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TheChristian left is a range ofChristian political andsocial movements that largely embracesocial justice principles and uphold a social doctrine orsocial gospel based on their interpretation of the teachings ofChristianity. Given the inherent diversity in international political thought, the termChristian left can have different meanings and applications in different countries. While there is much overlap, the Christian left is distinct fromliberal Christianity, meaning not all Christian leftists are liberal Christians and vice versa.
In the United States, the Christian left usually aligns withmodern liberalism andprogressivism, using the social gospel to achieve better social and economic equality.[1]Christian anarchism,Christian communism, andChristian socialism are subsets of thesocialist Christian left.Karl Marx andFriedrich Engels, authors of theCommunist Manifesto, both had Christian upbringings; however, neither were devout Christians.[2][3]
As with any section within theleft–right political spectrum, a label such asChristian left represents an approximation, including within it groups and persons holding many diverse viewpoints. The term left-wing might encompass a number of values, some of which may or may not be held by different Christian movements and individuals. As the unofficial title of a loose association of believers, it provides a clear distinction from the more commonly knownChristian right, or religious right, and from its key leaders and political views. The Christian left does not hold the notion that left-leaning policies, whether economic or social, stand in apparent contrast to Christian beliefs.[4]
The most common religious viewpoint that might be described asleft-wing issocial justice, or care for impoverished and oppressedminority groups. Supporters of this trend might encourageuniversal health care,welfare provisions, subsidized education,foreign aid, andaffirmative action for improving the conditions of the disadvantaged. With values stemming fromegalitarianism, adherents of the Christian left consider it part of their religious duty to take actions on behalf of the oppressed.Matthew 25:31–46, among other verses, is often cited to support this view. As nearly all major religions contain the concept of aGolden Rule as a requirement tohelp others,[5] adherents of various religions have cited social justice as a movement in line with their faith.[6] The termsocial justice was coined in the 1840s byLuigi Taparelli, an Italian Catholic scholar of theSociety of Jesus, who was inspired by the writings ofThomas Aquinas.[7] The Christian left holds that social justice, renunciation of power, humility, forgiveness, and private observation of prayer (as inMatthew 6:5–6) as opposed to publicly mandated prayer, are mandated by theGospel. The Bible contains accounts of Jesus repeatedly advocating for the poor and outcast over the wealthy, powerful, and religious. The Christian left maintains that such a stance is relevant and important. Adhering to the standard of "turning the other cheek", which they believe supersedes theOld Testament law of "an eye for an eye", the Christian left sometimes hearkens towardspacifism in opposition to policies advancingmilitarism.[8]
The medievalWaldensians sect had a leftist character.[9] Some among the Christian left,[10] as well as some non-religious socialists, find support foranarchism,communism, andsocialism in the Gospels, for exampleMikhail Gorbachev citingJesus as "the first socialist".[11] The Christian left is a broad category that includes Christian socialism, as well as Christians who would not identify themselves as socialists.[4]
To a significant degree, the Christian left developed out of the experiences of clergy who went to do pastoral work among the working class, often beginning without any social philosophy but simply a pastoral and evangelistic concern for workers. This was particularly true among the Methodists and Anglo-Catholics in England, FatherAdolph Kolping in Germany andJoseph Cardijn in Belgium.[12]
Some Christian groups were closely associated with thepeace movements against theVietnam War as well as the2003 Invasion of Iraq. Religious leaders in many countries have also been on the forefront of criticizing any cuts tosocial welfare programs. In addition, many prominentcivil rights activists were religious figures.[13]
In the United States, members of the Christian Left come from a spectrum ofdenominations:Peace churches, elements of theProtestantmainline churches,Catholicism, and someevangelicals.[14]
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The Christian left generally approacheshomosexuality differently from some other Christian political groups. This approach can be driven by focusing on issues differently despite holding similar religious views, or by holding different religious ideas. Those in the Christian left who have similar ideas as other Christian political groups but a different focus may view Christian teachings on certain issues, such as the Bible's prohibitions against killing or criticisms of concentrations of wealth, as far more politically important than Christian teachings on social issues emphasized by thereligious right, such as opposition to homosexuality. Others in the Christian left have not only a different focus on issues from other Christian political groups, but different religious ideas as well.
For example, some members of the Christian left may consider discrimination and bigotry against homosexuals to be immoral, but they differ on their views towards homosexual sex. Some believe homosexual sex to be immoral but unimportant compared with issues relating to social justice, or even matters of sexual morality involving heterosexual sex. Others assert that some homosexual practices are compatible with the Christian life. Such members believe commonbiblical arguments used to condemn homosexuality are misinterpreted, and that biblical prohibitions of homosexual practices are actually against a specific type of homosexual sex act, i.e.pederasty, the sodomizing of young boys by older men. Thus, they hold biblical prohibitions to be irrelevant when considering modern same-sex relationships.[15][16][17][18]
A related strain of thought is the (Catholic and progressive evangelical)consistent life ethic, which sees opposition tocapital punishment,militarism,euthanasia,abortion and the global unequal distribution of wealth as being related. It is an idea with certain concepts shared byAbrahamic religions as well as someBuddhists,Hindus, and members of other religions. The late CardinalJoseph Bernardin ofChicago developed the idea for the consistent life ethic in 1983.[19]Sojourners is particularly associated with this strand of thought.[20][21]
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Liberation theology is a theological tradition that emerged in thedeveloping world, primarily inLatin America.[22] Since the 1960s, Catholic thinkers have integrated left-wing thought and Catholicism, giving rise to Liberation theology.
It arose at a time when Catholic thinkers who opposed the despotic leaders inSouthern andCentral America allied themselves with the communist opposition. However, it developed independently of and roughly simultaneously withBlack theology in the U.S. and should not be confused with it.[23] TheCongregation for the Doctrine of the Faith decided that while liberation theology is partially compatible with Catholic social teaching, certain Marxist elements of it, such as the doctrine of perpetual class struggle, are against Church teachings.
| State | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Chile | Citizen Left | ||
 Greece | Christian Democracy | ||
 Italy | 360 Association,AreaDem,Olivists,Reformist Base,Social Christians,Teodem,The Populars, andVeltroniani | Factions within theDemocratic Party | |
| Democratic Centre | |||
| Solidary Democracy | |||
 Netherlands | Christian Union | Economically left-wing, progressive on matters like climate change and migration, but conservative on matters like abortion, drugs, euthanasia and prostitution | |
 Nicaragua | Sandinista National Liberation Front | ||
 Poland | AGROunia | Agrarian and nationalist Christian left | |
| Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland | |||
 Romania | Social Democratic Party | ||
 Sweden | Religious Social Democrats of Sweden | Faction within theSwedish Social Democratic Party | |
 Switzerland | Christian Social Party | ||
 United Kingdom | Christians on the Left | Faction within theLabour Party | |
 United States | American Solidarity Party | Economic left | |
| Prohibition Party | |||
 Uruguay | Christian Democratic Party of Uruguay | ||
| State | Party | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Belgium | Humanist Democratic Centre | Factions only | |
 Canada | Co-operative Commonwealth Federation | Merged into theNew Democratic Party | |
| Chile | Citizen Left | ||
 East Germany | Christian Democratic Union | Until 1989 | |
| Italy | Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy | Merged into theDemocratic Party | |
| Italian People's Party | Merged intoDemocracy is Freedom – The Daisy | ||
| Netherlands | Evangelical People's Party | Merged intoGroenLinks | |
| Political Party of Radicals | |||
A number of movements of the past had similarities to today's Christian left:
