Definition of Evangelical

[mikewhitney]

I might be off base here, but I sort of see a dividing line in whether the church emphasizes the need for a personal decision to follow Christ or not. I don't see that in the more liberal churches at all, whereas the UMC Church here in town I mentioned gives all visitors a welcome packet that includes a basic gospel presentation (and the pastor will emphasize the gospel in his sermons, even going off topic in doing so).

Your observation is relevant. Church groups don't have to call themselves 'evangelical', but the use of the term would tell prospective members of the distinction from liberal churches.

[One Bad Pig]

Which is why I like the definition I posted.

I think it's fairly compatible with what I posted; a rejection of ritual and rejection of creeds tend to go hand in hand. There are exceptions, as KG noted, but Evangelicals are usually contrasted with mainline protestantism.

[Cow Poke]

I think it's fairly compatible with what I posted;

a rejection of ritual and rejection of creeds tend to go hand in hand.

Except, as I have noted numerous times, Southern Baptists claim to be non-creedal, while having our own creed, we just refuse to call it a creed.

And it's not so much that we oppose anything IN the creed - just that we don't recite it. (But you already know that)

There are exceptions, as KG noted, but Evangelicals are usually contrasted with mainline protestantism.

Hmmmmm..... I guess I'd consider myself more mainline Christianity than mainline Protestant.

[mikewhitney]

I think it's fairly compatible with what I posted; a rejection of ritual and rejection of creeds tend to go hand in hand. There are exceptions, as KG noted, but Evangelicals are usually contrasted with mainline protestantism.

Do you mean that Evangelicals would not generally agree with the content of the Apostle's Creed or do you just mean that such Evangelicals just don't tend to want to confess creeds within the church services? (that they don't like such formalities?)

[One Bad Pig]

Do you mean that Evangelicals would not generally agree with the content of the Apostle's Creed or do you just mean that such Evangelicals just don't tend to want to confess creeds within the church services? (that they don't like such formalities?)

Evangelicals tend to disdain creeds as empty formulas, and prefer to rely on scripture alone. Creeds are a "tradition of men" and thus avoided, even if the content of a particular creed is not objectionable.

[KingsGambit]

Evangelicals tend to disdain creeds as empty formulas, and prefer to rely on scripture alone. Creeds are a "tradition of men" and thus avoided, even if the content of a particular creed is not objectionable.

On a personal level, that makes little sense to me because one could say the same thing about the hymns they sing.

[Cow Poke]

Evangelicals tend to disdain creeds as empty formulas, and prefer to rely on scripture alone. Creeds are a "tradition of men" and thus avoided, even if the content of a particular creed is not objectionable.

I think "disdain" might be too strong a word. While I find them unnecessary, I certainly don't "disdain" them.

[One Bad Pig]

I think "disdain" might be too strong a word. While I find them unnecessary, I certainly don't "disdain" them.

Ok. It's not especially easy to categorize Evangelicals, because other than a focus on spreading the gospel, they're defined more by what they are not, and have no organizational unity.

[One Bad Pig]

On a personal level, that makes little sense to me because one could say the same thing about the hymns they sing.

There are fundamentalists who do say that (the Puritans only sang psalms, IIRC). The difference seems to be that hymns are an expression of worship, not belief per se.

[mikewhitney]

I think "disdain" might be too strong a word. While I find them unnecessary, I certainly don't "disdain" them.

Why unnecessary? The creeds and confessions seem to be a compact way of remembering key details of Christian doctrine.

For most of my life, I wasn't paying attention to the creeds and confessions. But now I would say these are useful. It is rather easy to miss the key elements -- especially for younger Christians.

[KingsGambit]

I think "disdain" might be too strong a word. While I find them unnecessary, I certainly don't "disdain" them.

Out of curiosity, why do you see them as unnecessary given that Paul recites at least two creeds in his writings?

[Cow Poke]

Why unnecessary?

Because we have the Bible, and the creeds don't tell us anything that the Bible does not.

The creeds and confessions seem to be a compact way of remembering key details of Christian doctrine.

Those themes come up regularly in preaching.

For most of my life, I wasn't paying attention to the creeds and confessions. But now I would say these are useful. It is rather easy to miss the key elements -- especially for younger Christians.

Which is why we have Bible studies, primers, devotionals, guides, new member classes....

Your question was about Evangelicals... and we are not defined by which creed, if any, we recite.

[Cow Poke]

Out of curiosity, why do you see them as unnecessary given that Paul recites at least two creeds in his writings?

Because I can, and do, cite Paul.

And, let me be clear - I don't think the creeds are "unnecessary" per se, but I see no need to repeat them in every service. That is what I was referring to as unnecessary.

[mikewhitney]

Evangelicals tend to disdain creeds as empty formulas, and prefer to rely on scripture alone. Creeds are a "tradition of men" and thus avoided, even if the content of a particular creed is not objectionable.

You are making it more difficult on me. I need a compact way for my writings when I need to talk about people who accept the key points of the creeds over against those who don't. Maybe I have to describe these people in double negatives -- those who don't deny the key points found in the Apostle's Creed.

[KingsGambit]

And, let me be clear - I don't think the creeds are "unnecessary" per se, but I see no need to repeat them in every service. That is what I was referring to as unnecessary.

Makes sense, thanks for clarifying.