For many years main stream Christian churches were called Protestant as a distinction from Catholicism. Today these churches call themselves Evangelicals. Is this change due to a realigning of values and subsequent blurring of the original doctrines of the early Reformers?
What is the difference between Evangelicals and Protestants?
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Mainstream Protestant churches have never been evangelical. The Anglican Church (Church of England) was evangelical a long time ago, but no more. Mainstream churches follow theological liberalism, which does not make the written Word of God the final authority. Man-made doctrines are common.
On the other hand there are non-Catholic and non-Protestant churches which were evangelical and also fundamentalist for many years, until they too started compromising on the Word of God. Evangelical churches supposedly focus on the Gospel, but if the Gospel is being watered down, then what's left? Even fundamentalist churches who stood firmly on the Word of God started compromising more recently. So over all things do not look very good, and perhaps may get worse. God must surely be very disappointed with these developments.
the term evangelical comes from the Greek word for the gospel, euangelion.
evangelicalism is, as i understand it, a movement among protestant denominations shifting emphasis to the gospel, dating back to the 1700's with puritan movements.
it wouldn't be right to say that this in principle is blurring the doctrines of the original reformers; the term itself can be traced at least all the way back to Martin Luther who talked about "the evangelical Church" as a distinction from the catholic church, and they all held scripture and the preaching of the gospel above traditions, councils and the papacy: this is what basically separates protestantism from catholicism, the gospel vs. the traditions and organized leadership.
in principle is one thing but in practice is another. what evangelical means to one church can be at least as different to another as what the gospel means to one church could be from another, and the term has become so vague that to a lot of people it just means "a white member of the republican party"
Catholics call non catholics Protestants because of Martin Luther protesting the 39 theses stuck on the wittenberg door.
But there are churches that did not come from that tradition, and arent actually protesting anything, so they call themselves evangelicals. As they actively do Evangelism. I dont know if the catholic church does Evangelism, they kind of assumed everyone that goes is already a member having been born into a catholic family. The way they expand is to simply have more children and raise them catholic. They dont really need to go out and evangelise.
Apparently there is a lot of paperwork involved to become a catholic.
But there are churches that did not come from that tradition, and arent actually protesting anything, so they call themselves evangelicals. As they actively do Evangelism. I dont know if the catholic church does Evangelism, they kind of assumed everyone that goes is already a member having been born into a catholic family. The way they expand is to simply have more children and raise them catholic. They dont really need to go out and evangelise.
Apparently there is a lot of paperwork involved to become a catholic.
I believe we are living in and witnessiing the great apostasy. Ironically, not only from truth, but even error. Even cults are watering down their doctrine. Catholics used to teach its ONLY our church and nothing else, now the pope is letting atheists into heaven as well if theyh are "goood people"
This question came to mind while observing the great amount of excitement and commercial exploitation of Halloween. This totally eclipses the date October 31, 1517 when Martin Luther posted The 95 thesis on the church door at Whittenburg.
The link above recreates the list.
The link above recreates the list.
It's just different names, no biggie. The Gospel is still strong in churches that invest in a pastor. Some churches might be watering it down but I think just a few. I never considered myself to just be protesting catholic. So I'm probably evangelical.
Agreed.
The labels are kind of meaningless without some kind of consensus as to what they mean; yet it's very difficult to communicate about a set of doctrine without a label; because listing off a set of doctrines with every reference is extremely inconvenient.
There are some churches that say "WE ARE NOT PROTESTANT!! WE ARE NOT PROTESTING ANYTHING!!!!".... yet, if they found themselves under persecution by the RCC, I have no doubt they would have some protest against that. Trying to make a distinction between themselves and others; they deny a label that suggests they even have anything in common with them- which to an extent is understandable.
It's a semantic/framing game that keeps people going in circles.
Most Evangelicals would interpret the name to mean Evangelism meaning they are a Church focused on spreading the Word of God.. While in the catholic religion there is far less Evangelism.. How many times have you seen catholic priests or nuns on street corners with placards and bibles and sound systems preaching about Jesus? I have never seen it..
For most non-religous people Evangelicals are seen as Bible bashers or Christian radicals.. And in the USA they are seen as ultra right conservatives focused on seeing the republican party take control.. There is a lot of ignorance in this world when it comes to Faith..
For most non-religous people Evangelicals are seen as Bible bashers or Christian radicals.. And in the USA they are seen as ultra right conservatives focused on seeing the republican party take control.. There is a lot of ignorance in this world when it comes to Faith..
Protestant means: "ain't Catholic".
Evangelical means that "we still prioritive Evangelizing people to get 'em "Born Again".
This as opposed to liberals who aren't particularly sure WHAT they believe, but "evangelization", and "making disciples" isn't high on their list.
Interesting in church history there are groups of Christianity that go way way back that don't identify as Catholic or Protestant. They were around before Catholicism and didn't need to reform. They helped some of the reformers but weren't reforming their own teaching.
Eastern Orthodox ? While they are considered a third branch of Christianity they seem to have kept it quiet.
'Evangelicalism'
- A Worldwide Movement within Protestant Christianity/Protestantism.
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Wikipedia has an informative/interesting article on..
- 'Evangelicalism'
'Evangelicalism/Evangelical Movement'
- A Worldwide Movement within Protestant Christianity/Protestantism.
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Wikipedia has an informative/interesting article on..
- 'Evangelicalism'
Orthodox are Catholic. They just see themselves as more "authentic" Catholics than Roman Catholics.
Catholics like to lump everyone into two groups: You're either Catholic or you're Protestant. Unfortunately for them (and fortunate for the rest of us) there's another category: Bible-believing and born again.
Catholics like to lump everyone into two groups: You're either Catholic or you're Protestant. Unfortunately for them (and fortunate for the rest of us) there's another category: Bible-believing and born again.
That does not mean that God is indifferent. How did He respond to the wickedness before the Flood?
It is my understanding that some Protestants and most Baptists dropped the ball when Calvin came along and said evangelism is not necessary because God had already preselected who would go to Heaven and who would go to Hell. Those who wanted to distance themselves from Calvinism brought back evangelism and called themselves Evangelicals.