[Apologetics] Definition of Evangelical?

[Stuart D. Gathman]

On Wed, 8 Feb 2006, Art Kelly wrote:

> Stuart and Other Friends,
> 
> What are the differences, if any, between an:
> Evangelical Protestant;
> Mainstream Protestant; and
> Fundamentalist Protestant?

This will answer Bob's question too.  The Fundamentalist movement is
a reaction to Liberal scholarship (higher criticism) exemplified by
the "Jesus Project".  It can be compared to the anti-scholastic movement in
Catholic history.  The name refers to an emphasis on the "fundamentals",
i.e. the Bible itself, as opposed to elaborate theories.  Of course,
the problem is not Scholarship, but Bad Scholarship.  This is sometimes
taken to the anti-intellectual extreme of refusing to read any books about the
Bible, but only the Bible itself (ignoring questions of translation, etc).

Extreme fundamentalism is usually anti-Catholic, because the Catholic
church puts a lot of stock in scholarship, e.g. Thomas Aquinas.  These
are considered "traditions of men", and a great evil.  A
fundamentalist is much more comfortable with Saints like Francis of
Assisi, who also spurned scholarship ("I would rather have one 
living leaf on a tree, than a thousand dead leaves in a book.")

An example of a balanced Fundamentalist was J. Vernon McGee:

http://thruthebible.org

His life work was teaching the entire Bible, but unlike extreme 
Fundamentalists was happy to use scholarship in exposition - provided
it was consistent with the Bible.  He was not anti-catholic.

Mainstream Protestant refers to churches with central organizations
descended from the old Reformers.  E.g. Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican,
Methodist.  This would not include Baptists or Congregationalists because their
organizations are so decentralized.  Mainstream Protestant organizations
have not been true to their charters as a group, and are the main source
of Liberal cults.  Julie looks at me exasperated when I refer to 
ECUSA as a "cult" in the same category as Mormonism (except Mormons have
better morals).

> How would an evangelical respond if a Catholic said
> that he or she was an evangelical too?

Evangelicals are happy to meet "evangelical Catholics", once they
are satisfied that the genuine Gospel is being preached.  This requires
clearing up the confusion over "faith" and "works".  The standard
Catholic formulation of "faith plus works" is heresy when understood with the
Protestant definitions of "faith" (fide formata) and "works" (works of the
flesh).  The phrase "saving faith" is a good synonym for "fide formata".
"works of faith" or "works of the Spirit" are good Protestant phrases for 
the fruit of "saving faith".  

An Assembly of God man told me excitedly: "There were two nuns going
house to house, handing out tracts and talking to people about Jesus!
I think they are evangelical Catholics!"  Actions speak louder than words.
This man was happy that the Gospel was being preached.

As far as working together, Billy Graham's approach is probably the best.
Send new converts to the communion of the workers they responded to.
Otherwise, they would be confused by conflicting jargon.

-- 
	      Stuart D. Gathman <stuart at bmsi.com>
    Business Management Systems Inc.  Phone: 703 591-0911 Fax: 703 591-6154
"Confutatis maledictis, flammis acribus addictis" - background song for
a Microsoft sponsored "Where do you want to go from here?" commercial.