What is the difference between and Evangelical Christian and a Fundamentalist Christian?

Question

I know there's a difference, but I'm not completely clear on what it is. I'm curious if others might have a clear understanding of the distinction since they're both words that are bandied about in discussions of the Christian religion.

Oops, typo! That "and" before "Evangelical" is supposed to be "an."

Interesting. My general idea (though I'm not sure my idea is correct) is that they're all conservative Christians and that "Fundamentalist" is basically the most conservative and literal-minded subset of "Evangelical."

Answer 1

An Evangelical Christian is somebody who spreads the message of Jesus as much as possible. A Christian Fundamentalist is somebody who interprets the Bible literally.

Most Fundamentalists are Evangelical, but most Evangelicals are not Fundamentalist.

Answer 2

Evangelical means a Christian who holds the Word of God, that is the Bible, as the undisputed sole doctrine of the Church. It is not to be interpreted, changed, taken away from, or added to. The only interpretation is of symbolic scriptures, the Prophets and Revelation.

Fundamental Christians believe the basic concepts and teachings of the Bible but do not condone that it must all be accepted as the doctrine of God. They dispute over moral issues in the Old Testament and commands given in the Old Testament. They often consider certain books more important focusing on one Gospel, rejecting Revelation, not accepting some of the Epistles. Many of the issues are over contemporary cultural changes, such as sexual immorality and tolerance.