Based on the reactions to the Al Mohler story in Christianity Today, Carl Trueman makes a strong argument against the existence of evangelicalism as a movement in any meaningful sense. This is a much abbreviated version of the same assertion D.G. Hart made a few years ago in his book, Deconstructing Evangelicalism. Both believe that the term “evangelicalism” has become so anemic that it cannot stand on his own.
Trueman’s point is something to consider, not only for evangelicalism, but also for other “movements,” such as fundamentalism. Think about it.
“Hmmm…excuse me for a minute. I need to step out of the room.” The ultrasound tech had been tasked with imaging my transplanted kidney to make sure that the surgery to remove the pituitary tumor at the base of my brain would be safe for the kidney. Kidney transplants...
See the first post in this series here. New posts drop every Friday. Types of Deconstruction As I unpack my Ten Reasons Christians Are Deconstructing Their Faith, let me make a few introductory comments. My original post created a little firestorm on Facebook in a way...
As I write this essay (summer 2020), I am five months past my last chemo treatment. My hair is almost fully grown back, although I think I will keep it shorter than I used to because it is easier to manage. It is July and I have been swimming in a friend’s pool for...
I think Carl’s comments about evangelicalism are probably true. When I first began reading evangelical publications (CT, His, Eternity) in the 1960s and 1970s, evangelicalism meant something. InterVarsity Press and CT were publishing books and articles rooted in Scripture and traditional Protestant, more or less Reformed, theology. Now, however, I think both have moved to the left and are less historically evangelical than they were then. As for fundamentalism, I haven’t hung around with them since the mid-80s, though I understand that Pensacola and BJU argue over who is more fundamentalist. There are questions about the GARBC and its commitment to fundamentalism. You probably know that better than I do.
Here in France, the term “évangélique” has become so broad and vague, that many conservatives either shy away from the term or else work hard trying to clarify its true meaning. Its rather frustrating and I find even disappointing that good terms (even ones rooted in a biblical idea – “gospel/good news”) are so often distorted and poorly represented forcing us to constantly re-explain what they actually mean.