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"Evangelical" term ruined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 10:09 am
by Ernie
Can anybody point me to the conversation in which evangelical leaders were saying how the term "Evangelical" has been ruined after so many Evangelicals supported Trump?
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 10:27 am
by Josh
Ernie wrote:Can anybody point me to the conversation in which evangelical leaders were saying how the term "Evangelical" has been ruined after so many Evangelicals supported Trump?
On MennoNet or in general?
Here is one article about it:
http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/upf ... 52176.html
Interestingly, Trump's support was strongest with people who identify as Christian but don't attend church services. His support was low amongst people with a strong evangelical-Chrisitan identity and who attend church regularly. (They liked candidates like Ben Carson a lot more.)
So in a sense it's not valid to say Trump "ruined" the evangelical "brand", but overall I think this is a very good conversation to start having - what does the evangelical "brand" even mean if it goes hand in hand with electing a thrice-married real estate billionaire?
Re: "Evangelical" term ruined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:11 am
by Ernie
I think maybe it was Piper and someone else saying that another good word was ruined.
Could a moderator please fix the title?
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:15 am
by MattY
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 11:44 am
by Josh
I think it is interesting to note that the word "evangelical" entering the common lexicon began with Luther, and it is a term that seems very, very far afield from the original Greek meaning of "good news". I am not convinced at all the Luther's "good news" has anything to do with the good news of following Jesus.
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 12:35 pm
by Ernie
This is fine, but I was looking for a video discussion between a couple evangelicals, one of which was Piper I think.
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 12:37 pm
by Ernie
Josh wrote:I think it is interesting to note that the word "evangelical" entering the common lexicon began with Luther, and it is a term that seems very, very far afield from the original Greek meaning of "good news". I am not convinced at all the Luther's "good news" has anything to do with the good news of following Jesus.
Did Menno Simons get the term indirectly from Luther.
“True evangelical faith is of such a nature it cannot lie dormant, but spreads itself out in all kinds of righteousness and fruits of love;
it dies to flesh and blood;
it destroys all lusts and forbidden desires;
it seeks, serves and fears God in its inmost soul (3);
it clothes the naked;
it feeds the hungry;
it comforts the sorrowful;
it shelters the destitute;
it aids and consoles the sad;
it does good to those who do it harm;
it serves those that harm it;
it prays for those who persecute it;
it teaches, admonishes and judges us with the Word of the Lord;
it seeks those who are lost;
it binds up what is wounded;
it heals the sick;
it saves what is strong (sound);
it becomes all things to all people.
The persecution, suffering and anguish that come to it for the sake of the Lord’s truth have become a glorious joy and comfort to it.”
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:03 pm
by Bootstrap
I think Piper gave some useful advice for how we, as Christians in our own Kingdom, should live, pray for our leaders, and focus on what is most important in this article, which has apparently been deleted from his blog:
How to Live Under an Unqualified President
Whether or not you agree with his characterization of Trump, I think his instructions for Christians are useful for Kingdom Christians, that's the part that made me think it might be worth posting here.
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 4:43 pm
by temporal1
Ernie wrote:Can anybody point me to the conversation in which evangelical leaders were saying how the term "Evangelical" has been ruined after so many Evangelicals supported Trump?
the word has been problematic long before Trump entered politics, he cannot take either credit or blame for that. it's a word that's used to mean different things to different people, and, many people use different meanings depending on context.
it's a word i've tried to avoid all my life.
when others use it, i try to figure out which meaning/context they are using, not always easy.
it's a word that's been discussed on this forum various times.
i would not agree that Trump ruined the word, or that he ruined anyone using it.
if i recall, the first groups of believers Trump met with as POTUS were Catholics.
no broo-ha-ha over that (that i'm aware.)
did Trump ruin the word, "Catholic?"
possibly Pelosi and Biden took care of that.
i hope you're able to locate the video you're searching for.
Re: "Evangelical" term uined
Posted: Wed May 03, 2017 5:47 pm
by Bootstrap
I can't seem to find the video, but I'd be interested.
FWIW, if we are going to discard terms when they get ruined by misuse, what do we do with the term "Christian"?