What is the definition of being Evangelical?

Question

I noticed on here that many posters who go by the title "Evangelical" or "born again" rarely talk of Christ or act Christ-like in manner when addressing Catholics but mostly attack a caricature of Catholicism, now why is that?

Answer 1

There are two common meanings of the word "Evangelical":

1. In the old, European sense, it refers to Lutherans.

2. In the newer, mostly American sense, it refers to those who believe in personal salvation by assent to grace, which is the "born-again experience," and who specifically reject any belief in sacraments. This is rapidly replacing the old meaning.

Oddly enough, meaning #2 seems to be derived from #1, even though the two are quite contradictory. When members of the "free" churches of Scandanavia (who had broken away from the Lutheran churches there) came to America, they brought the "Evangelical" label with them and attached to it their doctrine of salvation by assent. Since the traditional Lutheran usage was not commonly known here, the free-church usage took over.

As to why #2 Evangelicals attack a caricature of Catholicism instead of the real thing, it's usually because they've been taught untruths about the sacraments and the communion of saints--disinformation designed to legitimize the free-church concept.

Answer 2

It's a little difficult to pin down. Most fundamentalists do not describe themselves as such, but rather as evangelicals attending a non-denominational church. The differences between "evangelical" and "fundamentalist" vary widely; get five in a room and you'll end up with six definitions.

They feel justified in attacking Catholicism because, of course, it's an easy target, especially if they have 1) faulty exegesis, 2) second-, third-, and fourth-hand information about "what Catholics do/believe/worship" and think it goes against a verse here and there of Scripture, and 3) don't want to be associated with the Catholic Church in any way, shape or form -- to the extent of not recognizing Catholics as Christians. (Who they think all those faithful folks were between Pentecost and about 1500 A.D. is unclear.)

The snide, condescending, and pompous attacks don't do much for reflecting the image of Christ, but in all fairness many don't resort to this.

Edited to add: Thanks very much to Anonymous Lutheran, below. You've given me insight into the entire evangelical mindset that I didn't have before. Makes perfect sense.

Answer 3

"...rarely... act Christ-like in manner..."
If character is revealed by what you do when no one is watching, then "loving your neighbor" is what you post when you are on Yahoo Answers, not using your own name but a cutesy user-name.

My own definition is that "Evangelical" refers to individuals, denominations, (and parties within non-Evangelical denominations) which stress:

personal salvation indicated by an identifiable conversion experience

one-on-one evangelism

Scripture reading and exegesis as being the essence of corporate worship and private devotion

Personal faith is required for valid ministry, marriage, corporate worship, prayer, communion, or membership in the Church.

I would not call someone "an Evangelical" if they highly valued tongue-speaking, sacramental worship, apocalyptic ism, social progress, intellectual progress, separation into a utopian community, or snake handling.

I'm not an Evangelical, but I respect it as a position and way of living Life in Christ.

Answer 4

1) following the Gospel of Christ and
2))living the Beatitudes or
3) being Lutheran or
4) Low Church biblically oriented Anglican or
5)Revivalist Trinitarian Protestant or
6)Pentecostal or Bible-believing Baptist Protestant or
7)Charismatic Trinitarian Christian or
8)Conservative Protestant 0r
9)pertaining to the New Testament
10) living the Gospel teachings and counsels of Christ,like poverty,celibacy,community of goods and obedience

Answer 5

I expose what catholics teach and believe. Catholics have a false gospel of works that leads to eternal hell.

Which works they teach, well, get five catholics in a room together and you'll get six lists.

The truth is, salvation is only by believing (without works) that Jesus, who is God, died for our sins on the cross and rose again.

Answer 6

1. anyone asking for money for the lord but giving you his or his church's address. It is all for the MONEY!!!!! Preach hate, damnation and bigotry and try to blame all on satan but tell you that only god can do anything. So talking out of both side of the face would be defintion 2.

Answer 7

The only true church is the Seventh-day Adventist church. They keep the true Sabbath(Saturday).