Could there be a psychological or neurological reason why some people tend to be conservative, while others tend to be liberal? Possibly; and it might extend to how people think about new scientific ideas, political concepts, and even matters of faith.  This might explain a lot about the current divide between the liberal and conservative wings of various Protestant churches, including my own. The “persistent in their judgements” sure sounds familiar. So does the “structured” model versus “anything goes, you adorable herd of cat-nuns” model.

Their brains are different from our brains! Their zombies won’t eat our brainsssss, and our zombies won’t eat their brainsssss!  No wonder each side says of the other “there’s no talking to those people.”

Compare this to this and it’s pretty clear, at least in the Anglican world. One well-known bishop sets out his rules very clearly and firmly on the “conservative” diocesan website, and another one has a lot of helpful information, handbooks, and guidelines to browse on the “liberal” diocesan website.

Economist’s View: Brain Study: Liberals and Conservatives Differ

Scientists at New York University and UCLA showed through a simple experiment to be reported Monday in the journal Nature Neuroscience that political orientation is related to differences in how the brain processes information.Previous psychological studies have found that conservatives tend to be more structured and persistent in their judgments whereas liberals are more open to new experiences. The latest study found those traits are not confined to political situations but also influence everyday decisions.