THE FOOLISHNESS OF CONDEMNING “LIBERAL” CHURCHES — A HISTORY OF SEGREGATION IN THE NAME OF FAITH
It is one of the great ironies of our time that some within the Churches of Christ and other conservative fellowships loudly condemn “liberal” congregations for supposedly bowing to culture. They claim that any church that preaches inclusion, embraces social progress, or questions tradition is giving in to the world. And yet, history bears witness to a far harsher truth: these very conservative churches once embraced, defended, and perpetuated some of the gravest sins of their culture—segregation.
Marshall Keeble, one of the greatest preachers of the twentieth century, labored in a world where the Church of Christ claimed to be God’s one true church, yet refused to open its doors fully to Black believers. Keeble baptized thousands, planted hundreds of congregations, and trained generations of Black leaders, yet he did so under the shadow of a fellowship that required separate buildings, separate seating, and separate recognition. Some of the same men who claimed doctrinal fidelity over cultural compromise defended these practices as God-ordained, while the so-called liberal congregations—daring to treat people as equals before God—were accused of being worldly.
The hypocrisy is staggering. The “cultural surrender” conservatives fear is nothing compared to the blatant cultural complicity of segregated congregations. They prioritized the comfort and prejudices of white members over obedience to the Gospel of Christ. They debated music, missionary societies, and methods while ignoring the most urgent command of Jesus: to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34). Inclusion was delayed for decades; racial reconciliation was postponed for generations. And all the while, these churches claimed purity, fidelity to the Jerusalem gospel, and the mantle of the one true church.
By contrast, churches willing to embrace racial equality, to break down barriers, and to welcome all into fellowship—the very congregations conservatives now label “liberal”—were often the first to act in obedience to Scripture rather than to prejudice. They risked social ostracism, faced threats, and endured criticism from those claiming God’s name, yet they followed the spirit of Christ in practice. Where the conservative churches defended segregation, these congregations embodied the gospel of unity, demonstrating that faithfulness is measured not by how rigidly we cling to human tradition, but by how fully we obey God’s command to love.
The lesson is clear, if painful: to judge another congregation for “giving into culture” while ignoring our own complicity in cultural sins is folly. Conservatism does not guarantee godliness, and orthodoxy does not excuse sin. The true measure of a church is not its stance on church organization, instruments, or mission boards; it is its obedience to Christ’s law of love. Those who claim that liberal churches are worldly often fail to acknowledge that they themselves were once complicit in far greater offenses—offenses that scarred generations, delayed the spread of the Gospel, and betrayed the very Spirit of Christ.
History demands humility. It demands that we examine our own hearts before pointing fingers. Marshall Keeble’s life is a reminder that faithfulness requires courage, love, and justice, not rigid adherence to human tradition. And the enduring rebuke to any church that condemns others while tolerating sin is this: God’s Spirit cannot be contained by human pride, and His law of love always exposes hypocrisy.
BDD
