What is an Evangelical and where did the originate?

[coloradodem2005]

I ask because the evangelicals have gotten a bad name. THough, many have brought it on themselves. Supposedly they have been around since before the 1960's. THey appearently did not approve of the 60's counterculture. People keep saying that Jimmy Carter was one of them. THough he was a lot better than the stereotypical evangelical. Many supported him to an extent in 1976. Then they were galvanized by Reagan in 1980. Then the evangelicals started to become what we know of them today. THey were predominantly Republicans. THough Clinton was even identified as one. He never secured their voting bloc though. Now they are in lock-step behind the chimp. My question is, were they always as messed up as they have been from 1980 onward? There are individuals that seem to be decent in that group even though they are scary.

[skooooo]

1. ..oh it goes back to the 1700s at least.

I think the problem is a combination of Puritanism and politics. Read some "Jonathan Edwards" -- the 18th century preacher, not the 21st century psychic. That's where the roots go, imo. Look up some of this guy's old sermons, it will send a shock down your spine.

[coloradodem2005]

2. You mean the 21st century politician John Edwards.

THe psychic was John Edward.

[skooooo]

6. Lol..well I'm talking Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)

See how much of this little gem you can stomach. A passage from his most famous sermon.

http://www.ccel.org/e/edwards/sermons/sinners.html

===================

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

"And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now hearken to the loud calls of God's word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men's hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles' days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire."

[Dogmudgeon]

9. No, Jonathan Edwards

He was an 18th century American theologian who wrote Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God, which is a classic religious rant. Actually, in spite of the fire and brimstone, Edwards was a very progressive religious leader.

Information about him is easy to find on the internet. www.JonathanEdwards.com is the best one, and contains most of his writings in theology, science, and philosophy.

Keep in mind that religion has become extremely decadent. At one time, the idea that Jesus could free one from the prospect of hell was liberating; now, it's simply a way to sell fear and enhance a preacher's income.

--bkl

[skooooo]

10. His religion is really based on fear....

..and I'm not sure that has changed much in some circles.

[happyending]

5. school

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

Spooky guy, Johnathan Edwards, IMO.

Give me a second to Google this
to see if I remembered it correctly.
It's been 25 years since I was in school.

Yep, that's it. Amazing what sticks to the old gray matter. ;)

[skooooo]

7. ....yeah, there are probably better passages.

...than the one I quoted. See if you can find something "real good"!

[Wapsie B]

3. Jimmy,

Bill and Al were all Southern Baptists at one time. Several years ago Jimmy switched churches due to a dislike of the direction the SBC was taking.

The strict definition of Evangelical is that of a Protestant church that derives its teachings from the Gospels. That definition encompases a lot of people. The modern-day definition is those who believe in a "literal" interpretation of the bible, and that the bible is the inerrant word of God, among other things.

[murielm99]

16. Not all evangelicals are fundamentalists!

Evangelical does mean that a church derives its teachings from the four Gospels. It means also that faith and grace, not works and sacraments are they keys to salvation.

Many main line churches are evangelical, but not literalists, or fundamentalists. Fundamentalists believe in the literal truth of the Bible, that every word is divine inspiration.

Many evangelical churches use a little more scholarship. They realize that the entire Bible came from many sources, and did not spring up whole as the King James version of the Bible. They understand that it is not a matter of faith if you do not believe that Adam and Eve were real people. You will not go to hell if you think Jonah was not swallowed by a whale. Joseph's twelve brothers are actually the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and may not have existed literally.

Look at all the mainstream Christian churches that have the word "evangelical" in their names. It refers to the gospels, not to literalism.

(And God help me...I just entered the 700 club...and with THIS post).

[Wapsie B]

18. Yes.

That's what I was trying to say, but you said it better.

[JohnLocke]

4. Here you go

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelical
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Edwards_(theology)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evangelicalism

[SlavesandBulldozers]

8. its my impression

that Evangelicalism was born one balmy Georgia summer day in 1978 when an Avon lady knocked on the door of Jim and Tammy Fay Baker. The world would never be the same.

[coloradodem2005]

11. I think it really grew in the 1980's

I remember being a kid then and evangelists were all over the place.

[skooooo]

12. It became more televised, that's for sure.

...Ever been to a revival?? Heh.

[coloradodem2005]

13. No.

I went to an evangelical church for 3 years. What is a revival?

[skooooo]

15. In Baptists churches..

..and real conservative protestant churches. It would usually be some traveling preacher, or visiting preacher who would preach every night for like an entire week. The whole thing would get real emotional and LLLOOOOOONNGGG. And then on the final night of it BANG it got even more dramatic. Sometimes, but not at my church they had them outside in tents.

Man, I had a lot of bad experiences in that environment. This whole thread is making me trip.

[mmonk]

14. They started becoming big in America in the 19th century

around the same time as fundamentalism was just beginning I think. Anyway, precursors to some of them are Calvin and Anabaptists (though I could be wrong). Anyway, the founding fathers were not quite like them no matter what myths they try to sell about them. Most of the founding fathers were influenced by the enlightenment. Our concepts of law were culled from many sources such as the Code of Hammurabi, the Roman republic, English common law, etc.

[mitchum]

17. According to the Christian myth, it began with the two women...

at the empty tomb- "He is risen"

America: Jonathan Edwards
Britain: John Wesley

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cleita]

20. Evangelism, John the Evangelist. Figure it out. n/t

[maggrwaggr]

21. It's fascism cloaked in religion

I have them in my family and they are fascists. I don't use the term lightly, and I in fact hesitate to use it because it gets bandied around too much by the left.

My step-mom probably doesn't even know the meaning of the word "fascist" but she is a perfect example.

They believe in an idealized past that never really existed, of racial purity (in her case, a small-town disneyland-like America) where there were no blacks, no gays, and the like.

They believe in authority figures who tell them what to do and how to live their lives and give them what are literally marching orders (Bush, James Dobson, Ralph Reed, Jerry Falwell, and of course .... the Bible (the passages they want anyway)).

They even have their own music that they love playing and that they buy.

They blame all the troubles of the world on groups that they hate. In Nazi Germany it was Jews of course, and for these American fascists it's "liberals", homosexuals, the "liberal media" etc.

If you argue with them about any of their beliefs, they shrink and hide behind the bible, and they say "this is the only law that I know".

oh, and right now they really really hate Muslims and they think Islam is an evil religion and they think Islam tells all muslims to kill everybody.

Oh, and of course they think they're truly good people. In fact, they believe they're the ONLY truly good people.

They are dangerous motherfuckers.

[TreasonousBastard]

22. Google up "Great Awakening" and...

have some fun reading. The US lags far behind Europe in getting the churches out of politics. There have been several "Great Awakenings" in our history, and it has not been pretty. Tent revivals have been a part of American history for at least a century.

Elmer Gantry is alive and well today, as are Bryan and the others who gave us the Scopes spectacle.

Strictly speaking, "evangelical" means preaching and outreach. Unlike, say, Judaism, Christianity wants to spread the word and gain converts. Some churches are far more evangelical than others, and they often tend to be fundies. The word itself is meaningless without context-- the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is far more progressive in religion and politics than the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church.

Curiously, in the past the wild-eyed evangelicals were often as not populists and progressives. Bryan could be happy in the Green party today, except for his religious views. I'm not sure, but I think somewhere around WWII they kind of lost it with progressives, and moved to more fertile territory with the rightwingers.

[ethimtemp]

23. Sorta reminds me of a central New Jersey Evangelical church that..

is full of the most "stoopid", foolish people I've seen in years. Some of their beliefs are:

-- Women are not suppose to work and men can only work in "approved" professions. Some of the frowned upon professions are sales, financial services, management of any type and marketing. All blue collar professions are "approved."

-- Public education is "bad." Most of them send their kids to the local fundie training camp which is chocked full of similar minded people. Those who can't afford the fundie training camp home school the kids.

-- Bush was appointed by God. He can do no wrong.

-- "We" (i.e. white people) are God's chosen people and have his blessing to bring the gospel to all the world. The interests of others (i.e. brown, red, yellow people) take a back seat.


Needless to say, it's a pretty f'ed up place. Most live in homes that should be condemned. Most have no healthcare and are sick as stray dogs. The kids are dumber than rocks.