Thursday, April 10, 2008
OK with Being Evangelical
I’m affiliated with a smaller denomination called the Evangelical Covenant Church. But I must admit that I shy away from using the word evangelical when describing my identity as a Christian. When I share that I am connected to a denomination with the word evangelical in the name, it’s always accompanied with a fear that people will get the wrong impression of me. In my opinion, the word evangelical for many is synonymous with the religious Right and organizations like the Christian Collation and controversial figures like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. Without wanting to sound judgmental or condescending, let’s just say I would rather not claim the same label as these folks. However, as I’ve been reading Jim Wallis’ book, God’s Politics, I have been encouraged by the many distinctly evangelical organizations around today that have shown a deepening social conscience while avoiding some of the more negative stereotypes often associated with evangelicals, including my own denomination which receives special mention on page 83 of my paperback edition. Wallis writes: “Several conservative evangelical denominations, like the Evangelical Covenant Church, have now made the critical links between evangelism, compassion, and social justice.” I’m becoming more comfortable with my label.
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5 comments:
Good for you Ric. Labels are a hard thing these days, especially with the abundance of Christian labels floating around.
I've become much more comfortable with my label, postmodern, as well. It seems to still be unknown to most people which, not surprisingly, draws them. Let's just pray that people are coming into our churches not for labels sake, but His!
noooooo. don't be deceived, though there is a place for you in the very very broad arms of the term evangelical, it will bite you sometime. Though as I have been at trinity Evangelical divinity school, i have found that evangelical increasingly means nothing very distinctive at all.
I, for one, see a storng connection between being Christan and being socially responsible. Too many times there is too much talk, and not enough walk, which (in my opinion) results in a mislabeling of Christians. I think the call to be loving, forgiving, accountable and confident make us frontrunner examples of people who should reflect a sense of social responsibility. Thanks, Ric, for these thoughts!
iii, is me...ric. slatona
i think i have been naive for so long. i have been a christian for most of my life and just now starting to realize or maybe just pay attention to the many stances that are taken either for or against certain denominations or "labeling". i have never been one for labels ;)
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