No More Evangelicals

Have you ever been confused about what an evangelical is? Or could you define evangelicalism? For all its use in current discussion it sure is a slippery idea. 


In a recent Ebook, The Real Scandal of the Evangelical Mind, Carl Trueman argues that the label has ceased to be helpful, and in most cases we should abandon it. Abandon evangelicalism? This is no bright future for the cultural influence of Christianity in America. But is also not the end of the gospel working here. Here is Trueman's summary:

Regardless of whether the scenario I have outlined comes about, it is clear that the cultural referee is about to call time out on evangelicals and evangelicalism, if not on traditional religions entirely. No evangelical leader or organization can prevent it. The gay lobby, militant secularists, and atheists who deride any religious belief as distasteful will force Christians either into capitulation to their demands or a sectarianism that thrusts us to the margins. Abandoning the myth of the evangelical movement can only help us, as it will free us to be who we truly are and to speak the gospel in all of its richness as we understand it. This is what our day and generation needs. 

The real scandal of the evangelical mind currently is not that it lacks a mind, but that it lacks any agreed-upon evangel. Until we acknowledge that this is the case—until we can agree on what exactly it is that constitutes the evangel—all talk about evangelicalism as a real, coherent movement is likely to be little more than a chimera, or a trick with smoke and mirrors.

This is a provocative, short, and timely book. I recommend taking a few minutes to read through it. If you would like to borrow it, shoot me an email. I would be happy to lend it to you (digitally).