Do you identify yourself as an “evangelical?”  Do you know what it means to be “evangelical” in your theology?  I was recently asked to speak in a class on contemporary western religions at CSU.  I was supposed to represent “conservative” or “evangelical” Christianity.  However, I quickly realized during the Q&A that no one really knew what “evangelical” meant.  While there were examples and even caricatures offered by some students, the word was being thrown about without any clear definition. 

Although people might mean different things when they invoke the word “evangelical,” here’s an explanation that I think is both accurate and helpful.

The term evangelical first came to fame during the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s.  It was used almost synonymously with the word “Protestant.”  In fact, even today in places like Germany you’ll hear evangelical being used as another word for Protestant.  The biblical world for gospel is evangel, and because the Reformers saw what they were doing as being closer to the biblical gospel, they called themselves evangelicals.  Because of this close connection between the word evangelical and the Protestant Reformation, there are two primary elements at the heart of being an evangelical—authority and justification. 

Justification:
The most well-known issue of the Reformation was whether or not a person receives God’s forgiveness and love (1) simply through one’s faith in Jesus, or (2) if one needs to pay for or earn God’s forgiveness (the selling of indulgences). 

However, the bigger issue behind this debate on justification, was that of authority.

Authority:
The real issue at stake in the Reformation had to do with where the ultimate source of authority is.  Is it (1) God’s written Word—the Bible, or (2) the leadership of the Church?

The Protestant reformers answered affirmatively to the first options on both the above two questions.  They said,

● We are saved (1) simply through our faith in Jesus (sole fide = faith alone), and

● The ultimate source of authority for our faith & practice is (1) God’s written Word—the Bible (sola Scriptura = Scripture alone).

What does it mean to be Evangelical today?
At the core then, what it means to be evangelical in you theology today is that you are committed to the doctrines of sola Scriptura and sola fide.  Going further, there is also another consequential belief/practice that is meant today by evangelical.  This is the belief that each follower of Jesus is responsible to evangelize—to share the gospel. 

A key element meant by Evangelical today:
If we believe that the Bible is an accurate and final self-revelation of God (sola Scriptura), and that in this revelation God tells us that all people must receive His forgiveness through faith alone in His promise of grace (sola fide), then it is incumbent upon us to make that message known to everyone.  All followers of Jesus have the responsibility to “preach the gospel” in the spheres in which God has placed them.  We must do this because we take Jesus seriously when he said that he is the only way, the only truth, and the only life, and that no one would be able to have relationship with God except if they first enter into relationship with Jesus (Jn 14:6).  This is the heart of being “evangelical,” and, I believe, the heart of the gospel.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. What are the misconceptions and caricatures of being “evangelical” today?
2. Why has evangelicalism received such bad press?  Is any of it deserved?
3. Is evangelicalism on the right track or has it been hijacked?
4. If the meaning of being evangelical has been hijacked, is it possible to redeem and reclaim it today?