Not a big surprise for me, I scored a 78, a progressive.

One insight I got was how we interpret different parts of the Bible in different ways. Not just because it’s a different type of literature or something like that (like the difference between a psalm, or narrative), but because of our life experiences and ideas we have picked up along the way. When taking the quiz I thought about how I would have answered some of the questions differently only a few years ago (much more conservatively), but because of events, and different things I have gradually learned I have shifted to the progressive region over time. The different questions reminded me of the various different little things that I have learned that have helped me make the shift.

I’ve passed the quiz off to a few friends of mine to see what they come up with. The differences I hope will make some interesting discussions.

I think many people dance around these issues. As a young man I was studying at a church related school that was much more on the liberal end of the spectrum and I was much more conservative. I found it difficult to continue there and eventually got my degree elsewhere. Taking the test helped me by saying I did the right thing by leaving the school. I sometimes regret that I lost time by not finishing there, but this test gives me a hint I did the right thing.

What Would Jesus Score? (WWJS for those of you looking for a good marketing angle)

Yes, I took the quiz. Did it describe me? Well, kinda, sorta, not really. I scored 62 – moderate. I've been described as a liberal and as a conservative so I suppose I come out as moderate on average. The thing is, I minister in the Mennonite/Anabaptist stream which, historically, would not neatly fit into this quiz. Believing the death penalty, abortion, and war should be resisted by Christians – am I conservative or progressive? Believing evangelism and issues of justice, poverty, and reconciliation are essential aspects of the Christian life. Does that make me conservative or progressive? And I'm not even going to get into the issue of Christians and politics, and American confusion that confounds Christian brothers and sisters around the world. Jesus' actions were often highly political but the only candidate I see Jesus endorsing is God.

As much as I appreciate Scott McKnight and his writings I was a bit disappointed with this quiz. The underlying assumptions of the quiz are squarely American Evangelical and exclude, or rather, incorrectly categorize, those who don't neatly fit this mold. This got me to wondering, if Jesus took this quiz how would he score? (It's also nice to put God in a box since we're in the habit of putting each other in boxes).

I've more about this on my blog since I'm up to my limit for posting here.

I scored an 82/Progressive. It's what I expected, but I knew that I brought a bias to the quiz (text). ;)

67 Progressive. How how my fundamentalist friends would be proud... ;)

Is scoring a conservative good or bad ? Will it be helpful in our society today ?

I scored a 60, which puts me in the middle of "moderate". I'm okay with that, although I resist categorization usually. Even with within the same category, though, there can be wide discrepancies. Someone could be moderate by voting down the middle on all issues, and someone else could be moderate by voting extremely conservative on half the issues and extremely progressive on the other half. In which case the two will never agree, whereas the second person will agree with both progressives and conservatives half the time. I'm probably more like the second person. I have tattoos, and I think Christians who support capital punishment have not thought through the implications of worshiping the most famous victim of the death penalty ever. My wife is in seminary right now, so you can guess how I feel about that issue. But I'm pretty conservative on abortion and homosexuality (the latter I don't care about from a legal/societal perspective, any more than I think we should outlaw greed or pride). So maybe there should be a fourth category, "eclectic" or something. In any case, an interesting exercise.

62- High end of "moderate."

Pretty much any concerns I have with the quiz (and my score) was said way more eloquently by David Fitch in an earlier post. It's odd to me what is labeled as "conservative" and what is named "progressive." It's almost as if the two labels have flip flopped a bit. You used to be a conservative if you read anything "literally," but I think this type of reading is much more progressive now a days, particularly the Sermon on the Mount and its implications for our communities. The quiz takes on a different light depending on what community you are a part of. In many mainline circles, what would be "progressive" would be different than say my Wesleyan/Holiness background. So, the labels aren't all that useful to me, but the thinking the quiz inspires is. Thanks Scot for putting that together!

The quiz is an interesting idea, but it's a rather poorly designed instrument. For one thing, there are far too many false dichotomies for it to be useful.

Why is understanding the historical context of a passage "progressive"? Why is recognizing the occasional nature of much of the Bible opposed to the idea of inerrancy? There's no inherent tension between the Bible being God's word for all time and our need to apply it contemporary settings.

The relationship of the NT to the OT, how we apply God's timeless truth, and what we think it means that Christ has fulfilled the Law are serious and deep questions which go beyond simple labels like "conservative" and "progressive." I think this quiz only touches on these issues in a shallow, proof-texting kind of way.

I think the quiz finally tells me more about McKnight's hermeneutics than mine.

i got a 76, which is fitting since 7 is the perfect number for God and 6 is the corollary number for the devil... a perfect description of who i am. :)

and 67 would have put me too far towards recitation theology...

some comments:

#4, on killing men, women and children, was the first one i had trouble with, and it was probably due to talking to an ex-marine sargent earlier in the day. his take was, if you go to war, you go to war, and you let the books of numbers and deuteronomy be your guides. as much as i have trouble with putting children "to the sword," war, in the end, is war. and, as such, should not be entered into lightly .

#10, on the holy spirit, didn't seem to have the answer i wanted, which was, "equal parts man's reason and God's guidance in looking at Scripture."

#12, on biblical interpretation, seemed like you could arrange those twelve (is twelve just a coincidence?...) in twelve-factorial combinations and still have valid positions.

#15, on bias and the bible, i had the hardest time with. these didn't seem to cover the set of "bias positions". i was looking for something like, "is read through the lens of a person's a priori beliefs and theology whether or not that individual cares to admit it."

overall, an interesting exercise. thanks to scot for putting it together. and to CT for putting it out there for us to take - without subscribing...

i bet melody got a 20... :) richard dennis miller, too...

mike rucker

What's odd to me is that the more postmodernism clims to hate boxes, the bigger the search to find a box we like becomes. These questions feed the reductionist lens mentality that progressives claim to despise. Most of the questions are so complex that none of the available responses even came close. I choose to reject a label.

I think that some of the questions did force me to choose an "either/or" when sometmes I am a "both/and." For example, I do believe that the bible is inerrant in its source documents, but I also know that errors have enterred into the text. Our current versions are most likely to be the best that textual criticism has been able to put together, and more scientific inquiry will lead to more accuracy, I believe.

In addition, I believe that the Bible spoke both to the immediate situation, and also provides parameters for today. Not everything can be literally applied, because some things have been superceded by other things. For example, the laws of atonement in Leviticus have been superceded by the death and resurrection of Christ.

Melody - how postmodern of you!

I scored 72. Which is about right I think seeing that I went to a seminary that deeply engages historical-cultural backgrounds resulting in a progressive hermeneutic.

49

sheerahkahn? 49?!?! no way.

flip the paper over - questions 11-20 are on the back...

I scored 20, so conservative. The question I had the hardest time with was the one dealing with whether or not the The Holy Spirit's Role of Interpretation: is to Guide the Individual Regardless of What Others Say or in Tandem with the Church. It kind of depends what is meant by the church ... I don't support a "Jesus and Me" theology that gives people the freedom to say "God spoke to me", therefore I can do [blank] regardless of what my church leaders/other accountability, if you are a church leader/ says. At the same time, in tandem with the church could also be a Catholic-type view where the church has final authority ... not true either.

I scored a 63, soI guess I was in a giving mood. I didn't care for the quiz. The responses offered didn't gel with me. I tend to be conservative, but felt ambivalent about the quiz.

I'd love to look at the statistics of a gazillion scores. I'm betting that rather than the "flat" distribution that such a quiz attempts to elicit, we'd discover that the distribution was bimodal toward the low scores and sloped toward the high scores. Full disclosure: I got a 64.

76! Score! I am a progressive, which doesn't surprise me at all.

My husband found himself at a 46, responding to me "you liberal fruitcake".

We are going to have a talk when he gets home....

I scored a 45. The question where I answered about the death penalty was an interesting one because I wasn't given the option I would have chosen. Did God require the death penalty in the Old Testament? Yes, He did. Did Jesus forgive the woman caught in adultery? Yes, He did. What was lacking in the answers on the test was a sufficient "why" there was a change. In the Old Testament God is dealing with a nation. He wants His nation Israel to be a certain way which is Holy. By the time Jesus comes on the scene, the nation is subjugated by Rome. They no longer have the ability to put anyone to death. If they were autonomous as a nation they would have performed the action, and Jesus would have let them if it was his will. Remember, God forgave David though He was a murderer and adulterer. God can forgive sins if he so chooses even though the law He gave said otherwise. After the Cross,death,burial,resurrection, and ascension, there seems to be a fundamental change. God no longer is working through the people of Israel, but is working through His church. The church is never told that they are supposed to put people to death for any purpose. They are supposed to appeal to local governments such as Paul's directive in Romans 13. The church is supposed to preach the Gospel of repentance and forgiveness of sins. The church is supposed to teach people how to be disciples, not to operate gallows.

54, no big surprise. However, one question had no right answer (18? Concerning the Acts 15 reference). I am wondering how others answered it. No answer was correct.

Wow... I thought my score was going to be common as cotton.

I scored at 32.

Har har, I just realized. I am 32 years old.

Some of those answers were no-brainers but I guess not.

I agree with both Jeff and Bob. There is no tension between the Old and New Testaments. The immediate judgement of the Old Testatment, discussed several times in the quiz, was done away with when Christ started the New Testament. Christ said he did not come to judge - that we WOULD be judged according to His Father's words one day, but not yet. The new dispensation brought grace.

If we limit ourselves to one 'type' - whether it be progressive or moderate or conservative - we are limiting our view and understanding of God - He's bigger than that... He deserves more and better than that. He's not a jack-in-a-box God... why do we try to make ourselves jack-in-a-box believers?

And as so many of the comments indicate, our poor attempts at trying to get a 'single-handed wrap' on the Bible are so lacking. God cannot and will not be contained in our verbage and our neatly packaged little boxes.

The idea was good; to help all of us think about what we believe - and WHY - and to assess if we are consistently living what we say we believe. Unfortunately, creating barriers, boxes and bias distracted from the purpose.

I scored a 67, which technically put me in the progressive camp. And, I have to say, while I usually pride myself on being moderate, I'm actually okay with this classification. I'm curious though as to what the real difference between a high scoring moderate (like, say, 64) and a low scoring progressive like myself really amounts to in the real world? I feel a sorties paradox emerging...

34 No surprise.

I scored 37, pretty conservative, which discribed me very well, except for one thing, the question of women in ministry. The way the question was worded seemed to be asking whether or not a particular Scripture was still valid, so I chose number 1. Then I read further into what was meant by the question, and it seems that my answer would be interpreted to mean that I don't believe in women in ministry. I do believe it is okay for women to go into the ministry. I'm in no way, however, a feminist! As with even the best of quizzes like this, there were some flaws, but overall, it pegged me pretty well.

blb,

Isn't it great? No matter how much the Western world tries to box in our God, that God is so much mightier and bigger than our feeble little minds can handle.

Humans. Their efforts are so futile it is laughable.

One day, when we are in heaven, we can look back and see how dumb we were. Good good times.

It's funny to me that allowing things such as tattoos were considered "liberal", when the theology behind them in hermenuetically conservative (Romans 8).

It's also interesting that there was no choice on the Sabbath question, for not believing in a "sabbath" i.e. Romans 14:5-6. I don't think it matters which day of the week we meet on.

technically the shabbat question should have nothing to do with what day we worship on and "labor or no labor." It was a day to be centered on G-d, to play and rest and dance, remembering that we are people and not worth our weight in bricks --that we were just a checkmark on someone's slave sheet in Egypt. a day of pure physical and spiritual renewal. (hey, while we're at it, let's not go shopping or out to eat so we don't make anyone else work on a day of rest, either!)

but that's my historical, progressive viewpoint. I wished that there was a choice E on that question. none of the answers were correct enough in my mind.

I am a conservative, according to your quiz, which I felt needed some other fields of answer.
Some replies did not conform to me at all, making it dificult to respond in accordance with my views.

I agree with mike rucker who chose to reject a label or at the very best say that the labels here are generally far too wide. I find "Christianity" as a label hard enough to deal with.

I am a conservative and maybe due to the teachings of Creation Ministries Int (do a google). I was actually quite surprised but after thinking about it, am glad that I am conservative.

I guess we all need to constantly reassess our faith and consider where we stand in our principles and convictions - it is too late when something happens to you to make a decision then, because you will probably be too emotional to do it at that time.

03/04/08
I scored 46, thus a CONSERVATIVE.
I believe sincerely that because I was born and raised in the Middle East and studied the Bible in a different language and at an early age; I am able to discern some of the issues a bit differently.
There was some disappointment as I read some of the questions and the answers (as they were designed).
When Christ=God Incarnate clearly addressed something with specific distinction between what the religious leaders and scholars of the Old Testament had developed as a practice; then I'll place a very significant weight on Christ's words.
Meanwhile, He created every human being a bit different from the others; thus we can expect a wide range, and the categorization is not really that critical or meaningful.VGB

I personally think the quiz is inaccurate for this reason; on several of the questions I really couldn't find my view represented. I was forced to pick a view that was close, but not how I think. I am conservative, but I don't believe in the Sabbath. Jesus fulfilled this at the cross. Under the new testament there is no sabbath. Divorce, under the new testament we forgive: not stone. The options were not very good. Therefor, I don't think the test is very accurate. Earl Banks.

I scored a 33. I thought I would score a much more consevative score. I have always followed a normal, normal, grammatical, historical view of the Bible. Since I am the sinful creation in need of a Savior, I don't pretend to have answers that I go to the Bible for. I am quite certain that if God intended the Bible to say something other than it says, he is strong enough to have had it say so. I fear that , in todays culture, we make far too much of man and far too little of God and his word.

I am Catholic, so I read the Bible with the Church's tradition and teaching in mind, so far as I am able.[no.13] I try to use mainly Catholic resources. We don't really have the Bible's words if we don't read Greek and Hebrew [no.3].We are the People of God and the Spirit is a gift to us as a community, not as individuals [no.10]. There is no mention of why we celebrate the breaking of the bread on Sunday, the day our Lord rose from the dead [no.20]. Which Bible are we talking about?

I scored 34, which I'm fine with, but this quiz was disappointing by not allowing more options. I answered many that just were not what I really believe but was left with only a constraining option. The quiz is definitely biased thus showing the real heart of the developer. I want to take the "whole" counsel of God when deciding weighty, and even not so weighty, matters, and that includes scripture, prayer and the guiding of the Holy Spirit, and even the counsel of other believers. Experiences and life decisions are to be taken on a case by case basis and weighed on Christ's scales. Yes, there are lessons to be learned from one such as Jephthah, Moses' wife, and OT & NT teachings on divorce, murder, adultery, idolatry, etc., that can be applied even today. The OT is a physical picture of God dealing with a nation that now is to be applied to the inner spiritual nature of each believer, and is still very relevant today. The NT is the guide to do that very thing. Christ is in both and He tempers and mediates both. He created both. Why not ask conservatives, moderates and liberals to suggest questions and options for your next quiz? Bet it'll be a more accurate test!

I scored a 55. As a Saturday Sabbath keeper this would make me lean toward the conservative side than others on this thread.

I think that a test like this with a lot more inputs might be fairly accurate. Although in some of the questions I disagreed with the assumption that the question held. Example I do not think that Tim is talking about the man/woman relationship. I think it is discussing the Husband/wife relationship. (Same word in the Greek). Thus this question was difficult.

My score indicated that I am a conservative. I found it interesting that if your answers reflect your belief in the integrity of the Bible, it's writers and the Author Himself, your score is low - if you don't trust it, you score high. Seemed very biased to me. There's always room for discussion - the Bible itself encourages us to reason together and be like-minded - but this quiz seemed designed to infer that those who believe that God is able to communicate His word just as He meant it to His creation and preserve it - are not quite as smart as those who challenge its accuracy and truthfulness of the writers.

I scored 47 Wow I'm considered conservative. I am a woman in ministry and completely believe that the bible is it, God's word. But I also believe that we have to view scripture in light of it's Creator and Author. Know God, His character, Heart and Desire shines a different light in Scripture. I believe firmly that we will prayfully study and ask God to explain His word we get insight and wisdom and revelation unlike anything else we could learn academically

27 here. Like others, there were a few questions I would have nudged one way or the other but overall I thought the quiz was straight forward. It would be interesting to see how these scores play out by age group. Maybe on the second version of the quiz? Thanks for the fun :-)

Is it not interesting that all three positions can have a score above 50? This automatically suggests a very flawed and fallible quiz. I scored 42, which by any normal reflection on numbers sequenced between 1-100 would suggest that I'm not far from being a moderate. In reality, I'm light years away from being a moderate. This indicates that McKnight's quiz is more of a toy than a tool--something to play with rather than, in any way, to depend upon. So why would CT become so easily intrigued with such an amateurish attempt at measurement?

I scored a 42, but with better answers, I would have scored somewhere in the 20s. Like many said, this quiz reflected the paradigms of its author, an Evangelical. As a Lutheran, I have specific differences about many of the issues herein raised, which might make me more liberal than an evangelical, but still more conservative than a progressive minded person. I tend to believe I am among the far more conservative grouping than my score actually reflects.

I was born into a social situation where not believing in God was not an option. Yet I could not find the evidence for God that everybody else professed to have. This made for a very confused person. I lived as a Christian well into middle age but have now deconverted. I did the quiz to reflect my beliefs as a Christian. My score of 53 is kept artificially low because on quite a number of items I checked the box for "the Holy Spirit tells me directly." In my mind, that's code for "I do my own thinking" or "I don't trust/wait around for authority." While that attitude is progressive, in the quiz it is ranked as conservative.

It said that no one answers with all fives or all one's. Well, that's not true. I answered all one's except with one question. Otherwise it would have been all one's. I didn't do that on purpose, but it happened that I agreed with all but one of the one's. Btw, I'm a 22. My score is probably the lowest here, which I find interesting. I guess my score makes me very conservative. Which, is fine with me. I am conservative. I do take the Bible literally. That's who I am. I make no appologies for that. I'm proud to be a conservative.

I score 22.

I scored as a moderate. I think that firmly fits where I am and how I feel Jesus was as well. There were times when he strictly held to traditions, such as his anger towards the goings on in the Temple as irreverence to God, and yet his mercy as it pertained to healing a man on the Sabbath.
Strictly traditionally considered a violation and disrespect to God, however he judged the situation in my opinion through the eyes of God.
I am in Theology school and as I learn more, the more profoundly thankful I am for the life of Christ and his death and resurrection that without would have held us all under the law as dead!
Obviously none of us would have survived!

I scored 47 - no real surprise sinc I grew up in Catholic Church as kid then moved to southern baptist church plant in UK! before ending up in a Pentecostal college!!!!- but def' a challenge!!!!

glad I stumbled across this quiz, kinda well timed since I am at the begining of what I know will be a long journey of figuring out just why I believe what I believe and how we as individuals can grow in our understanding of God, His Word, Ourselves and eachother!!!!

I was not really surprised about my score (62) moderate. It was interesting to know that moderates and progressives are direct opposites in their reading of the Bible. I never considered myself in these terms but the label fits.

I am glad that I took this quiz. I came upon this quiz while browsing the Leadership website. The questions asked did cause me to pause and consider my approach to not only reading the Scriptures but evaluating the context in which I pursue meaning and interpretation.

My score of 86 is no surprise to me. It puzzles me that I was told never to discuss religion or politics with someone with whom I wished to be friends. My parents were correct as the population certainly reflects this attitude. The only thing I have found that comes close to avoiding serious argument is to present what I have to say from the stand point of that it is either how I would like to be treated or not how I would like to be treated. Included in this is respect for the gifts God has given me: that is a spirit or soul to alert me, a brain to think and examine what is being handed down, a sense of right or wrong - that is a moral compass, physical strength to endure stress and the primary emotions of shame and fear to remind me of past unacceptable actions and warn of future dangers of transgressions. It amazes me how others try to force others into their way of thinking, either conservative or liberal in both religion and politics. Do we have to destroy others with whom we disagree? Would we wish to be destroyed when we disagree? I find nothing in the way Christ lived to suggest how destroying another would serve any religious or political purpose. We are free by God's will to choose to follow God or turn away, but not free to destroy others of God's creation. Yes I scored 86.

My score is 30, so I am a conservative -- just as I tell everyone who asks or in conversations when it seems relevant. I am thankful to God for the solid teaching that He arranged for in my youth, that its impact and validity in my life has not waned one bit through a couple decades since.

Scored 77 but the questions restricted me all the way and I am sure I would have gotten 99 - true progressive that I am. To me the Bible is a book of words formed to bring people closer to the good in them and to be a part of a group or in our language = a church. To me this was the whole message of the forming of the book - the desire to bring man to a collective understanding - which is impossible to do - each has different perceptions and values.

At 82, I suppose I will be considered a "high end heretic, blasphemer and pagan", rather than a historian, scientist and archaeologist... which is the truth. All historical documents should be read very carefully and 'between the lines', bearing in mind the situation and time in which they were written. This is especially so with ancient documents, where only copies and multiple translations are available, as opposed to originals. Alterations and modifications are known to exist in various Bibles (and are hotly debated), so it should always be taken with a 'pinch of salt', and not accepted unquestionably as "The Word of God". If God wished to tell us what was required, desired or demanded, there are far more reliable and far less confusing ways of communicating, than the reproduction and handing down of ancient MSS's!

i agree with my score 55, mentioning moderate. regards for your team preparing such nice questions.god bless.