Brett over at The Hendricksonians
did a book review that brought up a question I've though about on and off. Here are my comments about his post:
We need to come up with a better word. For most of the political left, including devout Christians, "Evangelical" has become a dirty word. This is unfortunate. Aren't, or at least shouldn't, all Christians be evangelical? Is that pretty much the job description? At the very minimum it is for us clergy types. We are called to evangelize. Just as the Pro-Life movement has claimed the linguistic high ground, (Is it possible to be anti-life?)the 'old-time religion' types have taken a very important word and used it in a very narrow way, thus giving it a connotation that excludes many of the people it should include. Can we redeem Evangelicalism? should we come up with a better word? Delwin Brown has a great book called "What does a Progressive Christian Believe" that discusses this. I'm not certain I like the word Progressive. Thoughts?
So? What do you think?
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2 comments:
I'm not sure that much is at stake for us non-evangelicals (in the normal connotation of the word) in re-capturing "evangelical" for ourselves. At least, I'm ok with not calling myself an evangelical without expecting some need to explain what I mean.
I'm not really a "liberal" or "progressive" Christian either. I may be politically left (or liberal, or progressive, or blue-state, etc.), but this doesn't translate automatically or seamlessly into some sort of set of theological principles.
If definitions or definition-type labels are requested, I prefer to think of myself as an "ethnic Christian." By this, I mean that I am rooted in a tradition less by choice than by culture. I also mean that I am ok with that specific birthright; I have embraced it and "chosen" it as an adult identity of self. I think this also sufficiently indicates that I am not particularly "born-again" but still maintains that I am indeed a Christian, almost in my DNA.
I disagree with you in that I think how we 'evangelize' political liberals who have been pushed away from the church because of the religious right is affected by the language we use to describe ourselves.
I do like your 'ethnic Christian' designation however.
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