Conservatives

Moderates

* The Bible is the Word of God.


* Emphasize the necessity of theological integrity.

* All are creationists, though not all are "young earthers".

* All affirm soteriological exclusivism (people are saved only through Christ).
 

* Affirm Scripture as the foundational source of religious spiritual authority.

* Affirm congregationalism with strong pastoral authority/leadership.

* Oppose women as pastors (complementarians in home & church).

* View autonomy as a precious check against both hierarchicalism & connectionalism.

* Affirm the eternal continuation of both heaven & hell.

* See the priesthood of all believers as guaranteeing direct access to God for all believers and primarily as a doctrine of responsibility.

* Discover no contradictions or internal inconsistencies in the Bible when it is properly interpreted.

* Emphasize the necessity of theological diversity.

* Many are theistic evolutionists.

 

* Many affirm soteriological inclusivism (some in other religions may be saved).

* Affirm Scripture, along with reason, experience, and tradition as sources of religious/spiritual authority.

* Affirm congregationalism with strong congregational authority and democratic process.

* Affirm women as pastors (egalitarians in home & church).

 

* View autonomy as the right of every church to do or believe what it wishes and not have its fellowship questioned associationally or denominationally.

* Some embrace idea of the annihilation of the wicked.

* See the priesthood of all believers as giving to each the right to believe anything he/she wishes. Often change the term to "priesthood of the believer."

* Discover numerous contradictions and internal inconsistencies in the Bible.

Conservatives

Moderates

* Find no mythological elements in Scripture.

* Emphasize the transcendent truth of Scripture.

* Are open to mythological elements in Scripture.

* See much of the Bible as culturally conditional.

* Most favor a voluntary prayer amendment.

* All see homosexuality/lesbianism as sin and a choice of lifestyle.

* Most oppose a voluntary prayer amendment.

* Some see homosexuality/lesbianism as an acceptable lifestyle and a pre-disposed psychological orientation.

* Emphasize peacemaking together with a strong military.

* Favor smaller government, lower taxes, state and local rights, greater individual freedom.

* Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that government neither establishes religion nor interferes with its practice.

* Emphasize peacemaking with a much smaller military.

* Most favor big federal government with multiplied social and welfare programs.

* Advocate separation of church and state to the extent that the church makes little attempt to impact community morality through government.

* View creeds and confessions as important defining documents, though always subject to Scripture.

* Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate with confessional integrity.

* Are intensely evangelistic and missionary.

* Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with evangelical groups like IVF, Campus Crusade, and Wycliffe Bible Translators.

* View creeds and confessions as problematic at best, confining and wrong at worst.

* Believe that the institutions and agencies of a denomination should operate without confessional restraint.

* Are inclined heavily toward "social ministries."

* Are more comfortable in cooperative ventures with groups like CBF, BJCPA, and mainline denominations.