evangelical

In the book “How Wide the Divide,” Craig Blomberg from a Denver seminary and Stephen Robinson, from BYU (both have PhD’s in religion) attempt to “bridge the gap” between Evangelicals and Mormons.  The first step is to have a correct understanding of what the other believes.  The following is an excerpt from their book: Since very [...]

The AP has reported that Conservative Church leaders met this week to consider backing McCain as well as petitioning him to consider Mike Huckabee for the V.P. slot Booth Newspapers Michigan.Barrack Obama has been seeking to convince Christian Church leaders that he is acceptable as “Liberal Christian”, going so far as to pick up George W. Bush’s Faith Based Initiatives as part of his platfo

Obama to expand Bush’s faith based programs Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans to expand President Bush’s program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support some ability to hire and fire based on faith. Obama was unveiling his approach to getting [...]

OneNewsNow: The leader of a Christian evangelical group who expressed his religious views to tourists near the Liberty Bell was placed on one year’s probation for refusing to move from a sidewalk where demonstrations are banned. Repent America director Michael A. Marcavage, 28, of Lansdowne, Pa., was sentenced Friday after a two-day bench trial. He [...]

Sign of the Cross1x Our Father10x Hail Marys.Holy Mary, Mother of God,(Mention one virtue in the following order)1. Most Pure,2. Most Prudent,3. Most Humble,4. Most Faithful,5. Most Devout,6. Most Obedient,7. Most Poor,8. Most Patient,9. Most Merciful,10. Most Sorrowful,pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen

Robert Novak's column today argues again that John McCain has to worry about his evangelical base. While it is true that the Arizona senator would be much better off with Dr. Dobson behind them than on the sidelines,...

Huffington Post - June 6, 2008 via beliefnet.com: In a new interview with Dan Gilgoff for BeliefNet’s God-o-Meter, DeMoss explains the lack of religious enthusiasm for McCain and predicts a potential major shift to Obama. This is one guy’s perspective, but I am surprised by how little I’ve seen or read in conservative circles about McCain since [...]

I am a proud Christian and a definitely follower of Jesus Christ. However I don't consider myself an Evangelical by any means. It is now a political buzzword with very negative connotations. I refuse to be placed in that box especially as I am not socially conservative. It offended me greatly to be denounced as an "Evangelical" because I was a supporter of Governor Mike Huckabee's presidential cam

There are probably thousands of different definitions of the word “Christian.” We have chosen the same inclusive definition as is used by public opinion pollsters and government census offices: A “Christian“  includes any group or individual who seriously, devoutly, prayerfully describes themselves as Christian. Under this definition, Christianity includes: Roman Catholics

Why be biblical? Because the Bible communicates the gospel of Jesus Christ--the account of what God has said and done as sovereign Lord and as suffering servant for our salvation."Evangelical" designates theology that seeks to know the "God of the gospel," the God who revealed himself in the prehistory and history of Jesus Christ as well as through the apocalyptic vision of his future coming. I am

Are young evangelicals really leaving the Republican Party? Young, evangelical ... for Obama? There have been many articles pointing the "exodus" of young evangelicals from the GOP, but I do not see it. Take a look at these numbers from the above article:According to a September 2007 survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 15 percent of white evangelicals between 18 and 29, a group t

"Christians from both sides of the political spectrum, left as well as right, have made the mistake of politicizing faith," the [Evangelical] manifesto declares."'That way faith loses its independence, the church becomes "the regime at prayer," Christians become "useful idiots" for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes an ideology in its purest form,' it said."[For the full article, see here.]And it took this long to come to this conclusion? I'm jaded enough to feel that most of the signatories to this Evangelical Manifesto have come to the conclusion that there isn't sufficient money and mileage to be had by demonizing LGBT people, and are backing off and seeking to deal with issues that don't serve as lightening rods, as increasing numbers of people are perhaps

By Doc MikeThis is hilarious! Christian scholars and theologians are releasing a manifesto today to "take back" the term Evangelical from the politicians. Apparently, it's starting to have a negative connotation in the world of politics. I wonder why?USA Today says in Manifesto aims to make 'evangelical' less political:"Evangelical" has been widely used to refer to Christians who have conservative political views, but the Evangelical Theological Society requires members to agree on just two points: inerrancy of Scripture, and belief in God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as "separate but equal in attributes and glory" and essential for salvation.This really makes me laugh because if "Scripture" is nothing else it is errant. In fact that's exactly what my blog (By The Book Comics) is all a

There may be growing discontent among some evangelical Christians over the politicization of their faith, but the Christian extremist base remains determined to fuse religious delusion and political power. Do atheists have a role in supporting those evangelicals who wish to withdraw from the culture wars and reclaim the religious roots of evangelism from the politicians? This is a controversial question, almost certain to split atheists. And yet, it just might be something of an opportunity too.The pending "Evangelical Manifesto" is something with which many atheists may have some interest. After all, it has been described as "starkly self-critical.""That way faith loses its independence, Christians become 'useful idiots' for one political party or another, and the Christian faith becomes

There may be growing discontent among some evangelical Christians over the politicization of their faith, but the Christian extremist base remains determined to fuse religious delusion and political power. Do atheists have a role in supporting those evangelicals who wish to withdraw from the culture wars and reclaim the religious roots of evangelism from the politicians? This is a controversial qu

Over at The Evangelical Outpost Joe Carter tackles the question, "Who would Jesus waterboard?" His answer? No one. Who allowed our country to succumb to such fear and moral cowardice that we parse the the meaning and definition of "torture?" I blame myself, and implicate my fellow Christians. We have remained silent and treated an issue once considered unthinkable--the acceptability of torture--like a concept worthy of honest debate. But there is no room for debate: torture is immoral and should be clearly and forcefully denounced. We continue to shame ourselves and our Creator by refusing to speak out against such outrages to human dignity....As Christians we must never condone the use of methods that threaten to undermine the inherent dignity of the person created in the image of God. ... There is something clearly repugnant about our unwillingness to distance ourselves from the fear-driven utilitarians willing to embrace the use of torture. I've wondered "Where is the evangelical

Des Moines, IA – Matt Reisetter, a recognized and well-respected leader in Iowa’s evangelical community, has joined the Mike Huckabee for President campaign as its director of coalitions in Iowa. ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

this morning three Evangelical bloggers jointly endorsed Mike Hukcabee. The following is what the wrote. This is so good it has to be quoted instead of giving you a link**********************************************************************************Our Conservative ChoiceAnd Endorsement of Mike HuckabeeNote: This post is co-authored with Matthew Anderson and Justin Taylor.] When it comes to politics, we three are pragmatic idealists. We are dedicated to the pursuit of noble principles and goals while never forgetting that politics is the "art of the possible." Because we are idealists we are choosing to endorse a candidate who most aligns with our principles and values and is most worthy of our sacred trust. Because we are pragmatists we are choosing to endorse the one candidate who we believe is most capable of defeating Sen. Hillary Clinton. Because we are pragmatic idealists we are endorsing Gov. Mike Huckabee. For several months we have admired the scrappy campaign of Gov. Hu

When Pentecostal minister Carlton Pearson lost his pulpit, he found compassion and shelter in an unlikely place: Among the Episcopalians. This essay evaluates the historicity, objectivity, and motivations of evangelical theology ... and how these characterstics alone distinguish it Catholic theology.

“Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance,” whether they be Louis Farrakhan or Al Sharpton on the left or Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson on the right.” John McCain spoke these brave words during his 2000 presidential run. The straight-talking maverick wasn’t [...]

From a candidate who raised his hand at a Republican presidential candidate debate when asked who didn't believe in evolution, and a man who declared to Marie Claire magazine in an interview that "If a person dresses provocatively, they're calling attention -- maybe not the most desirable kind -- to private parts of their body," when asked about miniskirts, I was not surprised that this book of his left a bitter taste in my mouth.Huckabee suffers (or excels for the audience he's aiming for) from God-mentionitis. I don't think there was one out of the twelve chapters that didn't either talk about God or quote scripture. The entire book read like an extended cliche-ridden sermon, preaching the evils of being pro-choice and pro-gay marriage. He thinks it's humorous that people in his home state of Arkansas gave him the nickname of "Rev-Gov," during his term as governer of Arkansas because of his religious ardor.At the end of each chapter are some "Action Steps" based on the preach

Advice for a Christian visiting gay-friendly Brighton plus the woman who wonders if she is a witchDear Marina, I will shortly be visiting the gay capital of the UK, Brighton. On looking for a place to stay for a few nights I noticed a couple of websites had a small note 'Gay friendly'. Now I'm not a homophobe but I am an evangelical Christian and don't want to put myself in any danger, if you know

WASHINGTON — The Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), president of the National Clergy Council and chair of the Committee on Church and Society for the Evangelical Church Alliance, will hand deliver a letter to the U.S. Senate office of Barack Obama on Monday challenging the presidential candidate to a public debate on religion. Senator Obama this [...]

The evangelical war on scienceSomething I have felt strongly about is the need for conservatism to get a divorce from the religious right. Fundamentalist christians have no place in deciding governmental policy anymore than the radical socialist left. The crazy thing is they are so similar to each other. They're both into mind control, each side just uses different methods. The left tries to control what I say and do via political correctness and the radical right tries to control me via fear of god. They are not so different. More on the topic of divorcing the fundamentalist right on an upcoming rant. ~RJH

According to The Washington Post (via The Boston Globe), the U.S. military has taken steps to distance itself from the Georgia evangelical rally following complaints by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. Since the AU press release was just issued recently, it is nice to see such swift action.According to the article,A Washington-based advocacy group, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, sent letters yesterday to Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Acting Secretary of the Army Pete Geren contending that the military's extensive cooperation in the event would be unconstitutional.The Air Force responded by claiming it was unaware of the religious focus of the event and indicating that it would seek to avoid endorsing the religious components of the celebration. While I am disappointed that the Air Force was unwilling to pull out completely, this concession would not have happened with action by Americans United. In addition, it appears that the Army

According to a press release issued today by Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the participation of the U.S. military in an upcoming evangelical rally violates the Constitution. It seems like the military would have more important things to do besides endorse evangelical Christianity.The event at Stone Mountain, GA, is being promoted as a Memorial Day celebration, but Americans United notes that the program describes a Christian worship service and emphasizes evangelical outreach. The celebration is hosted by Lifeway Christian Stores and Task Force Patriot USA.According to Task Force Patriot USA’s Web site, the organization exists “for the purpose of sharing the fullness of life in Jesus Christ with all U.S. military, military veterans and families,” and “Christ is our Commander-in-Chief.” The group’s logo is a shield centered with a Christian cross with its sides bracketed by an American flag and Christian flag.It does not sound like there is any doubt a

Awhile back, I posed a series of questions to current or former evangelical Christians. Thanks to all those who responded. Before reading this post where I will do my best to summarize what I learned, I recommend you review the previous post so you understand the rationale for my questions. Okay, now we'll continue and see if we can't all learn something about evangelical Christians.I'm organizing the rest of this post in a question and answer format, starting with each of my questions followed by a summary of coherent responses. For the sake of brevity, the summary of responses will be just that - a summary.What are evangelical Christians taught about the value of proselytizing?Many of those who responded made reference to the Christian bible and how it is regularly interpreted as commanding believers to preach to others. They evangelize because their god commands them to do so or as a way of honoring their god. Others indicated that they are driven by the strength of their belief

Like most Americans, I was indoctrinated with Christianity during childhood. In my case, this was a progressive and fairly liberal form of Christianity that bore little resemblance to the fundamentalist or evangelical forms which currently seem so popular. As a result, I have a difficult time understanding the motivation of those who describe themselves as evangelical. In this post, I'd like to pose a few questions to those who currently or previously considered themselves as belonging to an evangelical form of Christianity.To elaborate a bit on the background for the questions that will follow, I should point out that I had virtually no exposure to evangelical Christianity until approximately age 17. The Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, and Catholics I grew up with all shared a common perspective that religion was a private matter. At some level, I think we knew that arguing about differences among the various denominations would accomplish little besides hurt feelings. Religion

Richard Land, a Southern Baptist Leader, said that evangelical voters could possibly vote for a divorced presidential candidate, but that they have doubts about Rudy Giuliani, because he has been married three times.  Land also told reporters that Giuliani showed bad character during the divorce of his second wife.  Land said, “I mean, this is divorce on steroids,” and that “to publicly humiliate your wife in that way, and your children.  That’s rough.  I think that’s going to be an awfully hard sell, even if he weren’t pro-choice and pro-gun control.” Giuliani is already going to have a hard time winning conservative votes because they see his moderate views on certain issues like guns, abortion and gays as being too liberal.  However, Giuliani is identified in many polls as the front runner for the Republican presidential primary, followed by John McCain and Mitt Romney. The Southern Baptists have been the most vocal in supporting th

This follows a good piece on the Disciple Generation, a "fierce new face of American evangelism" that Salon did a little less than a month ago. Stephen Baldwin. The dude can only name 6 of the 10 commandments and needless to say is a complete moron. Also check out this interview with him for some hilarious hypocrisy.

from my understanding the evangelical doctrine of sin is:all sin leads to deathit is our nature to sinwe will continue to sin no matter whatwe can not stop our sin nature.so, no matter what we sin - and we keep sinning according to the evangelical doctrine - but, what do we do with things like this:1 john 5:16-17 "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."1 john 1:6-7 "If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we're obviously lying through our teethÂ?we're not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God's Son, purges all our sin."1 joh