A Critical Analysis on Peter C.

Hodgson’s “Liberal Theology”

Kenneth D. Basilio
Theology IV
I. An Overview of Peter C. Hodgson’s “Liberal Theology”
Peter C. Hodgson’s article entitled “Liberal Theology”, discusses the concept of
liberal theology and its relevance in the modern world. It explores the idea of freedom and
the multiple sources of liberal theology, including scripture, tradition, reason, experience,
and culture. The article also highlights the challenges faced by the church and the need for a
more inclusive and diverse approach.
Here, Hodgson affirms that liberal theology is the defining characteristic of 'modern'
theology, that is, theology that began with the Enlightenment and has persisted up to the
present. For the past two centuries, it has served as the mainstream against which orthodox
and conservative counter-currents have arisen. But in the recent years, liberal theology has
been challenged by two theological movements in particular, postliberalism and radical
orthodoxy. As elucidated by Hodgson:
Postliberalism is one that has been critical of liberalism’s alleged loss of
Christian identity and over-accommodation to the demands of secular culture. Christ
may indeed Christ may indeed be the ‘transformer’ of culture, but culture for
postliberals is not allowed a transformational role in relation to Christ, and the
maintenance of cultural boundaries is deemed important. Radical orthodoxy,
principally a movement of high-church Anglicans and Roman Catholics, claims to be
‘radical’ in a threefold sense: its return to patristic and medieval roots, especially to
the Augustinian vision of all knowledge as divine illumination; its deployment of this
vision to criticize modern society, culture, politics, art, science, and philosophy; and
its re-envisioning of a Christianity that properly values the material, embodied sphere
of life. (4-5)

To these two theological movements, Hodgson argues for a "radically liberal" form of
theology. He believes that the root of liberal theology is the liberality at the heart of the
Christian gospel, which is God. God is seen as freedom itself, and through God's freedom,
both the created world and human beings are set free from bondage. Moreover, the central
theme of Jesus' proclamation is the coming of God's kingdom, which is seen as a liberatory
project that replaces the normal arrangements of domination. The term "liberal" is seen as
appropriate to describe the nature and content of theology because it signifies something
that is fitted for freedom and makes for freedom.

Likewise, Hodgson explains that freedom in liberal theology extends to the sources
of theology itself. Unlike the belief in a single, infallible source like the Bible, liberal theology
recognizes a plurality of sources including scripture, tradition, reason, experience, and
culture. While the Bible holds a normative status for most liberal Christians because it bears
witness to Jesus, it is understood to be a human product inspired by the Holy Spirit. The
biblical literature is seen as the product of a living community of faith, reflecting upon its
own constitution and identity. The process of inspiration and its meaning are open to debate
and diverse interpretations, but it is generally understood that God is involved in the
process.

In line with this, Hodgson proposes that the Scripture should be viewed as part of a
broader tradition that includes creedal documents, biblical exegesis, theological and ethical
systems, ecclesiastical and cultural history. He suggests that neglecting these resources in
favor of a sole focus on biblical preaching is a missed opportunity for learning and growth.
This highlights the need to recognize and engage with the tradition that surrounds and
informs the Scripture.
To this, Hodgson identifies six marks of liberal theology of this day:
1. Free and Open Theology: Liberal theology is characterized by its freedom from
dogmatic constraints and its openness to new ideas and interpretations. It embraces critical
thinking and encourages dialogue and exploration of diverse beliefs and practices.
2. Critically Constructive Theology: Liberal theology engages in critical analysis and
constructive interpretation of religious texts and traditions. It seeks to understand the
historical and cultural contexts of these sources and applies reason and experience to
develop a relevant and meaningful theology.
3. Experiential Theology: Liberal theology recognizes the importance of personal and
collective experiences in shaping religious beliefs. It acknowledges that all religions are
grounded in primordial experiences and seeks to raise these experiences to consciousness,
thought, faith, and doctrine.
4. Visionary, Spiritual, Holistic Theology: Liberal theology embraces a holistic approach
to spirituality, recognizing the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. It emphasizes the
spiritual dimension of human existence and encourages a visionary and transformative
understanding of faith.
5. Prophetic, Culturally Transformative Theology: Liberal theology seeks to address
social and cultural issues and promote justice, equality, and transformation. It challenges
oppressive systems and advocates for social change based on the principles of love,
compassion, and inclusivity.
6. Mediating, Correlational Theology: Liberal theology recognizes the interplay and
conflict between various sources of religious interpretation, such as scripture, tradition,
reason, experience, and culture. It seeks to mediate and correlate these sources to develop
a comprehensive and relevant theology for the contemporary world.
With these characteristics, theology is made relevant to the modern world and offers
resources for church revitalization. Nevertheless, Hodgson acknowledges that liberal
theology has some blind spots when it comes to some contemporary issues, but it is the self-
critical, self-renewing, and self-reforming aspects of this kind of theology that make it
relevant in addressing more significant issues the church and the world face, such as hunger,
terrorism, violence, economic and political injustice, environmental destruction, secular
materialism, loss of meaning, and decline in faith.
II. Liberal Theology vis-à-vis the 10 Mega-trends in Catholicism Today
Mega-trend, in the context of Catholicism, refers to a deep impulse that shapes
Catholic thought and life at a universal level. It is a significant force that affects Catholicism
in various ways. These mega-trends are currents of history that cause certain issues to rise in
importance while others may fall. They are not limited to Catholicism alone but have a
significant impact on the Catholic Church. The identification of these mega-trends is crucial
for understanding the changes and developments within the Church.
To this, John Allen Jr. identifies 1o mega-trends. These trends include the north/south
shift, the quest for Catholic identity, the rise of Islam, the “movements”, the biotech
revolution, the wireless world, the pope effect, the globalization, polarization and its
discontents, and the sexual abuse crisis. These ten mega-trends shape the Catholic Church in
various ways, influencing its demographics, identity, engagement with the world, ethical
debates, use of technology, and internal dynamics.
But how may Hodgson's liberal theology be beneficial and advantageous for our
Church in the midst of these ten megatrends? The following are the advantages of the six
marks of liberal theology in our contemporary world:
1. On a free and open theology: People can engage with their faith in a personal and
meaningful way thanks to liberal theology's freedom of thought and exploration.
It fosters the capacity for critical thought and the willingness to challenge
established ideologies and beliefs. And in a wireless world like what we have
today, this could help the faithful to enrich their understanding of faith and to
dialogue with others.

2. On a critically constructive theology: The goal of liberal theology is to engage with

scripture, tradition, reason, experience, and culture in a critical manner. This
method enables the creation of a theology that is applicable to the modern world
and a fuller grasp of the complexities of faith. Thus, in a world that is continually
changing and where there are significant ethical issues as a result of the rapid
pace of scientific progress, this could assist to establish the foundation of our
Christian identity and answer a whole new series of ethical questions.

3. On an experiential theology: Liberal theology recognizes the importance of

personal experiences in shaping one's faith. By valuing individual experiences, it
allows for a more inclusive and diverse understanding of spirituality. With this, it
might be possible for the opposing parties in the Church to share some sort of
experience. The polarized factions, such as conservatives and progressives, can
establish common ground and respect the diversity of one another's beliefs and
spiritual practices by including human experience in the discussion.

4. On a visionary, spiritual, holistic theology: Liberal theology encourages a holistic

approach to spirituality, recognizing the interconnectedness of all aspects of life.
It promotes a vision of faith that encompasses social justice, environmental
stewardship, and personal transformation. As a result, the lay movements and lay
people in general will be empowered as their spirituality is enriched and better
integrated into society.
 5. On a prophetic, culturally transformative theology: Liberal theology challenges
societal norms and seeks to bring about positive change. It empowers individuals
to engage in social and cultural transformation, advocating for justice, equality,
and inclusivity. As a result, this could help address the widening disparity between
the rich and the poor brought about by globalization and capitalism, as well as
problems inside the Church such as the sex abuse scandals.

6. On a mediating, correlational theology: Liberal theology seeks to bridge the gap

between different sources of knowledge and belief. By correlating scripture,
tradition, reason, experience, and culture, it provides a framework for dialogue
and understanding between different perspectives and traditions. Applying this,
dialogue between other religions such as Islam can be possible.
As a whole, the six marks of liberal theology offer the benefits of intellectual
freedom, critical engagement, personal growth, social transformation, and interfaith
dialogue. They provide a framework for individuals to explore and develop their faith in a
way that is relevant and meaningful to their lives and the world around them.
III. Disadvantages and Pitfalls of the Marks of Liberal Theology by P. Hodgson
Despite the benefits of liberal theology in today's world, we must equally consider its
drawbacks and limitations in order to fully comprehend its impact on the Church. The
following are some observations made:
1. On a free and open theology: It may be argued that liberal theology's emphasis
on freedom and openness can lead to a lack of theological boundaries and a
weakening of core Christian beliefs. Thus, without clear doctrinal foundations,
liberal theology risks becoming a mere reflection of cultural trends and individual
preferences.

2. On a critically constructive theology: It may be contested that while critical

thinking is important, liberal theology's emphasis on deconstructing established
orthodoxies can lead to a loss of theological coherence and a lack of commitment
to core Christian doctrines. Thus, a balance between critical analysis and
constructive engagement with tradition is necessary for a robust theological
framework.

3. On an experiential theology: It can be argued that liberal theology's focus on

personal experience as a source of theological authority can lead to subjectivity
and relativism. Thus, a more balanced approach, which includes a recognition of
the communal and historical dimensions of faith, is needed to avoid individualistic
interpretations.

4. On a visionary, spiritual, holistic theology: It can be a concern that liberal

theology's emphasis on spirituality and holistic approaches can sometimes
 neglect the intellectual and doctrinal aspects of faith. Thus, there is a need for a
comprehensive theology that integrates both spiritual and intellectual dimensions
and ensures a robust understanding of Christian doctrine.

5. On a prophetic, culturally transformative theology: There is a question whether

liberal theology's commitment to cultural transformation may compromise its
fidelity to traditional Christian teachings. It can be argued that while engaging
with culture is important, it should not come at the expense of compromising
core Christian beliefs and values.

6. On a mediating, correlational theology: It can be argued that liberal theology's

emphasis on mediating between different sources of authority can lead to a
relativistic approach that undermines the uniqueness and authority of Christian
revelation.
In general, pushing liberal theology to its extreme limit risks diluting essential
Christian ideas and undermining the distinctiveness of the Christian faith, even as it strives to
deal with modern challenges and adapt to societal changes.
IV. Conclusion
In conclusion, liberal theology offers a framework that combines a passion for truth
with an appreciation for the complexity of human understanding. It seeks to engage
critically with tradition, scripture, reason, and experience, while recognizing the need for
ongoing interpretation and adaptation in response to cultural changes. It emphasizes the
importance of freedom, both in terms of personal salvation and the healing of the social
order. It is driven by a vision of a Christianity that values the material and embodied aspects
of life and seeks to critique orthodoxies, whether religious or cultural.
However, we must be careful not to glorify it as the sole type of theology suited for
our time. Hodgson knows that what the Church needs is “to become a larger and more
tolerant tent, encouraging a diversity of beliefs and practices that cut across old divisions
and keep in view of the radix of all good theology.” He adds that “if that can be
accomplished, whether theology is called liberal or not does not matter.”

References:
Allen, John Jr. L. Ten mega-trends shaping the Catholic church. National Catholic
Reporter Website. San Diego, USA: 2006. Web.
<https://www.ncronline.org/blogs/all-things-catholic/ten-mega-trends-shaping-
catholic-church>
Hodgson, Peter C. “Liberal Theology.” The Expository Times 112:1 (2010): 4-10. Print.