The Theological Roots of Reform Judaism’s Woes

I found this article in Forward. 

I thought that it brought up a fundamental issue with the broader idea's inherent in liberal, multiculturalistic philosophies in general i.e. to stand for 'everything' is to stand for nothing.' For me personally that idea was always troubling and it lead me down the path of a more fundamentalistic thinking. I used to think that fundamentalism was inherently bad, now I see things differently, fundamentalism is wrong only when it causes people to become hateful and bigoted towards those who are not identical to them, but adhering to more conservative ideology as Mr. Kaplan points out below can be a source for real comfort and can form stronger more tightly knit communities. In any event, food for thought. 

Enjoy

The root of the problem facing liberal Judaism is theological. The pluralistic theologies of Reform Judaism make it difficult to reach consensus on what we Reform Jews believe on any given issue. The liberal approach to observance makes it impossible to set and maintain high expectations in terms of communal participation… As members focus on what they want rather than what they can contribute, it becomes increasingly difficult to build committed religious communities…The sociologist Rodney Stark has popularized the thesis that religious groups need a strict theology in order to make serious demands on their adherents and that these demands, in turn, make a religion more compelling.

Since a liberal theology leads to an emphasis on the autonomy of the individual, personal choice is inevitably promoted at the expense of the authority of God. In the absence of a strong theological basis for making religious demands, the members lose interest and wander off.

One might think that most people would prefer a congregation that allows each member to find his or her own comfort level rather than one that requires all sorts of obligations, theological as well as ritualistic. That is not necessarily true.

Yes, many potential members are deterred by high upfront demands. But for those who join, the commitment is much greater. Since most of the members in a demanding congregation are deeply committed and religiously active, the collective religious experience is much more fulfilling.

As the Reform movement has increasingly emphasized religious autonomy and the importance of choosing what each person finds spiritually meaningful, it has become impossible to compel members to come to services regularly, study Torah seriously and contribute to the vibrant well-being of their congregation.

R. Dana Evan Kaplan