Introduction

Abstract

A great deal of conflict exists between conservative and progressive Christians. A possible explanation of this conflict can be linked to the basic need of religious communities to create social identities that distinguish them from other groups and that establish their basic values. This need helps us to understand the divisions that have developed within American Christianity. In the United States, that religious conflict has gone beyond theological disagreements and impacts the larger political polarization that dominates the country. However, it appears that the way theological and political priorities interact is different for progressive Christians and for conservative Christians. Understanding this difference, and the nature of the conflict between conservative and progressive Christians, sheds light on the ongoing culture war in the United States.