IS IT TIME TO STOP THE TERM "EVANGELICAL"?

By Michael Brown, Op-ed Contributor Tuesday, January 23, 2024

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In the United States today, many followers of Jesus do not refer to themselves as "Christians." This is not because they are ashamed of their beliefs; on the contrary, the term "Christian" has become so simple that almost anyone can call themselves a Christian, regardless of their life or beliefs. Saying " I am a Christian" does not necessarily indicate a particular belief or moral norm, and this has been the case in America for the past many years.

The positive side is that, as followers of Jesus, we have the opportunity to define our identity and our beliefs. There might be a debate if you just say, "I am a follower of Jesus."

What exactly does that mean? What is the difference between saying, "I am a follower of Jesus "and saying, "I attend this church and that"?

Moreover, what if we say to those who ask, "I am a disciple of Jesus"?

What does that mean? Do we even dare to make a statement? (For the record, people who follow Jesus in the New Testament are usually referred to as "disciples.)

In terms of"evangelical," it is not an ambiguous term (like" Christian") but rather a misleading term, which has become more than spiritual in culture and politics.

Thomas Kidd explains how the word "evangelical," which was first used as a synonym for "gospe "in the 1500s, changed dramatically by 1950, mainly due to the founding of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in 1942. "Evangelical" refers to non-fundamentalist, convertionist Protestants.

This is especially important because "Billy Graham became famous in 1949, and in 1950 he became the undisputed standard-bearer for what people saw as the evangelical faith."

Later, Christians believed Billy Graham's simple beliefs.

However, as Kidd explains, "in 1976, That year, a self-described evangelical, Jimmy Carter, won the presidency, and Newsweek declared 1976 the "Year of the Evangelical."

More significant is the fact that Gallup, for the first time, asked survey respondents in 1976 whether they were 'evangelical' or 'born again', and attributed their responses to political behavior. Of course, the rise of the Moral Majority in 1979 was also an important moment in the politicization of the term "evangelical." However, after the word "evangelical" became a standard category in voting, public perception began to change towards a political understanding. of what it means to be an evangelical. Most general American observers believed in the 2010s that evangelical meant "white religious Republicans.".

Therefore, for ten years or more, some evangelical leaders have suggested that we abolish the term entirely. This is due to the fact that for the majority of Americans, the term has more to do with the cultural and political aspects of our faith than with the essence of our faith.

Recent studies show that this trend has become stronger. Many conservative white voters—especially those who support Trump—identify as evangelical, although some of them do not adhere to the most common evangelical beliefs.

Because of this, from initially having only a spiritual meaning, the term evolved into a spiritual term that has a relationship with culture and politics and may now be primarily cultural and political.

Religious scholars suggest another explanation, based on a growing body of data: evangelicals are not exactly what they used to be, according to an article by Ruth Graham and Charles Homans that appeared in the New York Times on January 8.

Being evangelical once required people to go to church regularly, concentrate on salvation and conversion, and have a strong perspective on certain issues, such as abortion. Today, the term is often used to describe cultural and political differences, such as a situation where Christians are considered a persecuted minority, traditional institutions are viewed skeptically, and Trump seems bigoted.

Undoubtedly, some of the academics cited may view some of Trump's evangelical supporters as white supremacists or insurgents.

Despite this, there is no doubt that the term "evangelical" no longer has the same meaning as before, especially in the general view.

Internally, the term still speaks of a person who adheres to a certain set of beliefs among committed Christians who identify as evangelical, or to distinguish between Catholic Christians and evangelical Christians.

However, for those in the outside world, it may be time for us to reconsider how we describe ourselves according to traditional evangelicals.

In addition, this may result in more preservation of Jesus and the Scriptures.

Should we do it?

Dr. Michael Brown, who can be accessed at https://thelineoffire.org/, is the host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Line of Fire. Can you be gay and Christian?, Our Hands Are in Blood, and Seize the Moment: How to ignite the Fire of Revival are some of the more than forty books he has written. Dr. Brown is committed to giving you hope, engaging your faith, and encouraging you to speak up for moral sanity and spiritual clarity. You can connect with him on YouTube, Facebook, or X.

News Sources: https://www.christianpost.com/voices/is-it-time-to-scrap-the-term-evangelical.html