of the same name. In 2021, Wallis joined Georgetown University as the inaugural Archbishop Desmond Tutu Chair in Faith and Justice. He also leads the Center on Faith and Justice at Georgetown. Wallis is known for his advocacy on issues of peace and social justice. Although Wallis actively eschews political labels, he describes himself as an evangelical and is often associated with the evangelical left and the wider Christian left. He worked as a spiritual advisor to President Barack Obama. He is also a leader in the Red-Letter Christian movement.

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Christian left in the context of Democratic Party (Italy)

The Democratic Party (Italian: Partito Democratico, PD) is a social democratic political party in Italy. The party's secretary is Elly Schlein, elected in the 2023 leadership election, while the party's president is Stefano Bonaccini.

The PD was established in 2007 upon the merger of various centre-left parties which had been part of The Olive Tree list in the 2006 Italian general election, mainly the social democratic Democrats of the Left (DS), successor of the Italian Communist Party and the Democratic Party of the Left, which was folded with several social democratic parties (Labour Federation and Social Christians, among others) in 1998, as well as the largely Catholic-inspired Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL), a merger of the Italian People's Party (heir of the Christian Democracy party's left wing), The Democrats and Italian Renewal in 2002. While the party has also been influenced by Christian left, social liberalism and Third Way, especially under Matteo Renzi's leadership, the PD moved closer to social liberalism. Under latter leaders, especially Schlein, whose upbringing is influenced by the left-wing, environmentalism and green politics, the party has moved to the left.

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Christian left in the context of Evangelical left

The Evangelical left is a Christian left movement in evangelical Christianity that affirms conservative evangelical theology and are politically progressive. It is mainly based in the US, but is also found in Latin America.

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Christian left in the context of Night of Schmelzer

The Night of Schmelzer was a debate in the House of Representatives of the Netherlands that took place from 13 October to the early hours of 14 October 1966. This night marked the final day of the general debate on the 1967 budget, which had begun on 11 October. During the debate's conclusion, Norbert Schmelzer, parliamentary group leader of the Catholic People's Party (KVP), introduced a motion opposing the Cals cabinet. This cabinet included members from the KVP, the Labour Party (PvdA), and the Anti-Revolutionary Party (ARP). Although the cabinet perceived the motion as a vote of no confidence, it passed nonetheless. Consequently, the cabinet resigned on 15 October.

The Night of Schmelzer catalyzed ongoing developments in Dutch politics. Within the Labour Party, distrust of the KVP deepened, spurring a polarisation strategy and the rise of the New Left faction. This event also accelerated the KVP's electoral decline, already underway due to depillarisation. Christian radicals favoring cooperation with the PvdA split from the KVP in 1968 to establish the Political Party of Radicals. Conversely, the Night propelled the KVP, CHU, and ARP toward unification as the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA). Meanwhile, anti-establishment parties like the Farmers' Party and the newly-founded Democrats 66, established on 14 October 1966, gained momentum, reflected in their increased popularity in the 1967 general election.

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Christian left in the context of Italian People's Party (1994)

The Italian People's Party (Italian: Partito Popolare Italiano, PPI) was a Christian-democratic, centrist and Christian-leftist political party in Italy. The party was a member of the European People's Party (EPP).

The PPI was the formal successor of the Christian Democracy (DC), but was soon deprived of its conservative elements, which successively formed the Christian Democratic Centre (CCD) in 1994 and the United Christian Democrats (CDU) in 1995. The PPI was finally merged into Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL) in 2002, and DL was later merged with the Democrats of the Left (DS) and minor centre-left parties into Democratic Party (PD) in 2007.

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