Who Is An Evangelical? A Review
Who is an evangelical? That is a complex question. We often hear the term evangelical used today in reference to American politics, but that is a very narrow (one might say misguided) understanding of historical evangelicals and evangelicalism. In Who Is an Evangelical?, Thomas Kidd attempts to answer the question historically by tracing the roots of American evangelicalism from the eighteenth century through the election of Donald...
Rhetoric: The Christian Speaker and Non-verbal Communication
For the preacher, teacher, or leader, speaking well in public is vital. Of course, public speaking is verbal, but it’s also non-verbal. In fact, the majority of public speaking is non-verbal. Albert Mehrabian states, “Only 7 percent of a speaker’s message comes through his words; 38 percent springs from his voice; 55 percent comes from his facial expressions.”[1] Thus, the Christian speaker must concern himself not simply with what he...
The Enduring Vision of Carl F. H. Henry
Carl F. H. Henry was once described as “the thinking man’s Billy Graham” [1]. The evangelist Billy Graham is known throughout the world, but Henry’s name isn’t nearly as familiar. There have been many who have influenced the American church in a variety of ways. Some, like Graham, have done so from stadium platforms, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ and pleading with all who would listen. Others, like Henry, have left their...
Theological Triage
Discrediting Christianity is not too difficult these days: “Why work too hard or get our hands too dirty, when applying the labels Fundamentalist and Evangelical will do the trick of sending those pesky Christians back to the hills where they belong,” some think. These are the tactics of many media outlets. There is no denying that the Church is at odds with the things of this world. Though the world despises the Gospel, Christians...
America’s Founding and Christianity (Part II): Fundamentalism, Neo-evangelicalism, and Today
In last week’s essay, I explored the Protestant Reformation’s impact upon America’s founding. Articulating his two-kingdoms doctrine, Martin Luther paved the way for religious liberty, or the separation of church and state. The Puritans paved the way for constitutionalism, democracy, limited government, rule of law, and the separation of powers. In this essay, I will examine why some still question Christianity’s role in America’s...
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